Rosemary Square is home to Palm Beach County's largest concentration of public art installed by a…read moreprivate company. One such piece, The Wishing Tree is a public art piece created in 2019 by San Francisco Symmetry Labs, an American, art & design collective founded 2014. By day the installation looks like a 26 foot tall Banyan tree in the middle of Rosemary Square. By night, the tree is illuminated by a computer made light show. The tree is covered in 100,000 individually programmable, full-color-spectrum LEDs that create the light embedded in 10,000 leaves. The way the lights are programmed was inspired by the fast changing South Florida weather system. Symmetry Labs has said about The Wishing Tree "We hope, despite the technological complexity, that the piece invokes a simple and beautiful feeling: the wonder of nature and humans working in harmony, the possibilities we can achieve together when we share knowledge and wisdom, and the awe of life itself." I love this show stopping piece. Art, technology, and nature intertwine to great a piece that makes you stop and whip out your camera. After taking all of your pictures don't forget to make a wish. With a tree this amazing, it will surely come true.

The Mermaid is an abstract sculpture created in 2000 by local artist Claudia Jane Klein who…read moreattended Albert Lea College in Minnesota where she majored in art. In the 1980's she worked in fashion design and was recognized by the Fashion Institute of Technology for her unique designs. In the 1990's she decided to concentrate solely on sculptures and learned metal fabrication and welding in trade schools in New York and Florida. Today she creates metal sculpture in her studio in Lake Worth. I love mermaids so this sculpture caught my eye as I was walking back from the Snook Islands. This is not a classic sculpture of a mermaid but a more abstract form of a sea nymph although you can clearly make out the tail.The face of the mermaid is an open circle. Claudia Jane Klein thought a mermaid sculpture was perfect for Lake worth since it is directly on the Lake Worth Lagoon and ocean. She donated her time and money to create the piece and gifted it to the city in partnership with the Lake Worth Street Painting Festival who maintains it. You can find The Mermaid in Bryant Park across from the golf course. She is next to the fountain. I think she adds artistic interest to the park.

Water Pavilion is an interactive public art installation in Rosemary Square. Parking is available…read morefor $12 valet or in the garage, free before 5 PM and $5 an hour after. There is some limited meter parking a few blocks away. Water Pavilion is a 1,400 square foot fountain created by Danish artist Jeppe Hein who is based out of Berlin. It is Hein's first art installation in Florida. Water Pavilion is made out of 2 circles of water that jet out of the ground as high as seven feet tall and it is computer programmed. Walls of water are created and visitors to the fountain are encouraged to move in and out of them. About the piece, Hein has said ""Independent from background, gender or age, people will forget in a second who and where they are because it is an amazing feeling to be surrounded by walls of water. I hope this experience strengthens the sense of community between the various groups that generally reflect a district at large." Hein's work is about people coming together and Water Pavilion accomplishes this in the most delightful way. Martin Aquatic provided the hydraulic, structural, filtration, and chemical system design and engineering services to complete the project. While this is technically a work of art, the kids who love it only see it as a splash pad where they can cool off and play. There is a covered lawn area with beach chairs so parents can keep and eye on the kids as they enjoy the fountain. UV filters sanitize the water every cycle the water passes through the pumps and it is chlorinated to keep the water sanitary. This has to be the most interactive and fun art that I have ever come across. it is is sure to delight generations of children for years to come.

Codes is a public art sculpture located in Flagler Banyan Park created by artist Joe O'Connell,…read morefeaturing colorful, mid-century-inspired glass spheres embedded in stainless steel. It is a notable interactive installation that engages West Palm Beach through art.

I discovered the colorful Codes in Flagler Banyan Park in West Palm Beach. This public art…read moresculpture was created by artist Joe O' Connell. O'Connell founded Creative Machines in his garage in 1995. Creative Machines designs and fabricates interactive experiences for museums. Creative Machines mission is "to create objects and environments that encourage creativity, support social interaction, and inspire self-confidence." In 2004 Creative Machines began making interactive sculptures and public art. They manufacture sculptures, interactive exhibits, and ball machines. I have previously seen their sculpture Cyclorama on the UCF campus in Orlando. Codes was created in 2019. It is made from glass spheres in colors meant to evoke mid century art glass and beach glass. The spheres are set into stainless steel rectangles of varying heights. The rectangles form a kind of outdoor wall at the perimeter of the park so that people feel like they are in an outdoor room but it is open so people can walk through it. According to Creative Machines "Codes spells out a message as you go north to south. Some pairs of codes may appear to be roughly the same north-south distance along Flagler but whichever part is northernmost counts. Each code has a number between 1 and 26 encoded in it, and that number stands for a letter in the alphabet. Each code has a long leg and a short leg. There are small, medium, and large spheres. The number of medium spheres (of any color) in the long leg counts for 10 and the number of medium spheres (of any color) in the short leg counts as 1."

The vibrant sculpture on the corner of Ocean Blvd and US-1 is in front of 500 Ocean. It is a…read moretowering 40-foot installation by metal artist Albert Paley. Commissioned for the development and installed in 2017, it remains the tallest public artwork in Palm Beach County. Paley describes Cavalcade as a dramatic silhouette meant to engage the sky and sunlight. The sculpture's spire-like forms, painted in vibrant yellows, are inspired by palm fronds, which he sees as delicate floral elements reaching skyward. Though the piece is not kinetic, its folded, interlaced metal shapes suggest motion as if stirred by ocean air. Paley emphasizes how the sculpture changes throughout the day, with shifting light and shadow enhancing its dynamism and creating a sense of constant transformation. When I first saw it, I was struck by how it seemed to rise out of the pavement like a burst of energy--part botanical, part industrial, and entirely alive. More than marking the corner, it claims it. The sculpture feels like welcome sign for the neighborhood that blends ambition with artistry. While fully metal and status, it channels the softness of nature. [Review 1367 of 2025 - 2135 in Florida - 24919 overall]

Cavalcade is a 40 foot high public art installation by artist Albert Paley. It was created…read morespecifically for Boynton Beach and installed in 2017. The artist based the design on his interpretation of palm fronds. He also designed it to have folding metal to look like it had movement even though it is stationary. Albert Paley's work can be found in the permanent collections of over 30 museums, nationally and internationally, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Toledo Museum of Art, and in London in the Victoria and Albert Museum and The British Museum. About his work Paley has said "In creating a work of art, besides my personal experience, my concern is how it emotionally and intellectually engages the viewer. Through the creative process I have developed a personal visual vocabulary fundamentally based in symbolism and metaphor which is implicit in my work." I love the whimsical shapes and how colorful it is. When you look at it at a certain angle it reminds me a little bit of Edward Scissor Hands. It's large size and bright colors really make it stand out as you drive by.

The statue of Henry Flagler sits in the grassy median near Cocoanut Row in Palm Beach. There are no…read moreparking spots next to the statue, but not really sure its safe crossing the traffic congestion here so would not be a good idea. Traffic at the red light slows enough to capture a glimpse of the historic landmark. Look for the full size bronze statue surrounded by two rows of big palm trees when you exit the Flagler Bridge coming east toward the beach.

Located on Royal Poinciana Way this statue is a tribute to Henry Morrison Flagler whose impact on…read moreFlorida is monumental. Henry Flagler was born in Hopewell, New York in 1830 where he began his business career as a clerk in a store when he was 14. His big break came when he became a founding member of very successful Standard Oil. During the Gilded Age in the 1880's he invested in hotels in Florida and then built the Florida East Coast Railroad to bring visitors to them. The railway ran from Jacksonville to Key West and was directly responsible for the building of Florida. He was known for his philanthropy as he built public works, schools, churches, and hospitals. Flagler passed away at the age of 83 in 1913. This statue was donated to Palm Beach by Flagler's great-grandson G.F. Robert Hanke in 2010. Henry Flagler's home Whitehall is nearby and now operates as a museum. From 2010-2014, the statue was in the median just east of the bridge near the golden eagle statue and flagpole. This statue was then stored at the Flagler Museum during the Flagler Memorial Bridge replacement. It was then transported and placed at its present location on Royal Poinciana Way. If you are in the area come stop by and say hello to the man who made a lasting impact on Florida.

While walking along the shoreline in Sunset Park in West Palm Beach, I discovered Sun Salutations,…read morepublic artwork created by artist Vito Di Bari in 2021.He has created art in 25 countries worldwide from interactive 23 foot installations to underwater coral artworks in the Gulf of Mexico. The sculpture was inspired by the official seal and logo of West Palm Beach. It was crafted from water-jet-cut, powder-coated aluminum and dichroic tempered glass to create a celebration of light, movement, renewal, and the natural beauty of South Florida. What makes this artwork special is its interactive design. The sculpture rotates completely on its own axis, continually changing its appearance as the light shifts throughout the day. Sunlight passes through the central glass medallion, catching and refracting the rays into colorful reflections. It is especially captivating at sunset when it showcases a beautiful harmony between art and nature.

While driving through downtown Lake Worth, I spotted this historical mural on the side of Awe…read moreFlowers, a local floral shop. Its subject immediately caught my attention, so I had to stop and take a closer look. The mural proudly proclaims, "Lake Worth Where the Tropics Begin." The motto of Lake Worth Beach is "Where the Tropics Begin," a reference to the city's location in South Florida, near the transition between subtropical and tropical climates. The slogan brings to mind a city with palm trees, warm climate, and a tropical atmosphere. This mural was painted in 2011 by self-taught Lake Worth artist Karen Hetzer. It is packed with references to the city's history. At the center is a portrait of General William Jenkins Worth (1794-1849), an American military officer who served in the War of 1812, the Second Seminole War, and the Mexican-American War. Lake Worth Lagoon, the city of Lake Worth Beach, and Worth Avenue in Palm Beach are all named in his honor. To Worth's right is an image of a barefoot mailman. The Barefoot Mailmen were U.S. postal workers who delivered mail along South Florida's coastline from 1885 to 1893, walking barefoot along the beach between Palm Beach and Miami. The roughly 68-mile route took three days each way. Other details depicted in the mural include the Lake Worth Casino, the railroad, Town Hall, and the city's first school. Looking closely, I also spotted a small portrait of George Sherman Childs (1883-1960), an early pioneer and prominent architect who played an important role in Lake Worth's development. I love how this mural celebrates Lake Worth's history while incorporating so many fascinating local details.My only disappointment is that such a wonderful tribute to the city's history is tucked away hidden in an alley, where it's easy to miss. If I hadn't been stuck waiting for a light to change I would have missed it. A mural this interesting deserves to be seen.