As a fan of public art, especially when it is whimsical I was delighted to discover this turtle…read morewith a camera, a flute-playing rabbit, and an alligator holding an ice cream cone sitting on a bench in Pride Promoters Park in Coral Springs. I recently discovered this imaginative public art installation, Wild Connections, while exploring the newly renovated park. Coral Springs officials recently celebrated the park's reopening, with the bronze sculpture serving as one of its most distinctive new additions. Created specifically for Coral Springs by internationally acclaimed British-Australian artistic duo Gillie and Marc, Wild Connections transforms an ordinary park bench into a playful gathering of native Florida wildlife. Five bronze animals sit together: a gopher tortoise holding a camera, a marsh rabbit playing a flute, a Florida panther and an alligator enjoying ice cream cones, and an eagle reading a book. I love how each animal has its own personality and adds meaning to the scene. The eagle represents wisdom, curiosity, and learning, while the tortoise becomes a photographer and observer, encouraging you to slow down and appreciate the world around you. The flute-playing marsh rabbit represents the arts while, the panther and alligator enjoying ice cream adds a a playful element. Wild Connections represents friendship, creativity, nature, and our connection to the animals that share Florida with us. The artwork was funded through Coral Springs' public art fund, which is supported by fees collected from new development and major renovations. Gillie and Marc are known around the world for their large-scale, interactive bronze sculptures and their commitment to wildlife conservation. Their work frequently explores themes of love, friendship, equality, acceptance, and the importance of protecting endangered species. They often design their sculptures to encourage people to interact with them whether by sitting beside their animal characters or becoming part of the scene themselves. The duo is perhaps best known for their recurring Rabbitwoman and Dogman characters, which symbolize diversity, unity, and two very different beings coming together. You can see more of their work like the We Go Together sculpture at the Pompano Beach Cultural Arts Center and I recently saw several of their sculptures on Lincoln Road in Miami. If you're visiting Pride Promoters Park, be sure to take a moment to sit beside these new bronze residents. They will make you smile and probably inspire a few photographs of your own.

DIRECTIONS: BETWEEN AVON & ROCK ISLAND ON MCNABB IN NORTH LAUDERDALE…read more It's a shame that spot lights & plaque stand were smashed, some graffiti on artwork & other destruction of the water represented by beautiful blue color glass and the astro turf is getting worn. Wishing I had the opportunity to have witnessed it before the destruction! This piece of art is after the NL "FUN CITY" freshly painted & maintained Welcome sign. Hopefully the town will do some well deserved maintenance!! Hint Hint #NorthLauderdale

Environmental artist and conservationist Robert Wyland was born in 1956 In Detroit, Michigan. He is…read moremost well known for his large outdoor murals, a series of 100 Whaling Walls throughout the country and world to spotlight the fragile ocean ecosystem. The first wall was created in 1981 in Laguna Beach, California and the last wall was completed in Bejing China in 2008 just before the summer Olympics. This wall named Water for Life in North Lauderdale was the 99th wall to be completed in June of 2008. It buffers the single family home neighborhood, The Fountains from the road. The ocean mural is 10 feet high and runs 1,000 feet long along the north side of McNab Road just west of Rock Island Road. Some of the native Florida sea life depicted on the whale includes sea turtles, fish, sharks, rays, dolphins, and manatees along with mangroves and coral reef. It took 80 gallons of paint to complete the wall. Other noteworthy artists who collaborated on the mural with Wyland's were Romero Britto and Guy Harvey. Children helped to paint the fish at the end nearest the welcome to North Lauderdale sign. In front of the mural is a landscaped, spiraling walkway accented by blue recycled glass. I love the walls message that we need to protect the wonders of nature for future generations and leave them clean water and healthy oceans. Fifteen years later the wall is still as inspiring as ever.

A vibrant mural against the main wall of the Count de Hoernle Amphitheater at the north end of…read moreMizner park. The mural was painted by local artist Brian Butler and titled it "Ode to Boca" which was inspired by asking local residents to provide 5-line poems about Boca Raton.

While walking through Mizner Park, I discovered this colorful new mural. The Ode to Boca mural is…read morelocated on the stage doors of the Mizner Park Amphitheater and was created by local artist Brian Butler in honor of Boca Raton's centennial. Butler is a South Florida based artist known for his energetic, story driven illustrations and public works. The mural reflects the stories, people, and experiences that have shaped Boca Raton over the past 100 years. Inspired by poems and personal reflections submitted through the City's Ode to Boca initiative, the artwork depicts the the signature architecture, the Intracoastal Waterway, beaches, local wildlife, and snapshots of life from both past and present. Images include a pineapple, Addison Mizner's famous companion monkey Johnnie Brown, a sunbather, sea turtle, and a ship gliding beneath the bridge, The project was unveiled during a community celebration featuring remarks from city officials, a meet-and-greet with the artist, Poems on Demand by O, Miami, and displays of verses submitted by members of the community. I really enjoyed discovering this mural and it was fun to really look at and see how many images I recognized. I especially loved the inclusion of Johnnie Brown and the FAU mascot, a burrowing owl. This is such a wonderful tribute to the people and places that make Boca Raton unique.

When you spot this iconic sculpture at the intersection of East Commercial Boulevard and El Mar…read moreDrive, you know you've arrived in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, a tiny Broward beach town large on charm. The Chamber of Commerce spent four years raising the $30,000 needed to bring this monument to life. In 1990, three local businessmen contributed the last $15,000, making the project possible. Pelicans in Flight was created by Colorado artist Carl Wagner, known for sculpting thousands of bronze animals and birds. He worked from a 5,000-square-foot foundry near his home outside Salida, Colorado, and also maintained a residence in Naples, Florida, where he passed away in 2011. Today, the sculpture still anchors Anglin's Square, a welcoming public space with chairs and umbrellas perfect for relaxing. Its subject feels especially fitting: just steps away from the ocean where pelicans glide, diving with precision to catch fish. As specialized marine predators, they play an important role in the ecosystem, and their presence is a strong indicator of ocean health. More than just a tribute to local wildlife, this sculpture has become a local landmark and a perfect spot to create a memory and snap a photo.

The Living Story of Coral Springs is a $150,000 public art piece that was installed this year in…read morehonor of Coral Spring's 60th anniversary in 2023. It is located next to the Coral Springs History Museum and across from Aiello Field in Mullins Park. Spanish artist Casto Solano (b. 1958) was selected to create the art piece. Solano has exhibited throughout the United States and Europe as he gained acclaim as a modern artist. He began his art career as a visual artist painting landscapes. Now he creates sculptures in corten steel. Corten steel also called weathered steel was designed to not need paint. Over a few months it transforms into a stable rust appearance. Solano's sculptures have precise shapes with natural rusted textures. Solano is now based out of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. This art work is made up of six book shaped sculpted panels that are 5.5 feet long and 8.5 feet wide. The panels feature engraved depictions of city history during the past six decades starting with On the Edge of the Everglades and ending with Looking to the Future. Another panel was Continuing to Grow. Scenes I saw included a festival Ferris wheel, the Coral Springs Covered Bridge, a person on horseback, and a Seminole tribe member. It was fun to try and see what images you could make out in the art. I noticed that the farther you moved back, the easier it was to see individual images. Sixty years doesn't seem like very much history but in that short tine Coral Springs has grown into a thriving city. This art work is a great representation of how far they have come as they develop even more great projects for future growth.

Guarding the beach at Boynton Beach Ocean Front Park is a sea turtle statue named Opus 14. He rests…read moreonly a few yards from the dunes were the real sea turtles come to lay their eggs. Created in 1990, Opus weighs in at 700 pounds and is 54 inches high. He is made out of welded steel that came from pipes that had once been on the deck of an Exxon offshore oil rig in the Bahamas. Rick Beau Lieu, the Boynton Beach artist who created Opus, was tasked with creating environmentally conscious art out of an environmentally harming material. He worked alongside the Center for Marine Conservation to create the piece. After he was completed, Opus went on a five year tour to spread environmental awareness. In 1995 he came back to Boynton Beach and spent two years at the Historical Schoolhouse Children's Museum and 13 years in the lobby at City Hall. In 2010, Boynton Art in Public Places purchased Opus for $24, 300 with money raised from impact fees. He was then lowered by crane into his current home. They hope Opus will serve as an educator about sea turtles and the importance of recycling. The sculpture was intended to be the centerpiece of the parks 1.7 million dollar refurbishment project which included a new boardwalk, benches, and picnic tables along with shade structures. I love discovering new public art pieces and Opus really caught my eye. Sea turtles are some of my favorite marine animals and his message of conservation is one we can all get behind. Reduce, reuse, and recycle so that garbage stays out of the ocean and out of the bodies of these precious creatures.

REcycled REef is a public art piece installed in 2022 near the entrance of South Beach Park in Boca…read moreRaton. It is part of the Art in Public Places Program. This art work was created out of the inspiration to come up with creative ways to repurpose, recycle, and conserve. REcycled REef is the vision of local artist Gregory Dirr who often uses nature as a theme in his artwork. Dirr received his BFA from Ringling College of Art and Design. During his art career he has been involved in exhibitions, curating, public sculptures, murals, woodworking, metalworking, masonry, art direction, installation, photography, video, music, fine jewelry making, printmaking, textiles, set design, and prop making. Dirr created the pink and blue hued reef out of discarded materials found in the ocean, canals, and waterways of Boca Raton. The core structure of the reef was created with recycled metal rebar, wire mesh, and concrete. Discarded plastics were attached with concrete mortar to the outside. Gregory personally collected all the plastic used in the project. The plastic was then treated, primed, and painted with UV coating. I love the message of REcycled REef which was designed to educate the community about the harmful effects of pollution and plastics on marine life while inspiring sustainable actions through an eye catching artistic creation. This piece is located near where sea turtles nest, driving home its critical message even further. Help our ecology by reducing, reusing, and recycling!

Since their first public art project, the covered bridge in 1963, Coral Springs has become one of…read morethe leading public art cities in south Florida. The art is paid for during development and redevelopment in the city. Fees are collected from permits during building construction and renovations in the city. None of the art is paid with public tax dollars. Ascent is one of six installations in the new ArtWalk, an event and entertainment space in downtown Coral Springs. The ArtWalk is 1300 feet long and has benches, a seating wall, native plant landscaping, and room for event tents. It serves as a place for the city to display temporary art works, some of which they will eventually purchase. Created by New York artist Jen Lewin, Ascent is a ten foot circle flat to the ground created out of stainless steel, LED lights, dichroic semi reflective pads, and heat sensors. During the day the colors reflect the environment and change based on your perspective. At night it is supposed to light up and change based on your movements as you step on it. Unfortunately on the night I visited it was dark and not working. I have watched other peoples videos and it looks really cool when it is working. Hopefully the city fixes it.