There is an aquatic (and fisheries) themed mural that can be seen from the Pinellas Loop Trail in St. Petersburg. It was painted by PlasticBirdie (Jeremy Nichols) and BlaineFontana during the SHINE Mural Festival in 2019 in partnership with PangeaSeed Foundation’s Sea Walls. Funding was provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA). It is over 120 feet long and took eight days to paint. It’s title is “The 8th Funky Fish Town”.
below: Each of the 7 pegs describes one of Florida’s local fisheries. Number 1 is Madeira Beach and number 2 is Panama City …. followed by 3. Cortez, 4. Apalachicola (for oysters), 5.Steinhatchee (for scallops) 6. Matlacha and 7. Key West
below: A coral reef with a dark red grouper fish poking its head out. A gray manta ray is also pictured.
below: And last, a giant green eel with many arrows.
below: Bright and cheerful, colours and smiley shapes, a work by Filipino-American artist JUJMO (aka Cheryl Weber)
below: “Are You My Mother?” by Carrie Jadus, painted in 2017 on the back of the Arts Xchange Building and seen from the Pinellas Trail. It was painted in coordination with the grand opening (“birth”) of the Arts Xchange.
below: Two sides of a sidewalk box – from the SHINE 2019 corner canvas project, painted by Jenipher Chandley.
below (and above): An American flag with its red, white, and blue merges with a Cuban flag, also in red, white, and blue in a mural by Michel Mirabal. It is actually on 22nd Avenue, but backs onto the Pinellas Trail.
below: For the 2021 SHINE Festival, Nicole Salgar’s “The Commuter”
From Salgar’s Instagram page: “In this piece, the muse is intended to be portrayed as a gatekeeper to other dimensions and realities. She is connecting with the viewer through her gaze, and behind her you can peer into her intimate space, which appears to be in the process of transformation. Her existence is one which flows throughout time without any boundaries. Time is represented in this piece through the changing shapes and fields of color. The structure to the far right, which is interacting with her physical form, is a portal that symbolizes the doorway into another dimension, or a parallel universe. This is a representation of the pathways we follow through transitions and transformations throughout our lives. Theories say that versions of our universe overlap, and even interact with one another on the quantum level, affecting our own universe. This piece is a loop which speaks to the idea of no beginnings or endings, just absolute continuity. The very concept of time is ultimately an illusion, created by humans to reconcile with our memories. Ultimately, this mural is a culmination of the feminine spirit of all things being tied together through reality, nature, dreams, space and time. A boundless energy which makes up the entire universe. “
This post is the third of three that feature street art in the Warehouse Arts District. The other two are: 1. At 24th Street and 5th Avenue South and 2. Pink Men on 5th
below: “We are all magic” with green eyes, unicorns, and a butterfly. Mural by Sarah G. Sheppard. This mural is actually on the same building as the mural that I showed in the last blog post here, Pink Men on 5th.
below: “Temple of Eternal Bliss”, 2019, by Palehorse (aka Christopher Parks)
Photos taken March 2024
Nearby are other murals in the Warehouse Arts District. They can be seen in two other blog posts: 1. Pink Men on 5th and 2. St. Pete’s – more from the Warehouse District.
On 5th Ave South there is a large mural painted by Colombian artist GLEO for SHINE 2021 as a tribute to two men who were important to her. SHINE is the annual St. Petersburg Mural Festival. Unfortunately part of it is now hidden behind a large white container.
Central Ave (and the streets running parallel to it) in downtown St. Petersburg Florida has become home to numerous murals thanks to the SHINE Mural Festival held every October. 2024 will be its 10th year.
First, two kids in a boat on triangular sea, by Zulu (or Zulu Painter). The girl is at the helm with her paddle. Both are watching intently, eyes ahead. What do they see?
And second, there is a long horizontal mural by Daniel R. Barojas with a pattern of hexagons for a background. A woman is on one side. She seems focused on something.
… peeking out in the middle (caught in the middle?, or just curious?)
… and a man with feathers in his ear at the other end
St. Petersburg is home to a growing number of murals. There are maps online that help you find the murals but if you walk along Central Avenue and explore the streets and alleys close by, you will encounter most of them.
below: There’s a short alley behind the north side of Central Ave that is home to quite a few street art pieces. This is the view westward from 6th St. North (toward 7th St N)
below: This is the mural at the east end of the alley. This portrait among the fishes and mermaids was painted by Derek Donnelly
below: Mural for Caskey, a musician, or more specifically, for his song “Thank God I Made it” which was released about the same time that the mural was painted (May 2021). Artist: skycaptain
below: Shark mural by Shark Toof, a 2015 SHINE mural, on the east wall of the State Theater building.; It too is a little bit faded.
below: This the Hindu Goddess, Saraswati, who symbolizing knowledge, learning and wisdom was well as, music, art, and speech. She was painted by Palehorse Design. Follow the link to learn more about the mural.
below: “Space Rainbows” by Ricky Watts
Many of these murals are the product of SHINE Mural Festivals. Follow the link for more information about these festivals.
All photos were taken in mid-April, 2022
Close to Tropicana Baseball Field is this large mural. It is 30 feet high and 148 feet wide and covers the east wall of Modern Furniture. The girl resting with a doberman was painted by Evoca1.
This large mural, titled “Time to Think”, was painted (2014) in the Central Arts District of St. Petersburg by Derek Donnelly and Sebastian Coolidge. It represents the idea that corporations and businesses should embrace creativity in their communities. Big business (the man in the green tie) opens himself up to new, and more creative, ideas and projects.
below: The northwest corner of Martin Luther King Blvd and 1st St North in St. Petersburg Florida where there are a few murals on the buildings. The mural of the cat and dog in the foreground was painted by Matt Kress.
below: On the other side of the building (an animal hospital) are more cats and dogs.
In the first photo, you can see small parts of another mural. This one features well known cartoon characters such as the cats Felix and Garfield, as well as Disney’s Donald Duck, Daffy Duck, and Goofy. It was painted by Greg Mike as part of the SHINE mural festival in 2021.
below: The whole mural
below: The last mural here, on the far side of the back building, is another recent painting. Also part of the SHINE 2021 festival is “Tell Me How You Feel, Part III” by Bakpak Durden.
below: In the middle of the roundabout is a sculpture called “The Sun on the EDGE” by Ilan Averbuch. The title is a play on the word edge as the roundabout is located in the EDGE District of downtown St. Petersburg.
below: Mural by Chad Mize
below: Tow Away Zone
below: Stickers on the back of a sign along with a page of notes
below: Raphael emerges from the sewer where the Mutant Ninja Turtles hang out