The Stutz Sculpture is one of four auto-themed sculptures along the 96th Street corridor in Carmel…read more One of the "Classic Cars of Indiana," Stutz is one of my favorites in Carmel. It's possibly second to the Marmon Wasp - another one I absolutely love. All four classic car sculptures were created by Arlon Bayliss, a local artist whose design incorporates dozens of steel fabricated by Bo-Mar industries. Each vertical slice of steel creates an "ethereal light-permeable abstract form." At night, it's illuminated from within. The sculpture sits on a 5-foot Indiana limestone base. The sculpture is 16-feet-high and inspired by the Stutz's well-known "Ra" art deco hood ornament. I miss the days when we had really cool hood ornaments. The sculpture is inside the roundabout at 96th and Gray Road. I'm not one who's enamored with a lot of Carmel's public art, however, this is one I'll even drive out of the way a bit to go see. The sculpture was the last of the four "Classic Cars" to be installed and was completed in September 2024. I personally think it's worth the time to drive across 96th Street to catch all four. Plus, hey, think of all the roundabouts. Seriously, this is one of my favorites of the public art installations in Carmel roundabouts. It's definitely worth a visit or at least a drive-by.

Again: I know nothing about art, just going by what I like and what I don't …read more This is another roundabout sculpture in the series of Indianapolis' auto industry and racing history. They are back to back along 96th Street. This one looks like the hood ornament Stutz used and based on the sun god Ra. It is made of metal slices and pretty ingenious. I understand it also lights up, but I haven't personally seen it at night. I do enjoy looking at it as I circle it on my way through the roundabout.

Carmel has a dang cute selfie station on Elm Street just east of the Monon. The mural looks like a…read more1960's postcard and stamps with scenes from around Carmel. There is even a mark on the sidewalk to tell you where to stand to take your selfie. This is one of several selfie spots that I saw in the area. I used to call the area downtown Carmel, but the City has rebranded as "Midtown" and Midtown Plaza. The colorful mural was the brainchild of Wilkinson Brothers Design and was unveiled in March 2021.

The mural is the work of Carmel-based Wilkinson Brothers Design and was placed in 2021. It faces…read moreElm Street and is opposite the side of the BIG SCREEN at Midtown Plaza. This mural gives the appearance of a vintage post card and reads "Greetings from Carmel, Midtown Plaza". There are scenes from the city in the cutout letters that include the Monon Trail, Sails, the Coxhall Gardens Clock Tower and City Hall. The card is against a colorful cityscape background cutout with other cityscape silhouettes on it. You will also see stamps of local attractions around the area on the mural including Hotel Carmichael and the Palladium. It is a gorgeous mural that is Instagram ready. The city intends it to be an interactive piece that affords visitors the opportunity to take a selfie. To make sure that visitors get the best possible selfie, there is a decal that tells you where to stand. It is located just outside Java House Coffee Bar and Penn & Beech Candle Co. I love interactive art. This mural is no exception. I was excited about seeing it and I am sure it will be a popular attraction in the area. I will say that it is off of a somewhat busy street, so use caution when approaching. There is free street parking and a garage available to park within a very short walk. I know that this is probably not going to be a long stop, but I still recommend checking it out. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip such as the Monon Trail or the Sails sculpture that is right down the street.

The Twisted House is a whimsical, quirky sculpture in the ArtsPark. The house is the 2005 work of…read moreJohn McNaughton. McNaughton was a founding member of the Art Department of University of Southern Indiana. He passed away in 2022. The Twisted House is typical of his fun-loving approach to art. The wood sculpture has a storybook appearance. I can imagine that kids (and maybe even a few squirrels) would have fun visiting and playing in the structure with the crooked door and roof that curves over into the ground. The sculpture brought a smile to my face. The Twisted House worth a visit if you like art. There is no charge to walk through the quiet and serene park. There is free parking at the east side of the park.

It was a cold crisp day in late November when I visited the house. I knocked on the door but…read morenobody was home. Just kidding. It is a piece of artwork. It reminds me of the nursery rhyme about the old woman who lived in a shoe. It is just one piece of outdoor artwork and sculptures available on the grounds of the Indianapolis Art Center. I found plenty of parking available at the Center's parking lot. Then it is short walk from the lot.

You will find this piece on the side of a the Carmel's Jiffy Lube. It is the work of local artist…read moreJustin Cooper, with assistance for community members through community celebration paint days. It is a positive mural and is intended to pay homage to Carmel-born artist and illustrator Franklin Booth. It was painted in 2016 and is the product of a partnership between Jiffy Lube and Department of Public Words, a group dedicated to spreading positive messages through art. The message here is to just pause, take time and just "breathe". As most community murals are, this is a simple design. The colors of the mural are dull, almost pastel like, but it is still in great shape. The mural depicts a blue heron flying, against a blue background, flying through a whimsical sky. It is not a very detailed piece, but I love its message and it being a community project. As with most murals that I have visited, this is not a large consumer of your time, nor a destination piece. I was just there briefly while on my way to another nearby attraction. I would say that I was there about 5 minutes. I highly recommend visiting here on your way to somewhere else or making this part of a larger itinerary.

Love, love, love Jiffy Lube's new art initiatives! They have murals on their different locations…read moreall over the city. It seems to not only connect the Jiffy Lubes to the community more, but also distinguish each one as fun and unique. This mural was painted by Justin Cooper in 2016 (just searched the Internet - definitely didn't know that off the top of my head!). This mural is peaceful and just says the word 'breathe' on the side. Great reminder. The light colors are pretty, but it is hard to read from far away. Regardless, I just love the initiative to spread public art and have learned a lot about how great Jiffy Lube is as a company. This is evidence of it!

At first glance, this mural appears to be a simple, somewhat cartoon-ish rendering of a face…read morepeering out and the words "You Have Company" written above the face. But when you think about it and understand what the mural represents, then you appreciate another level of understanding about the mural and its subject. The figure, which seems to be hiding though clearly in sight, represents those folks we encounter everyday that are going through some sort of mental illness. The message is meant to offer support to those individuals so that they aren't alone and should not feel shamed into isolation. The mural was created by Seattle-based cartoonist/novelist Ellen Forney in 2017 who based the mural upon her book in which she describes how she finds inspiration from other artists and their work. The Department of Public Words, a local public art team, helped with the layout and design of the mural. The mural is part of the Jiffy Lube program of bringing public art to its buildings around central Indiana. Jiffy Lube sells green ribbons to support the state chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) as a tie in to the mural. Review #2299

In the roundabout at 151st and Carey Road in Hamilton County, a gleaming stainless steel sculpture…read moresits atop a pedestal. Hoosier artist Steve Wooldridge (from Sheridan) created the piece in 1999 and it was installed recently in this location. From the front and back (north and south views I think), the piece is very narrow with two long and slightly angled support columns reaching up to a cluster of arcs attached where the columns meet. The attachments not only form arcs when viewed from the side, but also are curved away from the supports at the top and bottom of the arcs to add the effect of wings when looked at from the front. There is also a smaller attachment at the back of the arcs that could be interpreted as the body of the dragonfly. There are three shapes which could creatively (if not biologically accurate) represent the three body segments of the insect (head, thorax, and abdomen). On a clear day, the piece is truly eye catching as it rises above the landscaping in the center of the roundabout. Review #1292

Beautiful, love when the sun hits the sculpture. So impressive & it makes me smile as it does look…read morelike a dragonfly!

This mural is painted on the side of the Union Brewing Company overlooking its patio. You will find…read moreit right off of the Monon Trail. It looks very nice and is well maintained. I love the use of colors. The brewing company commissioned Nekoda Witsken to paint the mural in 2019. It depicts a woman that looks like the St. Pauli Girl mascot, a German beer company, in a "We Can Do It" poster pose that was made popular during WWII. The woman is holding a beer mug in her hand and using her other hand to reveal a tattoo on her arm. On the left side of the mural, you will find the brewing company's logo. The woman is in front of the words "Be Kind" in bold colorful letters and the white background just makes it all pop. It is a simple message of kindness and a reminder to do what should be basic to everyone. I like the message, I like the presentation and I like that artistic display. This mural is great. I really like it. It gives off a kind of pop art feel. As with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is probably not a very long stop unless you are enjoying an adult beverage on the patio. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip such as the Monon Trail or the community garden that is right across from the patio.

Love this mural with a simple, yet positive message. We can all use more kindness in this world…read more Artist Koda Witsken created another lovely piece of art in Carmel.

What a lovely sight to see in what was an otherwise ho-hum tunnel. This mural, which was designed…read moreand created by Carmel High School student Caroline Hammonds, is located on the Monon Trail in Carmel, under City Center Drive and right by The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts. The colorful mural features musical instruments and lots of swirls. It kind of reminds me of something I would see in the liner notes of The Beatles' Yellow Submarine album, but that could just be my take on it. Apparently, the artist was listening to classical music when she painted it, so I could be projecting here. According to something I read, Hammonds was inspired to paint the mural as an homage to Indiana, a state that is flat and doesn't have mountains or oceans, but is still beautiful in its own way. I like that!

I was in the Yard District in Fishers playing Pokémon GO and found a PokéStop linked to this mural…read more I decided to go check it out and even posted a picture of it on my story on social media. I think the art is great and the message is wonderful. I wish it was in a more noteworthy visible spot though!

I love when I find public art when I am out and about in the indy area, I was walking through the…read morefishers yard district and noticed this colorful piece and had to take a snap of it. Upon further research, I found out that it was painted by Nekoda Witske, who is a part of the hue mural group, I really enjoyed looking at this since it was bright and just really makes you happy (if you're into colors) and is a combo of a face and a rose. I'll have to seek out more of her work around!

I like that downtown Carmel is filled with art and this modern sculpture is one of my favorites…read more "Swing Me Higher, Mama" by Dominic Benhura, depicts a mother lifting a small child playfully overhead. The modern figures are carved into a gray stone, perhaps granite. Benhura is from Zimbabwe and has sculptures placed all over the globe. A piece similar to Swing Me Higher, Mama" resides in Singapore. The sculpture was dedicated in May, 2022 with credits to Mayor Jim Brainard, Carmel City Council, Clay Township Board & Trustee and Kuaba Gallery, but I'm guessing the bill was mostly footed by Carmel taxpayers. Bench style seating surrounds the sculpture's base. I didn't notice this remarkable sculpture driving past because it is partially obscured by a street sign. But I did see it when walking along Veteran's Way. Street parking is at a premium near the sculpture. Nearby businesses offer parking while in their shops. This is a museum piece and worth a visit.