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."

This eye-catching painting was created to highlight the neighborhood's multicultural diversity as…read morewell as the bright future that the community's youth can achieve. The mural, titled "Let the Future Unfold," was commissioned by the City of West Palm Beach as part of its Art in Public Places program and created by international artist DAAS. The mural, titled "Let the Future Unfold," depicts a young girl from the Dreher Park area confidently sending a paper plane into flight, according to the artist's description of the work. Bougainvillea, hummingbirds, and a blue heron surround the girl, representing her community, surroundings, heritage, and creativity, he explained. The airplane unfolds and refolds like an origami work as it travels around the tank, eventually returning to the child transformed into a dove. The water tank is 58 feet tall and the mural wraps around the full 78-foot-wide structure. [Review 152 of 2025 - 1939 in Florida - 23718 overall]

I don't typically find public art inside a shopping mall, but that's one of the things that makes…read moreThe Gardens Mall so special. In fact, It is the only major shopping mall in Palm Beach County with commissioned artwork permanently displayed on site. While grabbing a drink in the food court, I couldn't help but notice the gorgeous mural wrapping around the upper walls near the ceiling. It tells the story of Florida's history, and if you've read any of my reviews, you know that's exactly the kind of thing that grabs my attention. Installed in 2007, the mural, The Story of Florida, was created by Chicago based artist Augustina Droze. Her portfolio includes public art commissions for The Forbes Company, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, the Tucson Pima Arts Council, and Nagpur International Airport, among many others. Speaking about the project, Droze said, "I'm an artist for the people, and what better place to find a good cross section of people than at a mall?" Touché! The mural was commissioned as part of the mall's multimillion dollar renovation, which was completed the following year. Taking more than nine months to create, it guides visitors through Florida's history, beginning with the Indigenous peoples and the arrival of the Spanish explorers. As the story unfolds, you'll also find scenes of the Everglades, Henry Flagler's railroad, early pioneers, and the rise of Florida's citrus industry. Every section is filled with colorful details. I really enjoyed taking my time to study all of the images while sipping my drink. Public art has been shown to enrich commercial spaces by creating memorable experiences that encourage people to linger and spend money. All I can definitely say is that the mural adds something special to a typical mall food court.

The Mariner is the name of the distinguished looking sea captain who stands watch over the entrance…read moreto Phil Foster Park, one of the best snorkeling spots in South Florida. Who is he, and how did he end up here? Now that's a tale. The 10-foot tall Mariner statue was created in 1978 by local artist and World War II Army Air Corps veteran Cpl. Earl LaPan. During his long career, LaPan created hundreds of works of art that can still be found throughout South Florida. He began painting at an early age, launching his career in New Jersey before moving to Florida in 1933. He took a brief break from art to fight in WWII and after the war he returned to Florida and picked it up again. His artwork adorned hotels in Miami and across the region, and many of those paintings remain on display today. Earl LaPan passed away at the age of 97 on February 19, 1996, and was laid to rest at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell. The Mariner was created as a tribute to Jerry Thomas, founder of Mariner's Bank and a former President of the Florida Senate. According to Thomas's son, Jerry himself served as the model for the sculpture. When Mariner's Bank closed, the statue was relocated to Phil Foster Park in 1983, where it has stood ever since. I've always liked this statue reminiscent of the Gorton's Fisherman and look for it when I drive past. Its placement beside the water feels especially fitting, as if the old sea captain is still keeping a watchful eye over the boats, divers, and snorkelers passing through the inlet.

Spirit of Invention is a large mural on the side of the historic 1926 Alexander Lofts building in…read moreWest Palm Beach. It was created by artist Tristan Eaton whose work has been exhibited in art galleries around the world. He began his art career by working as a teenager freelance artist in Detroit where he later attended the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. He worked for Fisher-Price where he designed his first toy at age 18. He went on to design Action Heroes and a line of fantasy toys. He then founded Thunderdog Studios, a design firm that worked on a variety of projects for companies such as Disney and Nike. One day he saw a blank building wall in Brooklyn and had the idea for a mural. He called the building owner who liked the idea and that is how he began painting murals. The Spirit of Communication was on a building used to be home to Bell Telephone headquarters so artist Tristan Eaton used that as inspiration to make an homage to Alexander Graham Bell. About the mural Eaton said "Alexander Graham Bell revolutionized how we communicate when he invented the Harmonic Telegraph in 1874, thus leading to the modern-day telephone and changing the world forever. For me, art has always been about communication. Art is a more emotional and visual form of communication, but it has the power to connect us just the same. Therefore, being asked to create a mural to celebrate Bell's life on the former West Palm Beach Southern Bell headquarters, I jumped at the chance and gladly accepted this honor. This method of portrait storytelling is fitting for someone with a life as grand and powerful as Alexander Graham Bell's. Within this mural I have sewn together many images both relevant to Bell and the specific location of the mural itself." To create the mural Eaton spent 15 days creating the art work and used 600 cans of spray paint. In March of 2016 half of the mural was destroyed when the bricks fell off the building due to a rusty iron rod. Four people had minor injuries. Eaton returned to repaint the mural and this time it only took him 6 days and 200 cans of paint. He renamed the mural Spirit of Invention. Eaton is committed to repainting and touching up any of his murals if they need it. The new mural features a hyperrealism head of Alexander Graham Bell made up of graphic designs of historic Southern Bell imprints and logos. The mural weaves together images specific to Alexander Graham Bell and the location of the mural. Eaton wanted his mural to honor both the legacy of Alexander Graham Bell and the City of West Palm beach. As a fan of both history and art I think he accomplished his goal.

Sometimes an interesting discovery can happen accidently. While entering the PGA National Park, I…read moremade a wrong turn and came upon this stunning sculpture at the entrance to the Palm Beach Gardens Innovation Center. The massive stainless-steel robotic hand holding a polished globe immediately caught my attention. It looked like something straight out of The Terminator. Hand of Time is a stainless-steel sculpture created in 2017 by Slovak born artist Peter Garaj (1969-2022). Before becoming a renowned sculptor, Garaj was an international downhill ski racer representing Czechoslovakia. He moved to the United States in 2001 and eventually settled in Palm Beach County, where he became known for his polished stainless steel sculptures that give the illusion of flowing even though they are made of metal. Garaj specialized in ultra-contemporary industrial sculptures that blended geometric precision with organic movement. Works such as Hand of Time explore themes of progress, momentum, innovation, and the passage of time when displayed in modern architectural spaces. His ability to transform stainless steel into forms that appear almost fluid made his work recognizable once you see them. I enjoyed learning about Garaj who was able to beautifully blend technology, motion, and imagination This sculpture is also part of Palm Beach Gardens' Art in Public Places program. Under the city's ordinance, new nonresidential developments valued at $1 million or more must dedicate 1% of their construction costs toward public art. Developers can either install artwork on-site or contribute the equivalent amount to the City's Art Impact Fund, helping enrich the cultural and artistic landscape throughout the community.

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.

Lake Worth Beach is located directly south of West Palm Beach on Florida's Southeast Coast, is a…read morehaven for anglers, art lovers, & families offering plenty to do, from boating, saltwater & freshwater fishing, and water sports to popular festivals and beach bonfires. With scenic shorelines along both the Lake Worth Lagoon and Atlantic Ocean the community is surrounded by water. On the ocean side, we can catch spectacular sunrises from the Lake Worth Pier, stroll the boardwalk, and spend time on the picturesque beach. More outdoor adventures, including camping, biking, boating, and lake fishing, can be found at John Prince Park, located on the west side of the city, and on the Lake Worth Lagoon, Palm Beach County's largest estuary & home to more than 250 species of fish. Lake Worth Beach boasts an artsy downtown with galleries, boutiques, music venues with a historic theater that hosts popular events including the annual Street Painting Festival, in February. Family-friendly beach bonfires are held from November until February at the Lake Worth Casino Building and Beach Complex, which is home to unique shops and a diverse selection of restaurants. Lake Worth Beach offers a fun variety of kid-friendly eateries and things to do. Families appreciate the cuisine and atmosphere at waterfront restaurants Benny's on the Beach and Mamma Mia's on the Beach while cooling off with ice cream and other treats at Kilwins Lake Worth Beach. While in the area, families of all ages will want to make a stop at Cox Science Center and Aquarium, 6 miles north in West Palm Beach.