A Bit About Turtles

By now you may have noticed the artistically decorated turtles around town. Turtles on the Town is what this display has been named and features 50 turtles decorated by 50 different artists. The display is geared towards an auction, which will take place in March of 2016, that will benefit the United Arts Council, The Conservancy of Southwest Florida and The Community Foundation of Collier County. Until the auction takes place and these turtles find new homes the community has the privilege of enjoying them. Each turtle was commissioned by a different local company and some reflect the companies that paid for them. There are quite a few that reflect more of the artists and their views. This is what I'd like to explore a bit today.



If you live in Florida then the struggles to keep the Everglades intact is a continuous struggle between those who love it, see how its ecosystem benefits our environment  and those who wish to destroy it further to make some money from shopping centers or oil. Dennis Goodman's Eyes of the Everglades give us a better look at the beautiful wildlife that resides in our very own backyard. The portrayal of animals is what catches people. It shows that the Everglades as a whole has a vast soul and should be left to thrive for future generations to enjoy as well as the future of the planets ultimate survival.

In Immokalee you will find a turtle that represents more of the younger generations as well as a touch of the culture that resides there. This turtle is none other than Justin Ungar's Libre. This turtle sports a Lucho Libre mask as well as an assortment of traditional style tattoos up and down the flippers. The comic book style of this one along with the above mentioned details makes it stand out as a testament that the youth of today is coming up and saying "Here I am".

Now the turtle that stands out among the rest seems to be hidden away in the tennis courts of Cambier Park. I wouldn't have known it existed if I didn't feel the need to take a different route on that particular day. This turtle is none other than Bradford Hermann's Deflective Paradigm. I've got to say this one blew me away.  In my opinion this piece shows a struggling balance between the purity of nature attempting to shield the planet from the constant consumption of man fueled by technology. The description from the artist is much more in depth and mindful (which can be found by clicking the link of this piece's name above). This piece has the potential to create waves in this small pond known as Naples where development is part of everyday life and the beauty of nature is put on the back burner. It is a firm belief of mine that it will be the creative minds of today's society that will change the world and it's current mentality. This piece is an important step in that direction for our community by bringing these kinds of issues to light in a way that is near indescribable. Next time you're at Cambier Park make sure to swing through the tennis courts to appreciate this one for yourself.

Art is a vast part of this community. Be it created by man or there to take in from nature. It is everywhere. So when you go to venture off on the Tour of the Turtles really spend the time to take in every little detail of not only the piece but its current residence as well. Ask yourself what it means to you and what it might have meant to the artist or the companies who commissioned it. Explore, get inspired and create something you feel will inspire others.