Carole Feuerman

 While at Peace River Botanical and Sculpture Garden, I admired once again Carole Feuerman's hyper realistic sculptures of women.  I know I showed different images of the same works a year ago, but the sculptures warrant a repeat showing.

Marion Avenue Cattle Drive

So long as I was in Punta Gorda to see "Caribbean Colors" at Peace River Botanical and Sculpture Gardens, I drove around the waterfront area to see some of the city's noted murals.

 "Marion Avenue Cattle Drive" is a 2007 mural by Michael Vires, covering one complete side of a law firm's commercial building.

The mural honors "cracker cattle," a breed of cattle brought to Florida by the Spanish 500 years ago and still a dominant strain of cattle raised in Florida cattle ranches.

Linked to Monday Mural.

Leoma Lovegrove

 Leoma Lovegrove is a popular artist in Southwest Florida.  She is a colorful individual and paints with loose strokes in bright, happy colors.  Peace River Botanical and Sculpture Gardens is exhibiting some of her works and has many more in its gift shop.

Leoma Lovegrove's manatee and octopus were placed in the gardens.

Lovegrove often features flamingos in her paintings.

The flamingoes spread around the gardens are not by Lovegrove, but they complement her paintings very nicely.  The Gardens' current exhibition is called "Caribbean Colors."

Peace River Botanical and Sculpture Gardens

 Punta Gorda is an hour north of Naples.  The gardens suffered many losses from Hurricane Ian's visit last September.  I went to see how it looked.

I saw "Laundry Daze" by Connecticut sculptor Paul Guilmette when I visited a year ago.  It has lost some of the bushes and trees that were behind it then.

Some plants have been laid out in the patterns where they will eventually be replanted.

I remembered this huge hanging staghorn fern ball from last year's visit.

"Milk Factory" by Vincent Low stands in a central field.

A natural walk is being developed on the other side of a wooden bridge crossing a stream and ferns.

Kate was busy planting flowers to add some color.  She told me that the gardens have been open to the public for about five years, but she has been volunteering for more than twelve years.

Love Love Love

 Part of a painting in a coffee shop I visit.  Can't complain about the message.

Bobcat

A bobcat strolled along the edge of a preserve.

Swan Villa

 

I have friends who have named their house.  They say that when they bought it, it was an ugly duckling, but after the renovations, it is a beautiful swan.  Not to be left behind, I need a name for my house.

Hmmmmm. . . . .!