Fire dance is a large piece of public art located in Centennial Park in downtown Fort Myers. In…read more2012 it was the first commission given to an artist by the City of Fort Myers Public Art Committee. Artist David Black is a proto-architectural monumental artist. He started his career in 1980. His art has been shown in galleries and museums throughout the United States. He was a professor emeritus in art at Ohio State University for 30 years and he has won many prizes and awards. His largest piece is a memorial to the Wright Brothers first powered flight, in Dayton, Ohio. David Black spoke about his inspiration for the 25 foot high bright red sculpture. "My wife, and I first visited Centennial Park at night We walked right into a jazz festival. Fire Dance incorporates the sounds of the music and the noise of the crowd." The sculpture is supposed to convey the energy and excitement of Fort Myers during events. David Black said "It is my hope that Fire Dance will lift each viewer's spirits and deepen their sense of community with Fort Myers by engendering a sense of civic pride." The sculpture was designed to be interactive because you can walk it through it. Inside the piece are four hidden spirals. Of the sculpture David Black said "It is my hope that Fire Dance will lift each viewer's spirits and deepen their sense of community with Fort Myers by engendering a sense of civic pride." Right now the sculpture is enclosed by a fence surrounding Centennial Park. The park is undergoing a million dollars of improvements including upgrades to the restrooms, landscaping, new children's play equipment, and construction of a new amphitheater. They are expected to be finished in spring of this year. Before they closed off the park they had to remove the large homeless population that resides in the park. Homelessness has long been a plaque on this area so it will be interesting to see how the city deals with this issue when the park reopens and going forward.

Located in the center of Centennial Park at the end of Bay Street (beyond the Cleveland Ave…read moreoverpass), this bright red metal artwork "evokes the energetic rhythm and vitality of Centennial Park, which combine to lighten the spirit of its visitors. Internationally recognized for this monumental, complex public structures, Black describes his work as proto-architecture in that the work combines both architectural and sculptural components." The tall artwork is surrounded by benches. Take a break and appreciate it. [Review 13329 overall, 647 of 2020.]

I love discovering public art and thanks to Bruce K. I was pointed to this large, 12 foot high…read moregranite circular piece titled Sun Gate created in 1998. It is located at the entrance to the River District on Main Street. Sun Gate was carved by artist Robert Sindorf who was born in Amsterdam in 1951.His family came to the U.S. when he was five. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in art history and philosophy from Columbia University, where he also obtained a Masters of Architecture in 1977. Sadly he passed away at the young age of 57 in 2008. Sindorf used a circle in almost all of his art work. He preferred to use circles because of their perfect geometry and because they have no beginning or end. Circles represented to him the sun, heaven, and the circle of life. I love the theme of this piece. The sun is also a symbol of Florida which has the nickname Sunshine State. I like how you can make the sculpture interactive by sitting in it or going through it. The granite evokes the feeling of nature. Sun Gate is a great addition to the downtown public art scene.

Twelve feet tall and wide, this large granite sculpture is between the Lee County Community…read moreDevelopment building and the Lee County Justice Center. There is no street parking immediately nearby but if you're here, you've probably already found parking. The art piece is by Robert Sindorf. Virtually all of Sindorf's sculptures incorporate a circle as their primary geometrical shape. "It is perfect geometry and has no beginning or end," Sindorf stated. "It is a peaceful, restful form that transcends time and becomes eternal. It is a symbol of the sun, heaven, perfection and, especially, the cycle of life." Which explains why Sun Gate also Sun Gate Front ViewLgoes by the name "Wheel of Life." Note that you're allowed to climb through the "hole" in the piece and the "back" side of the Fun Gate is finished where the "front" side is not. [Review 13326 overall, 644 of 2020.]

The River District in downtown Fort Myers has an old southern town comfort feel. Kinda like a one…read morecop town with a heavy artsy historic influence. My visit to this area (on First Street) I came here with a buddy and went to the Ford's Garage restaurant which was a perfect addition to the district with it's 1920s theme. This River District is an easy walkable area with corporate businesses, arts & cultural and restaurants.

We love Fort Myers. It is where you go when you want to live a college lifestyle again. Great…read moremusic, friendly people, reasonable parking rates. Constant events especially by the waterfront.

Uncommon Friends is a sculpture along the Caloosahatchee River in Centennial Park. The art piece…read morewas created to celebrate the friendship of the three titans of Fort Myers, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Harvey Firestone. All three men had winter homes in Fort Myers. Uncommon Friends was requested by former Mayor Art Hammel and was commissioned by the Fort Myers Beautification Advisory Board which added 21 public art pieces to the city in the 1980's and 1990's. Uncommon Friends was created in 1988 by local sculptor DJ Wilkins out of aluminum, plaster and wire. Wilkins was inspired to create the art piece by the book Uncommon Friends by James Dean Newton, who was a friend of the three men. Wilkins has created 23 sculptures throughout Fort Myers including the nearby Florida panther sculpture on nearby Monroe Street. The sculpture features the three men in the three piece suits they would have worn in the 1920's seated around a campfire on an island. Surrounding them is a 40 foot diameter pool with a native Floridian animals including otters, a mother alligator and her 5 babies, a mother manatee and her calf, fish, and frogs. In 1914 Edison, Ford, and Firestone began camping trips in the Everglades calling themselves The Vagabonds. Sometimes they were joined by naturalist John Burroughs and James D. Newton. They often invited the press along to chronicle their adventures which in turn brought recreational travel to the west coast of Florida. I love this tribute to them and if you visit you will find it to be a popular spot to take pictures.

A beautiful place! The museum is very well done-…read more Everything is so interesting! The grounds are so nice! We really enjoyed the guided tour- well worth the $$ and there is a nice self guided tour inside. I came with a group and we all thought it was well worth the cost! We stayed around a little longer to see all the plants and enjoy the grounds-

This historic site offers a unique glimpse into the lives and legacies of Thomas Edison and Henry…read moreFord, and how their friendship helped shape innovation in America. The estates have a large, free parking lot, and admission for the self-guided tour is $28 per person (guided tours are available for an additional fee). The self-guided option includes a QR code to download an app, which provides audio commentary at various stops along the tour. The grounds are beautifully maintained, and the tour begins on the opposite side of the estate, taking you through the property's historic homes and buildings. Each stop offers insight into the personal lives and groundbreaking work of Edison and Ford, and it's fascinating to see the spaces where they spent their winters together. One of the highlights for us was the museum. I knew Edison was an inventor, but I didn't fully realize the sheer number of inventions credited to him -- everything from the phonograph to an early voting machine. There's also a fascinating display showing the many versions of the lightbulb throughout history and how it evolved into what we know today. We spent quite a bit of time here, soaking in both the history and the scenery. Before leaving, we stopped by the gift shop, which had a fantastic selection of unique and thoughtful items. If you're looking for one-of-a-kind gifts -- especially for those hard-to-shop-for people -- this is a perfect place to pick something up. 3 stars is mostly for the price, $28 is pretty steep for a audio guide. Tours are more. Although I learned some new things it could have been $10-15 and it would easily be 5 stars but $56 for 2 people is a bit ridiculous since is self guided.

Discovering public art is a fun and free hobby. On a recent trip to Fort Myers I spotted the…read moreCaloosahatchee Manuscripts, two cylinder shaped bronze public art pieces in front of the Sidney Berne Davis Art Center. The art center is a former federal courthouse and the land it sits on was once a settlement of Creek Indians that pre-dates the army fort from which Fort Myers derived its name. The Caloosahatchee Manuscripts were purchased for the City of Fort Myers by Florida Power and Light in 2001. The work was commissioned to celebrate the 1998 conversion of its power plant on the south bank of the Caloosahatchee River from oil to natural gas. The decision was made because it was better for the environment and it reduced the oil barge traffic on the Caloosahatchee River. Maryland based sculptor Jim Sanborn, known for his light sculptures was selected to create the art piece. The two bronze projection cylinders are 8 feet tall and 5 feet wide. A water jet cutter was used to create the text in them. The cylinder on the east side contains a story told by Native American leader Tchikilli to state of Georgia founder James Oglethorpe. The tale describes how Native Americans came into the lower Southeast part of North America. The west side cylinder has the Latin name of the 1,500 native Florida plants Thomas Edison tested to make a local source of rubber for his friends, car manufacturer Henry Ford and tire manufacturer Harvey Firestone. The manuscripts are interesting by day but if you love photography you will want to visit at night when the spectacular light display comes alive. Pinpoints of light come through the text and spill over the building and sidewalk at night making a light show.

These two tall bronze cylinders are located on the sidewalk in front of the Old Post Office in…read moredowntown Fort Myers. The sculpture was designed by American artist Jim Sanborn. They are bronze with text cut from a water jet cutter, and a pinpoint light source. The eastern drum contains the text of a story told by Maskoki Indian leader Tchikilli to James Oglethorpe about the migration of Native Americans into Florida. The Seminoles, Miccosukee and Creek trace their ancestry to Tchikilli and his people. The western drum contains the Latin names of 500 botanicals that Thomas Edison tested in an effort to develop a local source of latex from which to make rubber in order to help out his friends Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone. The sculptures were given to the City of Fort Myers in 2001 by Florida Power & Light Co. to commemorate the conversion of its power plant on the south bank of the Caloosahatchee River from oil to natural gas. After a call to artists, Maryland sculptor Jim Sanborn was chosen. The commission cost $125,000. [Review 13323 overall, 641 of 2020.]

a fascinating stop that preserves the historic site of the Koreshan Unity -- a utopian religious…read morecommunity founded in the late 19th century by Cyrus Teed. The park has a $5 per car entrance fee and plenty of parking. There are two main areas: One side leads to a picnic area and campsites -- perfect for relaxing or spending the night. The other takes you to the historical settlement, where multiple preserved buildings are open for exploration. You can take a self-guided tour using a $1 handout map from the visitor center or simply read the detailed informational signs posted around the site. Walking through the grounds feels like stepping into a ghost town, complete with original structures and remnants of a once-thriving community. Despite the eerie history, the park is peaceful, quiet, and well-shaded, making it a nice place to wander, learn, and take a break from the Florida heat. It's definitely worth a stop if you're in the area.

I have heard about the Koreshan State Park and the cult with the same name from my previous visits…read moreto the Bonita Springs area. But after reading the novel "The Magic Kingdom" written by Russell Banks recently (I do recommend) based on the history of the Koreshan cult, I wanted to visit the park during my next trip. And we did. The park is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm. They have tours and demonstrations on the property. You can browse on your own of you want. We opted for a guided tour that starts at 10 am for $10/person, you can book online ahead of time or just pay and join on the spot. It was well worth it, our guide gave us a lot of interesting information (although she didn't know about the books), about Dr. Cyrus Teed, the guru of the Koreshan who started the religious cult in New York, moved it to Chicago, then to Estero Bay in Florida where they helped develop the area. Lots of fascinating stories about their settlement, religion concepts, work in the area, business, the role of women within the cult. We lingered afterword to browse some more, lots of memorabilia on display and we were lucky to witness some demonstrations. You need at least 2-3 hours to see everything. You can bring lunch, there are picnic tables. A lot of places and houses in this big park. Wear comfy shoes, bring a hat. You will also see cool plants and animals in the wild (cool lizards, small iguanas). It's worth checking out if you're looking for an activity that opens a big window into the history of the area!

This is an out of the way botanical (and sculpture) garden that doesn't look like much at the…read morebeginning but gets better as you go along. Admission is paid at a booth as you drive in. They normally accept AHS reciprocal memberships for admission, but because there was a special exhibit (origami) during our visit, we paid a reduced rate vs getting in free. Wrist bands are issued when you pay. Once you've parked there's a booth where you can get a map of the premises. The garden is divided by Riverside Drive. The side where you park is just ok, but much of the real beauty (at least in mid- March during our visit) was on the other side of Riverside. There are lots of sculptural elements, pools, and garden color in that area. There's a koi pond, and we saw a little blue heron there during our visit. We spent about 90 minutes enjoying the scenery. There are apparently plans to enhance these gardens, so stay tuned!

Nice gardens in an area I didn't anticipate seeing something. We were lucky enough to be there…read morefor a metal origami exhibit which was interesting. Nice mixture of trees, plants and statues. The koi pond was nice and you could feed them If you chose. The gift shop was very nice with reasonably priced items. I wish there were more signs on the plants and trees so I knew what I was looking at.

Kaitlyn is a professional filled with knowledge and so much energy to encourage others! We had a…read morefabulous time there this evening, painting four different things. The studio is vibrant and full of life yet it's so cozy. She's got an amazing drink collection. And the price is surprising for what you get the quality of the paint and the canvas and her expertise is worth so much. HIGH RECOMMEND.

Vino Picasso is such a fun place; it's a "making memories" fun place!! The minute you step in, you…read morefeel good, it's a vibrant, colorful, great music, and wine fun place! Beginner or intermediate, it doesn't matter, Katryna makes everyone feel good about their skill level. She explains in detail, demonstrates, tell you the best brush to use, how to mix, and will show you how, even on your own canvas! I took my 14-year-old granddaughter and my 17-year-old very-much-a-male grandson. I thought he was going to hate it, but he ended up thinking it was pretty cool and a great new place to take a date. Her prices are reasonable so make sure to leave her a big tip, a small price to pay for MAKING MEMORIES!

I love this interesting sculpture I found in Riverside Park on a recent trip to Bonita Springs…read more Unveiled on Jan. 10, 2007, the title of the piece is Setting the Pace. The sculpture is 17 feet tall and 8.5 feet long. It features a man balancing on top of a circle which can be a metaphor for life. You can interpret it as life is a balancing act, or the circle of life. This piece was purchased by the Bonita Springs Art in Public Places Board which was formed to expose the public to the arts and to create art education programs. Setting the Pace, along with two other works purchased at the same time, Lords of the Forest and The Ties That Bind cost a combined total of $160,000.. Art is purchased by the city through donations and grants. The board hopes to bring art to people who might not seek it out in a more traditional setting like a museum. Setting the Pace was created by celebrated Colorado artist, Jane DeDecker. A duplicate of this piece is in Evergreen, Colorado where it is dedicated to the volunteers and staff of the Evergreen Fire Rescue. DeDecker has been sculpting for over 25 years and has created over 600 sculptures, 4 of those monument sized. According to the artist "My art is a cumulative process made of my life experiences and my desire to sculpt the human form. I try to retain in the sculpture the beginning strokes and gestures because they contain the truth of the spirit. As subject matter, I attempt to select a moment with which all of us can relate on a personal basis. These moments span all generations, depicting universally recognizable scenes." DeDecker has won many awards and her art can be seen in many states and in the private collections of celebrities. I enjoy discovering new works of art and this large piece certainly commands your attention. If you sit and ponder it for a moment you can come up with many different meanings. Personally, it reminds me how we are are always balancing in life, one step from falling off. The park provides a beautiful backdrop for this sculpture and it was a joy to find it.