Art Walk along the Riverwalk

Can we have a #humblebrag for a moment? Tampa is an amazing city. The weather is gorgeous. Water is everywhere. And there are roads, and paths, and trails just begging to be discovered. So, do us a favor and GET OUT THERE! We know the perfect place to start: The Riverwalk. Take an art walk along the Riverwalk today and check out some amazing original art pieces, including:

Tampa Together: Commissioned by the City of Tampa and funded in part by the 2012 Republican National Host Committee, Tampa Together is an aluminum and stainless-steel sculpture by world-renowned glass artist, Catherine Woods. Located in a pocket park along the Selmon Greenway, Tampa Together recognizes and honors the diversity of Tampa’s different neighborhoods and communities. The piece celebrates Tampa’s diverse citizenry and reminds us that we can do all things as a city when we work together. Taking into consideration the personality of Tampa’s downtown, Tampa Together transforms the spirit of the city into an iconic statement that reflects a universal human experience. The voting button celebrates the democratic process and commemorates the City of Tampa hosting the 2012 Republican National Convention.

Andante: Located along the Riverwalk under the I-275 overpass, Andante is a linear piece of tempered glass panels that spans 200 feet. Artist Heidi Lippman used the ancient medium of fused glass pigment to bring this piece to life – interplaying the opaque and translucent pieces of glass as a tribute to the river that runs alongside it. Andante, an Italian musical notation for a walking tempo or walking music, is a perfect title for an art installation that is admired by hundreds of runners, joggers, and walkers that use the Riverwalk every day. It also recalls the Performing Arts Center and Symphony Hall that are found along the Riverwalk and that help make Tampa a cultural destination.

Tampa From the Cosmos to the Present: The City of Tampa developed Fort Brooke Cotanchobee Park, a 4-acre waterfront park located in the heart of downtown Tampa, as part of its ribbon of green—a chain of parks that wraps around downtown along the Hillsborough River. Historically and culturally significant, this site was the core of the US military installation Fort Brooke and was one of the two anchors of the US Army’s offensive line across the peninsula of Florida during the Seminole Wars of Removal. Pulling from historical maps, postcards, photographs, and textile patterns, Artist Peter King created ceramic relief insets into the seat walls that line the perimeter of the park with imagery centered on the historic relevance of the site, Tampa’s industry, and the growth of downtown.

Whiting Gate: Local metal artist Frank Strunk created the entry gate for the USAmeribank building on Whiting Street. The artist uses his background, skill, and love for all things old and mechanized to craft art that reflects our lives. The Whiting Gate reflects how humans become so focused and dependent on modern amenities – in this case, money and wealth – that they miss out on what really makes their lives richer and fuller.