This is a very long mural that is the work of The Department of Public Words, a group that spreads…read morepositivity and encouragement through art. The mural runs along the Monon Trail and was completed in 2014 after 8 months of work. The mural had collaboration from the Meridian-Kessler Neighborhood Association, SmallBox, Terra Pro, LLC, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, the Girl Scouts, CFI, the Indianapolis Art Center's Teen Art Council, and Sherwin-Williams chipped in with paint and supplies. The mural was painted to replace aging and deteriorating ones that were becoming more of an eye sore than anything. The mural is nice. I like the detail put into each train car. Each car has a positive word or phrase like "Smile", "I Heart You", "You are beautiful", "Do great things", and "Eye believe you can". Each car was made from numerous four feet tall by eight feet wide stencils to cover the 5,000 square foot surface. It is very colorful and detailed. I almost mistook it as a real train from a far. Dave Combs of DPWords said that "the purpose of The Love Train is to bring positive messages to people in a beautiful way". I think it definitely accomplishes that. I really like this mural and the work or the Department of Public Words. We can never have too much positivity, especially in the times that we are in now. This is one of the few murals that you could make a special trip to see. If you are not going for the trail, but just going to see the mural. The easiest place to park to see it is the parking lot of the Half Littler House. It is a very short walk from there. Even though I spent more time here than most other murals that I have visited, this is still probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 15 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other wonderful murals in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

If you wanna check out some cool art then this the place. This spot is like 2 miles from the famous…read moreBroad Ripple Village. The Monon Trail Love Train is a long wall with lot of art in different colors and captions but of the same format that looks like coaches. Walk all across the wall and you'll find amazing Angel Wings( see my profile pic)and Pink Cranes. There are 2 different angel wings which are Instagramable. Check out my Insta profile:: Mr.harven

It was a nice day in January so, I decided to take advantage of it and go for a stroll. There was…read moreno better place to do it than the Cultural Trail, That is when I stumbled across this gem. This is part of the 12-part series Glick Peace Walk. It was made possible by the generosity of Gene and Marilyn Glick and was installed in 2010. With the exception of two, the walk runs along a section of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail on Walnut Street, between Meridian Street and Capitol Avenue. There is metered street parking of the streets that run perpendicular to the walk and you may be able to find some areas to pull into, if you are not going to be long. The walk celebrates the lives of individuals who made peaceful contributions to humanity. It honors luminaries that made peaceful contributions to humanity. This luminary garden, as it is referred, is dedicated to Samuel Langhorne Clemens, AKA Mark Twain, a writer, humorist, and entrepreneur, best known for the books Tom Sawyer and Huckelberry Fin. The garden was designed by Rundell Ernstberger Associates, RLR Associates and Circle Design Group. The garden also has an informational placard, a small bench to sit on and a curved surfboard shaped piece, made of glass, aluminum, with Anthony's face on it that illuminates at night. It is eye catching, especially with it lined up with the other 10. I really like these luminaries and what they stand for. They are eye catching, ascetically pleasing, and educational. Definitely worth a peek. It looks great for being almost 15 years old and the area is adequately maintained. This is definitely a spot to check out. I would not make a special trip for it, but if you are in the area, traveling on the cultural trail or at the Main library branch, it is definitely worth a peak. It not only gives you the opportunity to stretch your legs and get some fresh air, but you can also learn a little too.

The Glick Peace Walk (Cultural Trail) has a collection of ten islands that are located on Walnut…read moreStreet between Meridian Street and Capitol Avenue including a luminary & information kiosk about Mark Twain. The installation was added in 2010 as one of twelve (total) to celebrate the achievement through peaceful means by contributors to our country. The installation uses glass, aluminum, and lighting along with an informational kiosk about Twain and a timeline embedded in the concrete beneath.  Instead of writing about all the great things Twain has done, I will simply direct you to the kiosk. Review #1800

I know close to nothing about art, but I know what I like and this: I like…read more I think it is a nice addition to an otherwise somewhat drab area (when it's not race time). This reminds me of a dandelion that needs to be blown away. My favorite part is that it lights up at night. It looks spectacular then. The lights even change colors making it even prettier. So take a closer look instead of just ignoring it as you drive by. It deserves some attention.

On the north end of the Main Street strip in Speedway, there is a pocket park that features this…read moreamazing art installation. Seeds of Light was made by artist Arlon Bayliss in 2016. Towering nearly 18', the structure has an organic look resembling a plant known as cow parsnip which is also planted in the park. The park is located on the Speedway Trailhead. The steel structure features LED's that light with various colors at dusk so that the blossoms light the night sky. This art installation has a related piece called "Beacon Bloom" in Carmel at the intersection of Westfield Blvd and 96th that was installed a year later. The installation was done in cooperation with the Arts Council of Indianapolis, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, and the Town of Speedway. For more information about this and other public art, go to: https://www.indyartsguide.org/public-art/seeds-of-light/ Review #1219

This is a nice mural that is facing the Plainfield Dairy Queen and on the side of Al's Donuts. It…read moreis the work of Kylin Brown and commissioned by Main Street Plainfield and Duke Energy. It was completed in June 2021. It is is you typical Welcome to (fill in the blank) style with a pretty basic design and concept. It is in nice shape and even though it is pretty basic, it still has some nice art work. Brown has work all over the state that is worth checking out. She is definitely a rising star in the mural game. The mural has the word "Plainfield" with each letter containing a scene that is native to the town. They are not overly detailed, but you get the picture. I like the color usage in this mural. Parking to get a closer look at this mural is simple. I just pulled into Al's back lot and checked the mural out. This is not a destination piece, but something to see if you are in the area and driving by. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at other attractions or restaurants in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

As downtown Plainfield transforms from old run down buildings to a growing and people friendly…read morearea, I was pleased to see the town follow the example of numerous successfully transformed towns/cities in the area by adding public art to make the places that might be prone to graffiti and shadows sprout with planned images that promote the local businesses. On the west side of downtown, local business Al's Donuts has allowed two walls of the business to be enhanced by artwork from local artists. The largest of the murals (easily seen by those east bound on US40/Main Street) Simply states welcome to Plainfield. It was painted by Kylin Brown. A smaller second mural on the south wall by a different artist shows a full sized gorilla carrying an oversized donut from Al's by artist JD Coles. The large mural is colorful, while the smaller is somewhat whimsical. I am more familiar with the work of Brown. She has at least two other murals in Mooresville that I have also reviewed on Yelp for those who are interested. I might have given the Plainfield mural a slightly higher rating if it had more artistic flair than such a literal main street appearance. Personal note: my wife and I tried hiring Brown for a mural on our own property, but after several attempts to hire her, she failed to show up at a scheduled meeting and did not return further calls/attempts to reschedule. Her pricing is more affordable than some of the other local artists I've seen getting a lot of work around the metro area. I understand that not all artists are great business people, but if you have a paying customer contacting you, I think it is worth a call back. Review #3958

Cool and brightly colored public art mural that sits on a exterior garage near and alley of popular…read morebroad ripple community in Indianapolis Indiana My family and I noticed this space themed and futuristic milking mural whole discovering the broad ripple area for all of its wonderful public art. We were in town from louisville for my daughters cheer comp and just had dinner at a nearby by broad ripple establishment and decided to go exploring. Overall, like an h of broad ripples public service Thai was bright, colorful and fun to check one. Good piece in a great area for public art fans.

This mural takes up all 4 sides of the small building that it is painted on. The mural is on a shed…read morelike structure off of an alley way behind a little strip mall. This mural is actually a collection of four murals by Joy Hernandez. Hernandez uses an astronaut named Bean in many of her murals. This one is no exception. The mural in the front, titled Cosmic Dance, has bean the astronaut break dancing agains a pink background with yellow polka dots. On the side, to the left (with you facing the mural) is Hernandez's Voyager mural which depicts a satellite against a black background with blue polka dots. On the side, to the right (with you facing the mural) is the piece titled Pale Blue Dot. Spoiler alert, the blue dot is Earth. That mural depicts some colorful dots among an image that appears to be the sun and some planets like Saturn and Jupiter off in the distance. You will also see fading blue polka dots against the black background, which is a theme among these murals. The final mural, which is on the back is titled Sounds of Small Creatures and depicts Bean the astronaut spinning the 1s and 2s, against a pink, red and orange background with, yep you guessed it, yellow polka dots. The murals are not artistic marvels by far, but are Hernandez's classic style. They are very color and gives off a pop art type of vibe. All the murals on the structure go very well together and are seamless. You can find many of Hernandez's work across the city. If it is a mural and has an astronaut in it, then it is more than likely her. There is metered street parking within a short walk of this mural or you can just pull into the alley that the mural overlooks and park there to get a closer look. As with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other wonderful murals in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. There are tons of murals in the alley and adjacent alleys to look at.

Finally got to see the ice tree! This is one of those community gems that's worth a visit. If you…read morefollow their Facebook page, they keep you updated on the condition of the tree, give tips for parking, and suggestions for when to visit--in my case, I saw a note about when peak season, if you would, ended and the descent from tree to ice cube would begin. I visited on a Tuesday afternoon in February. We had a random 50 degree day after weeks of cold, so it was an interesting contrast. But it was easy to find, the driveway was labeled well so I knew where to enter, park, and exit. My mini BFF and I were the only two there for the first couple of minutes. Soon enough a couple showed up. Then, right as we were about to leave, another three cars pulled in! The ice tree is beautiful. The details had me mentally saying, "ice palace for one! Ice palace for one!" in my best Olaf voice. The colors were a nice touch. The sun backlight the structure and it just shone. I believe they said it's 40 feet tall this year. Definitely worth a quick trip to see it!

I've heard about and seen this place on social media for awhile and wasn't sure if it would get…read morecold enough to make it this year, however winter showed up in full force! I went with a friend and we went over to check it out, it's fun to see, and I like that they add color. It's on a private residence, but they have a great horse shoe drive way to use. Check them out!

A collaboration between the Arts Council of Indianapolis and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful was…read moresupported by the Lilly Endowment's funding to produce numerous art projects around Indy as part of the "Indy art & seek" program. One of the installations took advantage of some pre-existing concrete formations at the pull off near the Old GM Plant to look over the Rock Flat at White River. The bare concrete serves as a deterrent for motor vehicles from driving on the nearby trail (meant for pedestrians). When artist CS Stanley saw the raised rounded concrete shapes on the flat concrete surface, it seemed to resemble the shapes of a popular children's toy block/brick. So, the artist took advantage of the existing shapes and used primary colors to bring a lighter and brighter point of interest to the concrete and also help visitors find the observation area for overlooking the man made dam that creates white water on the White River. At the time of my initial review, I didn't understand the constraints of the art challenge which does not allow the modification of the structure. So the minimal artist involvement in creating the piece was not a lack of artistic vision, but restraints of the challenge which was to find existing structures and enhance them to call attention to their form and existing art. While I appreciate the brightness, I am not sure the artist did as much as he could to hold my visual interest . The primary color catches your eye, but for me, didn't hold my interest which was quickly drawn to the nearby view of the white water or the historical kiosks nearby with information. I would have liked the artist to add a bit more originality to the installation. I understand there were rules that the artist successfully followed. My rating is first to let know Yelpers there is a point of interest to check out and to give a sense of how I perceive the overall art when there are other pieces around town to check out if you have limited time. I appreciate when corporate and governments support art programs. Unfortunately, there are sometimes too many restrictions . I guess it is their money, they can do what they want. I get the sense that while appreciative of the funding, the artist might have enjoyed a bit more freedom to make the installation more original than it exists now. Review #3831

Excellent and clever use of the existing elements to create a clever and unique installation!…read more I always appreciate the extra effort it takes to create within established boundaries and make the finished work special! This intervention is a wonderful and artful addition to our city scape!

This piece is part of I-70's Corridor Public Art Project, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful. It is the…read morework of then art student Kathryn Armstrong, who fabricated the piece in 2010 when the city was trying to get all pretty for the Super Bowl. It consists 34 pod-like forms of varying sizes and colors and is located off of I-70's exit 77 (Holt Road) . It is spread across the on and off ramps. This work was a collaborative effort between Herron's Center for Art, Design and Public Life, Eli Lilly and Company, and Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. (KIB). The table looking pieces are very colorful and Armstrong intended for them to naturally interact with the green space. The individual structures are made of Concrete and paint, anchored down by heavy duty steel cables. The grass around the pieces is somewhat maintained. I understand they cannot cut it every week, but the grass was high and was in need of a good trim when I was there. You can easily see the piece as you I driving down I-70 in either direction. It welcomes visitors driving from the airport to the city. The pieces are in good repair, but as you can expect with 12 year old painted surfaces, they are starting to lose their luster and fade. They are pretty sturdy. I was able to stand on top of one with no issues at all. If you desire to get a closer look, you could pull off at the exit, park on the shoulder get out and take a closer look. I would just caution you that it is an active road (be it an off ramp) and to be careful crossing the street. I had been by this piece many times and always wondered what it was and today was the day I decided to go in and check it out. This is a nice conversation piece that definitely demands your attention. It is a simple design that many of you may have past on a number of occasions. Anyway, as with most sculptures and art works that I visit, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. As I mentioned, please be very careful if you do stop. I recommend making this a part of a larger itinerary or visiting here on your way to somewhere else such as the airport.

I drive by these every day on my way to and from work . I…read moreremember this was done in an effort to beautify our city in time to host the super bowl. I am unsure if visitors were very impressed by the effort. It does add a bit of color to the exit and I guess it is something different. The pretty pastel colors of these shapes remind me of Easter eggs. Especially since they are sprawled out in the grass. Like deformed eggs, or those that have been stepped on. I know that sounds bad, but I do like them. And isn't art anything that makes you feel something?