I have been eagerly awaiting the installation of this public art piece and it is finally here. This…read morelarge, 8,000 pound bronze sea turtle statue was created for Dania Beach by environmental artist and conservationist Robert Wyland who was born in 1956 in Detroit, Michigan. He is most well known for his large outdoor murals, a series of 100 Whaling Walls throughout the country and world to spotlight the fragile ocean ecosystem. J. Milton and Associates as part of the City of Dania Beach's public art program, commissioned Wyland to create a sculpture of a Florida green sea turtle and the colorful reef fish and coral that are part of Florida's living reef. The sculpture was built over eight months and then shipped to Dania Beach. This turtle sculpture is part of Wyland's global public art project, which focuses on representations of marine life. Other Wyland pieces from this project are in Beijing, China and Hoonah, Alaska. This green turtle is swimming in front of Sea View Luxury Rentals. The pictures do not do this beautiful piece justice. I have been a long time Wyland fan and have visited several of the Whaling Walls. I love how this sculpture brings awareness to green sea turtles. They are the largest of the hard shelled turtles and are unique because they are herbivores with a diet consisting of sea grass and algae. Green turtles are found around the world but their numbers have declined as they have been used for their meat and eggs. They have also lost nesting habitat due to coastal development. They are listed as an endangered species.

I couldn't help but see the large scale Mariposas on a recent trip to Sunny Isles. Mariposas, which…read moreis the Spanish word for butterflies is a stainless steel 18 foot high head crowned with butterflies. It was purchased for 1.6 million dollars by J. Milton & Associates, a Miami real estate development company since 1963. Mariposas stands in front of the Milton Tower, a 14-story office building near NE 163rd Street and Collins Avenue. This artwork is part of Sunny Isles Beach's Cultural Master Plan, which was created in 2017 to bring more art to the city. Developers who apply for building permits of any size in Sunny Isles Beach are required to contribute an art piece valued at least $500,000. Mariposas was created by Spanish artist Manolo Valdés known for his style that combines art with history. Valdés has been featured in many museums and galleries. His pieces are displayed in Valencia, Spain; Place Vendome, Paris; Berkeley Square, London; Taipei, Taiwan and Dubai and now in Sunny Isles Beaches. Valdés is an internationally known artist and his work is supposed to represent multiculturalism in the city. I was really drawn the playfulness of this piece. It is very eye catching and fun to photograph at different angles.

Did you know there is a walking art tour INSIDE the Aventura Mall? Well there is. This is one of…read morethe art pieces inside the mall. It is called Walking figure. It is located near Louis Vuitton. Walking Figure is a 10-foot tall, richly textured bronze sculpture by contemporary American artist Donald Baechler. Emerging from the neo-expressionism of the 1980s, Baechler's work is part of permanent exhibitions in such prestigious institutions as New York's Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Centre George Pompidou in Paris. Depicting a gangly young woman in dynamic mid-stride, the work juxtaposes a sense of whimsy and humor with purpose and determination. Projecting from a diamond-shaped torso at near right-angles, her extended arms and legs suggest forward-driven momentum. Her pursed lower lip and tightly balled hands also attest to her resolve. Where is she going? we can't help but wonder. What mission is driving her on? Perhaps she is on her way to right a wrong, the unlikely, larger-than-life champion of the underrepresented (OR the downtrodden). Or perhaps she is simply running late for class or rushing to an appointment. No matter. Regardless of her purpose and destination, Baechler's work is a playful reminder that destiny reveals itself in all shapes and sizes.

Let LOVE Guide Your Way is a kinetic public art piece by artist Lloyd Goradesky. You can find the…read morebright red sculpture in Arts Park across from city hall. Let LOVE Guide Your Way is a weathervane that stands 16 feet high and weighs 5,000 pounds. Artist Lloyd Goradesky chose a weathervane for this art piece because it is a device used to measure the direction of the wind. It is also a metaphor to describe people who change their views frequently. When you are faced with a dilemma in a chaotic world, let love guide your way. Let LOVE Guide Your Way was first displayed at the 2019 and 2021 International Kinetic Art Exhibit and Symposium. I love the movement of this piece and how it celebrates kindness and the message of universal love. Mr. Goradesky is currently working on even a larger weathervane for the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel to celebrate the friendship between the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the American Nation.

The City of Sunny Isles has a robust public art program. You can find this eye catching abstract…read morepurple sculpture in Town Center Park alongside the walking path in the park that runs parallel with Collins Avenue. Rising Horizons was created in 2005 by artist Rafael Barrios. Barrios was born on November 22, 1947 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was raised in Venezuela, before going on to study at New York University. Today he lives and works in Miami, FL and Caracas, Venezuela. His works are found in the collections of the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Caracas and the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto. Of his artwork Barios has said "Art without audience does not exist. No matter what you build in your life, it's a public act." Rising Horizons is an example of Barios large scale, brightly colored pieces designed to make them appear as if they are defying gravity. This one is made of stainless steel and covered with epoxical violet purple airplane paint. I love how this sculpture adds a pop of color and interest to the park. .

Totor is a 8 foot high sculpture of a Jack Russell Terrier who looks quite fetching. He was created…read moreby French artist Stéphane Bolongaro who modeled it on his mother's pet terrier Totor. Stéphane Bolongaro is a former North Miami Beach gallery owner. In 2016 Totor was the featured piece in Mr. Bolongaro's art exhibition in Monaco that was hosted by Prince Albert II. In August 2017, Stéphane Bolongaro launched a second exhibition of Totor at the Promenade du Paillon in Nice, France. There is also a Totor sculpture in North Miami in front of City Hall. Totor is meant to represent the qualities of love, friendship, and loyalty. I personally love Totor because I have a special love for Jack Russells. This adorable version of Totor is skateboarding and carrying a surfboard. You can find him in the ArtsPark that opened last summer after he was donated to the city by Mr. Bolongaro who deserves a round of apaws for his contribution.

Looking Forward is a mural by Ernesto Maranje. You can find it on the City Hall Parking Garage in…read morethe Dania Beach Arts Park. The mural was created in 2024 using aerosol and house paint. I was already fan of Ernesto Maranje work from murals he completed in Ft. Lauderdale. Hollywood, and Miramar. Maranje is a Cuban-American artist born in Chicago, Illinois in 1983 and raised in Miami, Florida. He discovered his interest in art at 27 while serving in the Coast Guard. The subjects of his murals focus on flora and fauna, biological evolution, and plant and animal relationships. Maranje has created murals all over the United States and abroad. This mural is stunning. Maranje said the mural was inspired by the local plants and animals of South Florida. It features all of my favorite animals from the Everglades. The focal point is a Florida panther which is surrounded by an American alligator, roseate spoonbill, red-shouldered hawk, great blue heron, osprey, great egret, royal tern, and more. This colorful mural brings attention to the diverse fauna and flora of the Everglades and serves as a beautiful backdrop for Arts Park.

Haydee painted this beautiful Mural in my backyard. My backyard now looks more like a private…read moreoasis. Haydee is professional, timely and her art work is absolutely amazing. I highly recommended Haydee and I will definitely hire her again for all my future art work.

Haydee is a talented and creative artist. While visiting Florida recently I acquired her No…read moreJudgment piece and I am so proud to have that in my collection. I highly recommend Haydee to add something unique and original to your space.