This mural was painted in 2019 by Koda Witsken. You will find it on the south wall of the Edward…read moreJones building, overlooking a private parking lot. It is a nice welcome to visitors to this small town. Since it overlooks a lot, parking here to get a closer look is very simple. I was able to pull in, get a good look at the mural and then leave, without any issues. It is separated from the parking lot by a fence. Koda is known for creating colorful murals, and this one is no exception. The wall that the mural was painted on was not the best to start out with though. The mural depicts the word "ELWOOD", surrounded by some flower, all set against a colorful mosaic background. The "L" in ELWOOD is substituted for a silhouette of a tall flower. The mural and grounds in front of it appear abounded and neglected. The entire area could use some TLC. As the plaque on the mural states, the mural aims to bring neighbors together in an interactive way. Viewers are invited to "hold the flower" in the mural or become the "L" in Elwood. Just have fun with it. I like this mural and the concept behind it. Koda Witsken is very talented. 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.

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

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.

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 is a fun, hidden find in Downtown Anderson. It was painted in 2019 by Levi Rinker for outdoor…read moremovies at A Town Center. (A Town Center, Inc. is a COMMUNITY ART CENTER and an ARTIST COOPERATIVE offering free studio space for participating artists in return for their participation in A Town Center's EVENTS and programming as well as other community engagement projects.) The outdoor movies were projected onto the mural for screenings.

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

This is a series of wall art that is on the outside of a pizza place. I really like some of the art…read morethat this person created. It's pretty cool.

On the wall of this alley, there are four completely different types of murals that were added in…read more2019. Artist/Muralist Jules Muck (MuckRock) swept into Kokomo and added these four murals to a red wall in the alley. One of the murals shows a gleaming revolver that shoots butterflies instead of bullets(Shooting the Breeze). There is also a humanized "Dead Heart" with x's for eyes of this mural. A "Cactus Kitty" sits as a fluffy white cat with a cactus rising from behind her. And finally, "Bettie Paige" is depicted in Black and White but with a splash of color from slices of pizza covering her curves. Four different styles and images. One artist. All done with spray paint, most likely in one day. And the alley is now colorful and inviting instead of being a place to avoid. Lots of fun to check out, the murals are part of the numerous paintings created by Muck while in town. Review #3067