Riding my bike through the Riverwalk and stopped for a cold tea at Pura Vida where the giant THRIVE…read morecavelike stone sculpture proudly stands with green vines filling the sides of the cave. Im not really an art buff, but this sculpture by Daniel Popper was impressive. The stone sculpture depicts a woman cracking open her rib cage with both of her hands symbolizing transformation and hope. People can be seen taking pictures inside the cave. Its worth a few minutes to take a peek at this artwork if near Las Olas in Ft Lauderdale.

The Thrive Statue is one of those pieces that stops you mid-walk. It's powerful, expressive, and…read morequietly emotional--capturing strength, growth, and resilience all at once. The scale alone draws you in, but it's the details and posture that really make you pause and reflect. Set against the modern surroundings, it feels both grounding and inspiring, like a reminder to keep pushing forward even when things feel heavy. Beautifully done, thoughtfully placed, and absolutely worth a moment (or a photo) if you're in the area.

I have been eagerly awaiting the installation of this public art piece and it is finally here. This…read morelarge, 8,000 pound bronze sea turtle statue was created for Dania Beach by environmental artist and conservationist Robert Wyland who was born in 1956 in Detroit, Michigan. He is most well known for his large outdoor murals, a series of 100 Whaling Walls throughout the country and world to spotlight the fragile ocean ecosystem. J. Milton and Associates as part of the City of Dania Beach's public art program, commissioned Wyland to create a sculpture of a Florida green sea turtle and the colorful reef fish and coral that are part of Florida's living reef. The sculpture was built over eight months and then shipped to Dania Beach. This turtle sculpture is part of Wyland's global public art project, which focuses on representations of marine life. Other Wyland pieces from this project are in Beijing, China and Hoonah, Alaska. This green turtle is swimming in front of Sea View Luxury Rentals. The pictures do not do this beautiful piece justice. I have been a long time Wyland fan and have visited several of the Whaling Walls. I love how this sculpture brings awareness to green sea turtles. They are the largest of the hard shelled turtles and are unique because they are herbivores with a diet consisting of sea grass and algae. Green turtles are found around the world but their numbers have declined as they have been used for their meat and eggs. They have also lost nesting habitat due to coastal development. They are listed as an endangered species.

Marc Quinn's "Broken Sublime," is a stunning stainless steel seashell sculpture on Las Olas Blvd &…read moreSE 6th Ave. The conch shell, a piece by British artist Marc Quinn stands over 7 feet tall & weighs more than 5,500 lbs, This larger-than-life stainless steel seashell sculpture valued at nearly $1 million graces the grounds of downtown's long-awaited Tunnel Top Plaza, an artificial turf zone that cost taxpayers $10.6 million. This new sculpture and sitting area is in front of the cheesecake factory. The beach is steps away and the new art here is meant to evoke positive feelings about the Fort Lauderdale seashore.

A giant stainless steel conch shell in a circular water fountain at the tip of Huizenga Park which…read moreis visible from E Las Olas Blvd. The sculpture was created by artist Marc Quinn in 2015. The shell was part of the Public Art and Placemaking Program in Fort Lauderdale. It seems every corner on Las Olas has either a mural or a sculpture that represents some sort of love, peace or community strength.

Downtown Hollywood has vibrant wall murals everywhere from the Art Park better known as Young…read moreCircle to Dixie Highway along Harrison Street and Hollywood Blvd. The idea behind the Hollywood Mural Project was to transform urban space into public art. Its free and easy to take a self guided tour to find all the exhibits. We found five that really stood out and discovered their origin and creators.

As part of the monthly Hollywood Art Walk, there was a free Mural project tour guided by a local…read moreartist and professor. We all met at the information booth of the Art Walk for a map of the murals (all 35 of them) and then we followed her on a selected tour of several of the art works. She was really knowledgeable and fun to talk to. She explained the significance of the art piece, a bit about the artist and some of the details of the actual "making" of the mural. There were local as well a national artists in this project, people like Susana Vergara, Ernesto Maranje, TM Sisters, Key Detail, Rob Robi, Evoca1 and many more.... You can also find a self guided tour of the murals on their website...a great way to spend a few hours in downtown Hollywood..... Go to HollywoodCRA.org/dhmp

This is a carved wooden Native American head by Hungarian artist Peter Wolf Toth. Toth had…read moreexperienced repression in his native country and was shuttled among various refuge camps. When he immigrated to Ohio he became interested in Native American culture because he saw a parallel in the way they were treated and what he experienced. Toth traveled the country over 20 years and donated at least one work in each state and two in Canada. His first carving was a stone Native American head in a cliff in La Jolla California in 1972. After that he switched from stone to wood. His last carving was number 58 in May of 1988 in Haleiwa, Hawaii. The collection of large works is called the Trail of Whispering Giants. There are three in Florida. This head named Tiki resides in DC Alexander Park which is currently undergoing a renovation. The statue faces east so it can watch the sun rise over the ocean every morning. The 30 foot high sculpture was completed in May 1983 and is number 44 out of the series. Created out of Cypress it is meant to honor the Seminoles and other Native American tribes. I love what this statue represents and how it pays tribute to the native people of Florida. I'm not sure if the city plans on keeping it here or moving it somewhere else once the park is completed. I'm keeping an eye out.

Hollywood Art Walk is the third Saturday of every month from 5-10 PM in downtown Hollywood. This…read morepast Art Walk was actually our first, and it really exceeded my expectations. I've been going to the Wynwood art walk for many years and have seen that one grow into a huge event, and even Fort Lauderdale's FAT Village Art Walk has become a pretty big affair with lots of vendors. For some reason, I was expecting Hollywood's to be pretty small, so it was surprising to see so many vendors in the artisan market on 20th Ave between Tyler & Harrison St - many of them were familiar from the FAT Village Art Walk, Food in Motion, and other local events but there were some new ones there that I hadn't seen before. We love these little craft markets, and there was live music at the end of the street with chairs for people to sit and listen. Stroll up and down the street & you'll find some galleries to check out too! We popped into Gallery 2014 on Harrison St and Mercedes Bravo was doing a live painting session. That woman can paint! She uses wine to paint these gorgeous water color paintings, and it was pretty fascinating to watch a painting come together there in the gallery. Right next to Gallery 2014, Jeff Lee's Resurrection Drums crew and artist Daniel Pontet were doing a percussion/art fusion event, with Daniel Pontet painting with his feet to the beat of the drumming - very cool! All in all, a very fun way to spend a Saturday evening!

This is an event that happens monthly. It is a public event. It's near downtown Hollywood. They…read moreclose up a section of Harrison St. follow the sound of the music. The event is always different. The vendors, entertainment, and tour change every month. I recommend doing the art walking tour, it's interesting. FYI the tour starts on time. You learn about the local artists and things you didn't know were hidden in some pictures. I thought it was cool. The event this time had live music. The band was great. Some people were dancing. They had things to entertain the children like games and entertainers. Everyone looked like they were having fun. The parking is public. The area has two garages nearby and some street parking.

Totor is a 8 foot high sculpture of a Jack Russell Terrier who looks quite fetching. He was created…read moreby French artist Stéphane Bolongaro who modeled it on his mother's pet terrier Totor. Stéphane Bolongaro is a former North Miami Beach gallery owner. In 2016 Totor was the featured piece in Mr. Bolongaro's art exhibition in Monaco that was hosted by Prince Albert II. In August 2017, Stéphane Bolongaro launched a second exhibition of Totor at the Promenade du Paillon in Nice, France. There is also a Totor sculpture in North Miami in front of City Hall. Totor is meant to represent the qualities of love, friendship, and loyalty. I personally love Totor because I have a special love for Jack Russells. This adorable version of Totor is skateboarding and carrying a surfboard. You can find him in the ArtsPark that opened last summer after he was donated to the city by Mr. Bolongaro who deserves a round of apaws for his contribution.

In all my time living in South Florida and my interest in Art and Culture, and the many art shows,…read moregalleries, and museums I've been to, I've never been to the Arts and Culture Center of Hollywood... Until now. Located in a preserved, historic building which was built in the 1920s, you might miss it if you weren't looking for it. It's on the edge of a residential area, and just east of Young Circle, so it gets a little lost in it's surroundings, but it's definitely worth exploring. The parking lot is free, and there's also street parking available. Entrance is $10 for adults, discounted for kids and seniors, and free with membership. The Center holds three exhibition spaces downstairs and one upstairs. The main exhibit space is rather large, which you can tell by looking at the current exhibition (ANIMALS), which showcased various media depictions and representations of animals. Behind the main space, there are also desks and drawings from patrons or the students at the school. There is also an artistic garden which may be a lot more enjoyable when the temperatures cool down. I met Joanna who did an amazing job of providing me with updates about events, history, and meet the artist days, which I believe are also free. I will definitely be back to check out other exhibitions and hopefully be able to attend an exhibition opening or two in the near future. If you're looking to improve your cultural aspirations for you and your family, come check out the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood. Be sure to tell Joanna I sent you

The best word for this museum is eclectic…read more While in Florida for a few weeks, the honey and I treated my MIL to a guest pass with our reciprocal NARM membership benefits. Check in wasn't smooth, but the space is definitely much larger than it appears from the outside. The honey enjoyed Environmental Futures III on the first floor and I enjoyed the 'Somewhere I Belong' installation and the community art upstairs, which was fantastic. They also had a piece by a local glass blower Brenna who participated in the Netflix show Blown Away. The piece had an inverted color scheme, but was otherwise a duplicate to the piece she created when she was eliminated. I would have loved to have seen an entire section dedicated to her pieces because beyond the glass and the art upstairs, the general curation wasn't really to my taste. All in all, the service was upbeat and helpful, but with general admission at $7, ($4 for students) I would call the experience slightly overpriced unless you're here under NARM.

Looking Forward is a mural by Ernesto Maranje. You can find it on the City Hall Parking Garage in…read morethe Dania Beach Arts Park. The mural was created in 2024 using aerosol and house paint. I was already fan of Ernesto Maranje work from murals he completed in Ft. Lauderdale. Hollywood, and Miramar. Maranje is a Cuban-American artist born in Chicago, Illinois in 1983 and raised in Miami, Florida. He discovered his interest in art at 27 while serving in the Coast Guard. The subjects of his murals focus on flora and fauna, biological evolution, and plant and animal relationships. Maranje has created murals all over the United States and abroad. This mural is stunning. Maranje said the mural was inspired by the local plants and animals of South Florida. It features all of my favorite animals from the Everglades. The focal point is a Florida panther which is surrounded by an American alligator, roseate spoonbill, red-shouldered hawk, great blue heron, osprey, great egret, royal tern, and more. This colorful mural brings attention to the diverse fauna and flora of the Everglades and serves as a beautiful backdrop for Arts Park.

Romero Britto is a vivid pop artist and the founder of what he calls the Happy Art Movement. He…read morebelieves the purpose of art is to radiate happiness, fun, love, and hope while inspiring people. The New York Times has said Britto's art, "exudes warmth, optimism and love". Britto was born in poverty in Brazil in 1963. In 1983 he made his way to Europe where he was inspired by artists such as Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. In 1988 he moved to Miami where he still maintains a studio. Britto's earliest work was done on newspaper which was all he could afford and sold on the sidewalk. Inspired by the sunshine of Miami he began working in bright palates which attracted people to his work. He received his first major commission to design artwork for Absolut Vodka for a 1989 campaign that also had bottles that featured art by Andy Warhol and Keith Haring. Corporate partnerships and licensing deals followed. His designs have been used by companies like Disney, BMW, IBM, Apple Computers, Grand Marnier, Pepsi, and Royal Caribbean Cruises and his art has been featured on cruise ships, cars, Barbie dolls and pet collars His art has even made it to the World Cup, Superbowl. and Olympics. Britto art has been exhibited art galleries and museums in over 120 countries but his brightly colored artwork has become synonymous with South Florida where you can find it everywhere from city vehicles, hospitals, parking meters, and lottery tickets. Britto Inc. generates 250 million dollars of sales annually. He has become the most collected and licensed artist in history. Britto works out of art gallery dubbed the Britto Palace in Wynwood. You have to win your way in for a tour through charities or Britto picks one person a week with a golden ticket to visit from anyone that spends $250 or more with him. I discovered this iconic Britto palm tree art in Florence C. Hardy Park on my way to breakfast at Bagel and Company a few feet away. Palm trees are a common motif in his artwork. I saw a bunch of them for sale in his art gallery on Lincoln Road in South Beach. The sculpture was donated to the city by the Reger family in 2022. Britto came out for the dedication and expressed his joy that more people would be able to experience his art in the beautiful park. As a fan of Britto and his brightly colored pop art and public art works, I think this installation really brightens this corner of the park. What a generous gesture by the Reger family.

On April, 29, 2022, Romero Britto erected one of his iconic sculptures on the grounds of Hardy…read morePark. The donation was made by Tarpon River resident Yasmine Reger.