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.

Since their first public art project, the covered bridge in 1963, Coral Springs has become one of…read morethe leading public art cities in south Florida. The art is paid for during development and redevelopment in the city. Fees are collected from permits during building construction and renovations in the city. None of the art is paid with public tax dollars. One of the public art works Coral Springs purchased in 2012 was HD created out of bronze by artist Kimber Fiebiger According to Fiebiger "I've been creating unique Humpty Dumpty sculptures for over 30 years, using the ancient art form of transforming a clay sculpture into a work of bronze. My Humpty Dumpty statues are fun, whimsical, and created in positions that illustrate movement. Their jovial and joyful expressions are a direct representation of my dedication to make people smile.'" I love this nod to the nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty. This cheerful fellow was once located on Sample Road. He now keeps watch in front of Coral Springs City Hall on his wall that was created from bricks from the former city hall. This sculpture did indeed bring a smile to my face and is perfect for kids and kids at heart.

Since their first public art project, the covered bridge in 1963, Coral Springs has become one of…read morethe leading public art cities in south Florida. The art is paid for during development and redevelopment in the city. Fees are collected from permits during building construction and renovations in the city. None of the art is paid with public tax dollars. Rock ET Man is a whimsical piece of public art located in Whispering Woods Park on Wiles Road. He was created in 2011 by artist Craig Berube-Gray out of medium field stone. The purpose of the piece is to show how everyday items can be transformed into art. The city of Coral Springs purchased this artwork in 2012. He puts a smile on my face anytime I pass him on the exercise trail. Next time you visit the park, don't take him for granite.

When you spot this iconic sculpture at the intersection of East Commercial Boulevard and El Mar…read moreDrive, you know you've arrived in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, a tiny Broward beach town large on charm. The Chamber of Commerce spent four years raising the $30,000 needed to bring this monument to life. In 1990, three local businessmen contributed the last $15,000, making the project possible. Pelicans in Flight was created by Colorado artist Carl Wagner, known for sculpting thousands of bronze animals and birds. He worked from a 5,000-square-foot foundry near his home outside Salida, Colorado, and also maintained a residence in Naples, Florida, where he passed away in 2011. Today, the sculpture still anchors Anglin's Square, a welcoming public space with chairs and umbrellas perfect for relaxing. Its subject feels especially fitting: just steps away from the ocean where pelicans glide, diving with precision to catch fish. As specialized marine predators, they play an important role in the ecosystem, and their presence is a strong indicator of ocean health. More than just a tribute to local wildlife, this sculpture has become a local landmark and a perfect spot to create a memory and snap a photo.

The Living Story of Coral Springs is a $150,000 public art piece that was installed this year in…read morehonor of Coral Spring's 60th anniversary in 2023. It is located next to the Coral Springs History Museum and across from Aiello Field in Mullins Park. Spanish artist Casto Solano (b. 1958) was selected to create the art piece. Solano has exhibited throughout the United States and Europe as he gained acclaim as a modern artist. He began his art career as a visual artist painting landscapes. Now he creates sculptures in corten steel. Corten steel also called weathered steel was designed to not need paint. Over a few months it transforms into a stable rust appearance. Solano's sculptures have precise shapes with natural rusted textures. Solano is now based out of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. This art work is made up of six book shaped sculpted panels that are 5.5 feet long and 8.5 feet wide. The panels feature engraved depictions of city history during the past six decades starting with On the Edge of the Everglades and ending with Looking to the Future. Another panel was Continuing to Grow. Scenes I saw included a festival Ferris wheel, the Coral Springs Covered Bridge, a person on horseback, and a Seminole tribe member. It was fun to try and see what images you could make out in the art. I noticed that the farther you moved back, the easier it was to see individual images. Sixty years doesn't seem like very much history but in that short tine Coral Springs has grown into a thriving city. This art work is a great representation of how far they have come as they develop even more great projects for future growth.

Guarding the beach at Boynton Beach Ocean Front Park is a sea turtle statue named Opus 14. He rests…read moreonly a few yards from the dunes were the real sea turtles come to lay their eggs. Created in 1990, Opus weighs in at 700 pounds and is 54 inches high. He is made out of welded steel that came from pipes that had once been on the deck of an Exxon offshore oil rig in the Bahamas. Rick Beau Lieu, the Boynton Beach artist who created Opus, was tasked with creating environmentally conscious art out of an environmentally harming material. He worked alongside the Center for Marine Conservation to create the piece. After he was completed, Opus went on a five year tour to spread environmental awareness. In 1995 he came back to Boynton Beach and spent two years at the Historical Schoolhouse Children's Museum and 13 years in the lobby at City Hall. In 2010, Boynton Art in Public Places purchased Opus for $24, 300 with money raised from impact fees. He was then lowered by crane into his current home. They hope Opus will serve as an educator about sea turtles and the importance of recycling. The sculpture was intended to be the centerpiece of the parks 1.7 million dollar refurbishment project which included a new boardwalk, benches, and picnic tables along with shade structures. I love discovering new public art pieces and Opus really caught my eye. Sea turtles are some of my favorite marine animals and his message of conservation is one we can all get behind. Reduce, reuse, and recycle so that garbage stays out of the ocean and out of the bodies of these precious creatures.

REcycled REef is a public art piece installed in 2022 near the entrance of South Beach Park in Boca…read moreRaton. It is part of the Art in Public Places Program. This art work was created out of the inspiration to come up with creative ways to repurpose, recycle, and conserve. REcycled REef is the vision of local artist Gregory Dirr who often uses nature as a theme in his artwork. Dirr received his BFA from Ringling College of Art and Design. During his art career he has been involved in exhibitions, curating, public sculptures, murals, woodworking, metalworking, masonry, art direction, installation, photography, video, music, fine jewelry making, printmaking, textiles, set design, and prop making. Dirr created the pink and blue hued reef out of discarded materials found in the ocean, canals, and waterways of Boca Raton. The core structure of the reef was created with recycled metal rebar, wire mesh, and concrete. Discarded plastics were attached with concrete mortar to the outside. Gregory personally collected all the plastic used in the project. The plastic was then treated, primed, and painted with UV coating. I love the message of REcycled REef which was designed to educate the community about the harmful effects of pollution and plastics on marine life while inspiring sustainable actions through an eye catching artistic creation. This piece is located near where sea turtles nest, driving home its critical message even further. Help our ecology by reducing, reusing, and recycling!

Since their first public art project, the covered bridge in 1963, Coral Springs has become one of…read morethe leading public art cities in south Florida. The art is paid for during development and redevelopment in the city. Fees are collected from permits during building construction and renovations in the city. None of the art is paid with public tax dollars. Ascent is one of six installations in the new ArtWalk, an event and entertainment space in downtown Coral Springs. The ArtWalk is 1300 feet long and has benches, a seating wall, native plant landscaping, and room for event tents. It serves as a place for the city to display temporary art works, some of which they will eventually purchase. Created by New York artist Jen Lewin, Ascent is a ten foot circle flat to the ground created out of stainless steel, LED lights, dichroic semi reflective pads, and heat sensors. During the day the colors reflect the environment and change based on your perspective. At night it is supposed to light up and change based on your movements as you step on it. Unfortunately on the night I visited it was dark and not working. I have watched other peoples videos and it looks really cool when it is working. Hopefully the city fixes it.