4’ x 8’ painted aluminum panel
Orlando, FL
“A Colorful Colony of Coral” is a mural in the Ivanhoe Village district at the northern end of downtown Orlando. It was painted as part of the Ivanhoe Village Main Street art panel initiative.
The design is a somewhat abstract graphic interpretation of a Floridian coral reef. The species represented are all native to our waters: Branching Fire, Sea Fans, Sea Rods, Lettuce, Brain, and Pillar. It was a really enjoyable project to work on! Huge thank you to Jessica Dunbar for advice and letting me borrow scaffolding – it was a lifesaver! – and Rachel Sullivan for photographing the finished painting. It’s at the corner of Asher Lane and Virginia Drive, if you happen to find yourself in the area.
Some stats:
- Size: 4’ x 8’ aluminum panel
- Number of colors: 34 (in hindsight, I probably should’ve pared those down just a bit)
- Duration: 99 hours over 20 days, mostly in the evenings (you can see the daily progress in my Instagram stories)
The concept, and some hoity-toity art stuff:
I wanted to use the tall skinny panel to highlight Florida’s natural environment, but our state is pretty flat with few naturally tall structures. That’s when I started thinking about a layered coral colony and the interplay you find between different species. The design draws inspiration from the modernist movement that gained recognition in the mid-20th century, emphasizing flat, colorful graphics with uniquely interpretive shapes and textures. Orlando is home to a handful of beautiful art installations in this style, and I think they’re awesome. In this painting, the coral structures are differentiated by vibrant colors and textures, while still building a harmonious, connective silhouette. As for the name…I picked it because it’s kind of a tongue-twister, and I like a challenge.
