Page 43 - DreamScapes Magazine | Winter 2022-2023

blows me away with its detailed black-and-white ren- dering of four Stuart-based artists. Turns out local illustrator Benjamin Perez enlisted the services of Martin County high school art students to paint these characters.
Continue along the scenic 3-kilometre Sailfish Healthy Trail that skirts downtown to Riverwalk to view public sculptures depicting local historic moments. There’s acclaimed wildlife artist Geoffrey Smith, whose stunning 5.5-metre signature bronze sailfish is displayed in the town’s centre, a symbol of Stuart’s other famous title, “Sail- fish Capital of the World.”
Miami, Beyond Art Deco
Around famous South Beach, follow the red-tinged side- walks along another famous sun spot, Miami’s Art Deco District for a head-tilting experience. Here nautical archi- tectural designs that made Miami Beach romantically famous mesh with freshly painted pastel façades. Although Art Deco paved the way in the city’s early years, Miami has matured, with push-the-boundary artistic energy that has a conscience. The new Brickell City Center and the revived Frost Museum of Science are open-air architectural marvels designed to positively impact the environment. The former collects rainwater for reuse and allows natural light to enter at all angles, while the latter features permanent exhibitions of the region’s biodiver- sity and aquatic ecosystems.
Further north in Wynwood, abandoned warehouses have transformed Miami’s original “Little Puerto Rico” neighbourhood into an urban outdoor museum. Dubbed the Wynwood Arts District, it’s been named “one of America’s best hipster neighbourhoods” by Forbes Maga- zine. Countless galleries are scattered, but I get the most pleasure from meandering through these 25 city blocks, speechless as I try to absorb every ray of colour from the graffiti-style murals. Around the corner, Shepard Fairey—famous for his Obama Hope poster—strikes an emotional chord with his collage murals of late pop cul- ture and social justice figures from David Bowie to Martin Luther King Jr.
Happy to see Art Deco firmly planted in southeastern Florida’s artistic lore, I’m elated to have experienced a boundless artistic expression here. Stuart’s architectural history astounded me; the locals’ passion for contempo- rary art surprised me. Miami’s energetic art scene, meanwhile, is brimming with award-winning designs. From the Treasure Coast to the Gold Coast, Art Deco has plenty of new company, with visionary artists just getting started. DS
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For more travel information about Southeast Florida see visitflorida.com
WINTER 2022/2023 DREAMSCAPES 43
PHOTO: BRAND USA