Was in Key Largo a few weeks ago, the day after the artist Wyland finished his latest mural. This is his 95th wall painting in the United States, and he's said it will be the last in this country. The 100th mural will be painted in Beijing, China prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics. Children from around the world will join him.
I snapped a few pics. The painting is wrapped around all four sides of this 4-story building off mile marker 99.2 in Key Largo. You can't miss it as you drive either direction on US1. It really is worth a stop if you're on your way to Marathon, Islamorada, Key West, or any of the other keys. The artist actually came back a couple weeks after the first dedication to add a stingray to the painting to commemorate his late friend Steve Irwin, who died after a freak accident with a stingray in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef.
I've seen several of these murals and they are all very well done. The bigger theme of environmental awareness of ocean conservancy and stewardship is what counts most. If a painting like this can plant that seed in the mind of a child or adult, it's doing it's job. Art often doesn't inspire action - thought and conversation, maybe - so with hope some new 'stewards of the sea' will be helped along by this art. And it beats looking at just another cinder block building.
And Wyland has the beach-lovers ultimate trifecta of residences, owning homes in California, Hawaii and the Keys. Life is good.
