Paintings by Central Florida artist Xavier Moss are overlaid with neon-colored classic animals, personal journeys, and even secret messages revealed only under a black light.
Approximately 20 of these works can be seen in the solo exhibition Flesh & Face: Wild Meets the Way in Mills Gallery’s Lamp Gallery. Moss, who won the $500 People’s Choice Award at Winn Win Emerging Artists Exhibition 2025, will be returning with a solo exhibition as part of the award.
The 22 works on display range in size from a 4-by-4-inch piece that took one to two hours to complete to a gigantic 48-by-60-inch piece depicting God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit as animals. The latter took 18 months to complete.
Other works depict Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, snakes, birds, lambs, frogs, and other Biblical animals. One of them directly tells the story of Jonah and the big fish. Each painting incorporates Moss’s personal story in some way, examining the tension between our “untamed impulses and our search for purpose.”
“So much of the Bible is a constant struggle with sin and morality. I know I was created to be better, but sometimes I don’t really feel like I want to be better,” he said. “With this exhibition, I wanted to continue using the natural history found in scripture as a means of investigating the journey. It’s definitely autobiographical. At this season of my life, that’s what I’m feeling most about.”
On the show’s opening night in June, Moss said attendees went on a treasure hunt using black lights, looking for messages hidden in invisible ink. While each “devotion thought” is inspired by his faith, he hopes each piece will spark a conversation among viewers.
“I want to always keep spaces of accessibility and curiosity open, no matter what your worldview is, so these can become spaces for dialogue. In 2026, the ability to agree to disagree, especially when it comes to faith and morality, is gone,” Moss said. “It’s very easy to become a keyboard warrior and jump right into the fray on Facebook. I want to use this space as an opportunity to pause, reset, and ask what it means to actively listen and not just clap back.”
Moss said he is grateful for the guidance of Mills Gallery, including Juan Pablo Santa Luna and curator Amber Santiago, in curating his first solo exhibition.
“We focused on, ‘What is most essential to you and what do you want to say with this particular show?'” Moss said of the curation process. “I am so happy and grateful for the opportunity to appear on Winn Win, win the prize money, and exhibit at Lump Gallery.”
Find @PConnPie on Instagram or email pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com. Stay up to date on travel, arts and events by subscribing to our newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.
If you go
“Of Flesh & Faith: The Wild Meets The Way” is on display through Sept. 7 at 1650 N. Mills Ave. in Orlando. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday by appointment. For more information, visit milsgalleryforlando.com.
