I love public art works and The Naiads caught my eye on a recent trip to Tarpon Springs. The Naiads…read moreis a sculpture located in the roundabout at the intersection of Dodecanese and Roosevelt Boulevards at the west end of the Sponge Docks. The Naiads depict Goddesses from Greek and Roman mythology. In Greek mythology, Naiads are nymphs associated with water. The fountain and base for the sculpture is constructed from stone imported from the Greek Island of Kalymnos in the Dodecanese archipelago. There are some benches surrounding the art. The Naiads was created by Texas born artist, Glenna Goodacre in 1989 and installed in 2019. She also created Storybook Time in front of Tarpon Springs Old City Hall which is now the Cultural Center. Goodacre graduated from Colorado College and studied at the Art Students League in New York. After her marriage she lived part time in Santa Fe, New Mexico and in Dallas, Texas where her husband practiced law. Her favorite subject matter was portrait busts and figures and sculptural compositions of active children. Goodacre is most well known for creating the Vietnam Women's Memorial at the Vietnam Wall in Washington, D.C. in 1993. Goodacre passed away in April 2020 at the age of 80. I really enjoy this elegance of this piece. It makes a great place to take a picture. I also love the connection this piece has to the water where the historic sponge divers made their living.

The Tampa Police Law Enforcement Memorial sits in a quiet corner of downtown, and even with the…read morebuilding behind it wrapped in scaffolding for construction or repair, the space still carries a sense of calm respect. I visited on a weekday in the early evening when the light was soft and the city had settled into that in‑between moment where the workday is ending but the nightlife hasn't quite begun, and the memorial felt like a small pause in the middle of all that motion. The names etched into the stone draw your attention in a steady, unhurried way, reminding you that this is a place meant for reflection rather than spectacle. The construction work does change the backdrop a bit, but the memorial itself remains fully accessible, and once you step into the space the scaffolding fades into the periphery. What stands out instead is the care taken in the design, the clean lines, and the way the setting encourages you to slow down for a minute. Even with the temporary clutter of repairs nearby, the memorial holds its purpose firmly, offering a respectful and grounded moment in the middle of downtown Tampa. [Review 130 of 2026 - 2241 in Florida - 25320 overall]

The Freedom sculpture in downtown Tampa stands in Joe Chillura Courthouse Square as a twelve foot…read morefigure rising with arms lifted toward the sky, a gesture that reads as both release and resolve, and the bronze and steel surfaces catch the Florida light in a way that makes the whole form feel like it is stretching itself into the day . The rings circling the figure give it a sense of motion, almost like the air is parting around someone stepping into a wider life. The sculpture was created by artist Jerry Meatyard, Freedom was originally placed in 1987, a moment when Tampa was reshaping its downtown identity, and the piece has stayed rooted in that square ever since, becoming one of those quiet landmarks you notice more each time you pass by. The poem by James E Tokley Sr at its base adds another layer, giving the figure a voice that matches its upward reach and turning the whole installation into a small conversation between sculpture, city, and passerby. Gaze at me and wonder what I see My arms, outstretched, that measure countless stars My stance unmatched by even the tallest tree The compass of my feet, a common cause! O gaze at me and wonder what you see My glistening chest that hides a heart of steel That judges Human Will and finds it free To reach aloft and spin God's cosmic wheel! To make of life whatever life may be, Like an early morning sun, I rise up free! The sculpture is noticeable but not overwhelming. The combination of bronze, steel, and open air gives it a grounded but aspirational presence, and the longer you look the more it feels like a person caught in the instant of choosing to rise which is a fitting message for a civic square where people come and go with their own hopes and burdens. It is a piece that rewards a slow walk around it, letting the rings shift, the shadows lengthen, and the idea of freedom feel a little more tangible. [Review 127 of 2026 - 2238 in Florida - 25317 overall]

This is a cool mural that is located in a park in Tampa. It has a variety of sports legends and…read moreothers in the collage. It is filled with many colors and images appealing to the eye. Here is some information from the local Tampa art website. "The mural represents many sports played at the park, such as basketball and tennis, but also highlights boxing, a sport that was popular in West Tampa years ago.  Featured in the mural are Fernando "Ferdie" Pacheco, M.D., and Joe "King" Roman.  Pacheco, was a physician and cornerman for world heavyweight boxing champion, Muhammad Ali, and numerous other boxing champions. Roman, Puerto Rico's first world heavyweight championship challenger and Tampa resident, is featured in the mural as a symbol of motivation, inspiration and determination."

I prefer Tampa Fingers, but these will do…read more Really nice brand new neighbourhood in Tampa which is near the colleges and has plenty of boba shops and lots of living space. It's one of the better places in the Tampa area to live in terms of food and desserts and I like it and it has a young energy about it.

Walking around historic downtown Tarpon Springs I couldn't help but be drawn to this vintage…read morepostcard style mural on the outside of the Chamber of Commerce Welcome Center. This is a 25-by-4 1/2-foot digitally printed mural by Eagle Photographics in Tampa. It was unveiled in 2020 and is a reproduction of a 1994 painting, called Changing Tides by North Pinellas based artist Christopher M. Still. The mural depicts Tarpon Springs sponge diving heyday around the Anclote Key Lighthouse. The original painting was donated to the Tarpon Springs Public Library by Elizabeth Coachman, an artist and former head of the medical laboratory at AdventHealth North Pinellas. Elizabeth and her husband Michael wanted to keep Changing Tides in the City of Tarpon Springs. Artist Christopher M. Still is known for his paintings of Florida's wildlife, people and landscapes. He works out of Dunedin, Florida and has a gallery in Tarpon Springs. In 2010 he was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame. Of the mural he has said "It's a big honor to do this, to have an entryway sign for Tarpon Springs. It's neat having it as an entryway sign out here and you can walk over and see the original indoors nearby." Today the Changing Tides mural serves as a welcome to the City of Tarpon Springs. People love to have their photos taken in front of it and it preserves the rich history of this town as a sponge diving village.

My wife and I stopped in and saw the doggie while while we were in town interesting little concept…read morejust a bunch of dogs with the city above it and just neat to see

I discovered this beautiful 17 feet high by 22 feet wide mosaic mural in historic downtown Tarpon…read moreSprings. The brightly colored mosaic is on the side of the Meres building adjacent to the parking lot that was once Mother Meres garden. The mural was a gift to the city from the Garden Fairies of Tampa Bay, a group of civic, artistic gardeners who have spent seven months creating the massive multimedia art piece. The Garden Fairies received no public funds for the $60,000 mural. It was created through their fundraising efforts and a benefit party by the Chamber of Commerce. It took 2,000 hours to complete the installation of 46 panels over Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 2010. Even the concrete walls surrounding the nearby dumpster also were decorated with 86 smaller panels. The mural commemorates Amelia Petzold Meres, a city pioneer and amateur horticulturist from the early 20th century. Mother Meres loved plants and people. She was born in Germany in 1845 and emigrated to the United States with her family when she was 5. In 1882, she moved to Tarpon Springs with her husband, Walter to run the Ferns Hotel on the corner of Tarpon and Pinellas avenues. Amelia Meres and her husband had a home east of the hotel and on their land she created a lush jungle garden that fed the hotel guests fresh fruits and vegetables and honey produced in the garden. Eventually she was bestowed the nickname of "Mother Meres." In addition to the garden she also planted the cycads that gave Tarpon Springs' Cycadia Cemetery its name later replacing them with oleander after the cycads dies off in a freeze. She held the town's first Christmas party, brought plants to the sick, and helped plant trees to beautify city. With a kapok seed giver to her by her friend botanist David Fairchild of Miami, she planted the famous kapok tree at the former Kapok Tree Inn on McMullen-Booth Road. Mother Meres died at the age of 78 on Oct. 20, 1923. After her death the garden became a city park with benches and a band shell. In the 1950's the park was turned into a parking lot. The parking lot is also the site of the Sunday Tarpon Springs Farmers Market. It is so nice to see Mother Meres love of gardening and generous spirit is still honored and thriving 100 years later.