While touring Indiana, international artist/muralist Jules Muck (MuckRock) stopped in Kokomo to…read morecreate an Inspirational Heroes wall just a block south east of the courthouse. In an alley, faces were painted along the west wall of the alley of people who inspired others. Some were political. Some were entertainment. Others were just regular people who rose in the occasion to become inspirational to others. The alley includes Barack Obama, Bruce Lee, Ryan White, Maya Angelou, Rosa Parks, MLK Jr, Freddie Mercury, Mr Rogers, and Ceasar Chavez. Although some of the artwork is more detailed (recognizable) than others, once given the names available, I was easily able to identify the individuals. And even though some may seem more inspirational than others to me, the fact is that each inspired some people, showing that inspirational heroes come in all races, genders, and walks of life. Review #3065

This mural commemorates five Tuskegee Airmen that had local ties to Howard County. The mural is the…read morework of Texas artist, Malcolm Byers and was recently unveiled on May 14, 2024. The mural is part of a larger project that includes a historical exhibit at Grissom Airforce Base that tells the stories of those that served. The mural and exhibit were conceived by Robin Williams, V.P. Of Howard County Memorial Corporation with funding from grants and donations. The mural is located on the side wall of Dechert Law Office in downtown Kokomo. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first group of African American pilots and support staff to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces. The five gentlemen pictured were either born, lived or worked in Howard County. Pictured from left to right are Gordon Morgan, Sgt. Andrew Dunnigan, Maj. John Cunningham, LT. John McClure and LT. Col. Bennett Hardy. The mural tells a powerful story of these Hometown Heroes and is worth a visit to Kokomo. There is a single park bench near the exhibit and plenty of free street parking.

When I visited Kokomo in March, I found a static public art piece in front of City Hall. Little…read moredid I realize that this space becomes a fountain during summer months. Although the piece has numerous gears, it is not a kinetic sculpture. It was thought the chance of someone walking up to it and touching a moving gear might cause harm, so even though the artist has experience with kinetic art, he went with this fixed installation. The art was created by David Braun of Kokomo Opalescent Glass back in 2013. Colorful glass panels are inserted into some of the gear openings to add a bit of color to the 8', 2000# construct. Review #2340

I don't know what's going on with this, but Coco mantis is big giant bug that hangs out on the…read morecorner of the street and kokomo Indiana. It was pretty cool to see. Don't know why it's there but it's there.

I've been to Kokomo, Indiana multiple times on my Tenderness Tour events and I discover new things…read moreeach time. Kokomantis is one of the more unusual tourist attractions you could ask for, but it's even listed on Atlas Obscura. Scrap artist Scott Pitcher crafted Kokomantis in 2012 and it's proudly placed in downtown Kokomo at the corner of Sycamore and Washington Streets. The torso and wings were crafted from World War II fuel pontoons, while the legs were crafted from traffic light poles (I wonder if that would work for me?). Construction took a reported 220 hours to both create and position this remarkably unique structure. Truthfully, I'm surprised I don't see it pop up in more horror movies. The sculpture is 22' long and 17' high. Kokomantis includes a sign that reads "please do not climb me; I'm ticklish!" and at one point had its own Facebook and Twitter accounts. I believe the Facebook account is now inactive. The Twitter page still exists, though there have been no new posts since 2016. You've got to love a city that would embrace a giant praying mantis. While the love doesn't seem to be quite as passionate as it used to be, it's like any oversized sculpture - if you are going by it, you're going to stop for a photo op. Seriously.

I like this mural. Not only does it have a cool train, I like that it utilizes the street address…read moreto number the train. And since the former train depot is across the street, the placement of the train seems perfect. This is one of the pieces painted by international artist/muralist Jules Muck (MuckRock) while in Kokomo in the summer of 2019. The train is painted in reds and blues with a bit of steel gray and white wisps of steam adding to a somewhat patriotic color scheme. Review #3066

If you are in the area of the Seiberling Mansion, make a point to walk around to the west side of…read morethe building to see this relatively new bronze of one of Kokomo's greatest citizens, Elwood Haynes. Haynes was a world class inventor known for designing the first commercially built auto, for inventing Stellite and Sterling Silver, for making brass (he was only 15!), and for coming up with a way to make the waste product gasoline into a useable product. He also invented the small thermostat that is used in regulating home temperatures. Quite the inventor! The bronze was added in 2017 to the grounds by sculptor DJ Bawden. Review #2489

We were down exploring the area came across artist Alley. It is literally an alley that have a…read morebunch of different paintings and artistic things in the middle of it.

I really like this approach to bringing art to the people of Kokomo and its visitors. Instead of…read morehaving an alley that becomes a neglected space where trash and graffiti accumulate, Kokomo and its Art Association developed this outdoor gallery to bring color and attention to the space. There are some guidelines that submitting artists have to follow especially considering that all the pieces will have to endure the elements. When the Artist Alley was created in 2014, it was thought that the art pieces would be on display from four to eighteen months. Each piece would have an associated plaque identifying the artist, the title, and the artist's thoughts/motivation for the pieces. There are mostly murals throughout the length of the alley. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find some small sculptures on pedestals too. And America's first car, the 1894 Pioneer by Kokomo's own Elwood Haynes is there at the entrance (I assume this is only a replica since it is in spectacular condition.) I hope that other visitors who live closer to Kokomo than I do will periodically update the art they find here. I only took photos of roughly half the pieces there. Review #2338

The Kokomo Art Association seems to be doing quite well. I stopped into the Artworks Gallery to…read morecheck out what they were showing. The space is beautifully arranged and the walls were covered with artwork that appeared to be local in origin. A competition of sorts had been held since I saw numerous ribbons next to paintings, sketchings, and photographs. I recall seeing that the prices on items that were for sale as being quite reasonable too. Not only is the showroom downstairs filled with art, but there is more space beyond the counter and even more, though not as much space, upstairs. The location is great too because the Artist Alley is next door and the IU-Kokomo art gallery is just about a block to the south, so for anyone who is interested in art, this is a convenient way to check out what the area has to offer. Note: Check out my review of the Sculpture Trail in Kokomo that is just a couple blocks to the west and south to see the current exhibit on display until 2021. There are also numerous murals downtown to see and more sculpture down on the IU-Kokomo campus. Kokomo is embracing the arts and as long as they do, I will keep returning to check out what is new. Review #2484

From the owner: The Kokomo Art Association's Artworks Gallery is a place for our artists to exhibit and sell their…read morework. Local artists displaying and selling original artwork. Acrylics, watercolors, beadwork, photography, pebble art, pottery, textured paintings, porcelain. 4 artist's studios. Soon to be an artist communal area where artists work on their individual art projects while interacting with other artists.

IU-Kokomo got its first piece of public art back in 1965 when a local firefighter, Robert Edward…read moreHamilton, created "Phoenix Rising From the Ashes". As a firefighter, he was well acquainted with the power of fire and the story of the mythical bird rising again from the ashes inspired him to create this gleaming metal piece. It is permanently located on the west side of the campus. Since then, the campus has seen public art installations come and go. From what I've been able to gather, it seems like artists loan their pieces for display for a roughly two year period. While visiting Kokomo, I found seven additional sculptures on campus. All the pieces were fairly new with the oldest of the temporary pieces being from 2014. The art can be found relatively close to the academic buildings in the center of campus. However, very few are visible from a single location, so you have to walk around campus to find them. I hope that as new pieces are added, that they will be added to the photos on this website. See the details on the individual photos for the titles, artists, and year of creation for each piece. Or, visit campus yourself and look for the identifying plaques associated with each sculpture. Review #2341

The Phoenix Rising from the Ashes sculpture by Robert Edward Hamilton in Indiana is stunning!…read more It's definitely my favorite!