Originally to be known as the American Flag Mural, this mural adorning the exterior of Joyner's…read moreRestaurant in Elwood, Indiana is noted to have been seen by Elwood police officer Noah Shahnavaz the day before he was killed during a traffic stop in on July 31, 2022. It wasn't long before the mural, which Officer Shahnavaz had admired, was renamed the Officer Noah Shahnavaz Memorial Mural and dedicated within the past month or so. The mural was created by Indiana-based pop artist Theodore Winters and practically wraps itself around the Joyner's building. Winters, who possesses a retro vibe and specializes in painting scenes from the 50's, has now created what he calls his most important work and a work that is helping heal the small Madison County community of Elwood. The mural was dedicated during a public event and prayer vigil in Shahnavaz's memory. The 24-year-old officer had been an Elwood officer just shy of a year when his alleged assailant shot him through the front window of his cruiser. Prior to becoming a police officer, Shahnavaz served in the military for five years. The mural was originally intended as promotion for the business, however, Joyner's has responded enthusiastically to the mural's new significance in the community and are proud it can be used to honor Officer Shahnavaz and all police officers. Winters, who has been creating murals for 15 years, has expressed feeling similarly about the new and powerful significance of the mural. If you get a chance, I highly suggest a trip to Elwood to check it out along with other public art in the Elwood area. While you're there, stop into Joyner's - they have great burgers!

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.

One of my favorite sculptors in Central Indiana is Arlon Bayliss. His works can be found in…read moreseveral mediums in cities in or near the metro Indy area. For this particular sculpture, he has used 150 identically shaped 1" thick glass pieces rotated around a metal axis to create this image. The Helix shape is thick, but the medium still allows sunlight to pass through on sunny days. Unfortunately, my visit was on a cloudy day in winter, so I didn't get the benefit of the sunlight or of the three fountains in a pool for the full effect. The piece stands about 17' in height and was dedicated in 1993 to celebrate Anderson University's 75th anniversary. The piece can be found on the north side of Hartung Hall (north of 5th and east of College Dr). This piece has a smaller "sister" piece in Noblesville called "Flame of Life" created in 2000. Review #3544

Just outside the Gas City Public Library is a statue of Grant County's own Garfield the cat. This…read morestatue is seen blowing glass with a book about the history of Gas City between his feet. Gas City has a history of glass production (like much of the area including Kokomo). So, it makes sense that if someone wanted to learn about glass blowing in Gas City, the library would be a good place to start. This is one of fourteen statues of the cat in various poses, dressed in different clothing, scattered throughout the county. The path to connect these sites is called the Garfield Trail and is a fun way to get out and explore, maybe finding a new place to eat, or something interesting to check out. Review #2568

In 1995, Taylor University dedicated three bronze sculptures to celebrate the inspirational life of…read moreSamuel Morris as a susquicentennial tribute. The sculptures depict Morris at different stages of his life which he dedicated to devotion and spiritual enlightenment. The statues were sculpted by local artist Kenneth Ryden who has created numerous bronzes throughout the area including Marion and Anderson. The three sculptures are individually named: Heading the Call, Sharing the Word, and The Moment of Truth. Two of the three sculptures are located in the fountain in the Arts Quad of Taylor while the third piece stands southeast of the fountain. The water from the fountain has led to white patina over the bronze while the standing bronze has a more traditional greenish finish. Review #2549

This mural was painted by Holly Sims in 2023, in four and a half days. It is located on the side of…read morethe old Fraternal Order of Eagles building and overlooks a commercial parking lot and private parking for nearby businesses. It is located in Elwood's main business district and is located near many other awesome murals. This mural was cultivated by StraightEdge Creative and Jacqueline Collis Lane of Gypsy Soul Boutique. Because it overlooks a wide open parking lot, parking to get a spot here is very easy. I pulled in, got out and checked out the mural. The mural depicts a very detailed black panther that was painted to appear to be sticking his head out of the mural with some type of 3D effect. You will see a couple of white flowers and green foliage around the panther's head. Sims is very talented and her talent is well on display in this mural. I really like the mural's detail. The panther almost looks real. I believe the mural is a nod to the town's Junior/Senior High School mascot, but you will notice that the two cats look nothing alike. I actually like Sims' version of a panther better. Anyway, 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 some of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

As Tipton embraces the new murals that are contributing to the revitalization of the downtown area,…read moreit is nice to look back to the first public art in town. Inside the Post Office, a 12' x 7' mural was added to the interior west wall. The mural, painted by Donald Mattison, was started in 1936 and finished the following year. The title, "Indiana Farming", fits the community even today. The mural was commissioned post-Depression as part of a program to help keep artists employed around the state. I know of 36 post offices which were selected as part of the program. The idea being that since everyone used the post office, the mural would be shared by everyone. The mural shows multiple activities related to farming. There is a team of horses hauling the crops into the barn, a mother and daughter folding the laundry from the clothes line, a boy who collected eggs, and several other activities. The mural is done is pastels though it is possible that time has faded some of the colors. If the post office is open, this is a fine example of the cultural heritage of the community. Review #2814

On the campus of Anderson University, there is another Kenneth Ryden bronze statue: This one in…read morethe life sized likeness of the the University's first President. The sculpture took about 1500 hours of work when cast in 1987 (dedicated in 1988). It stands nearly 6 feet tall. It is located to the west of the Hartung Building (north of 5th, east of College Dr). Dr Morrison served as President when the school switched from being a Bible Training School to Anderson College (1925) which was a change that was controversial. But Morrison championed the change which led to the eventual further change to become a university. At the base of the feet of the statue is the quote from Morrison: "Life is saved only by dedication to something larger than itself. The purpose of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it." Regardless of whether you agree or not with his belief, there is no doubt that this is a fine sculpture contributed by the artist in resident of the University. Review #3545