Local artist glad to see Seafarer mural in progress
To the editor:
The Seafarer’s Art Fence Project for Fort Myers Beach kids. Indeed! Truly awesome that kids get to create art murals to hide the dilapidated old mall site that all will see as local youth imagination is celebrated.
Whether leaving, entering or just standing on the island’s most acknowledged spot of the beach, people will soon have the ability to look into the direction of the old Seafarer’s Mall site and see something totally visionary in regards to artistic expression mixed well with youth participation for town pride. Indeed!
I know of how hard it was to see this project finally come into its own reality. I can understand the patience it must have taken from both county and town officials to work together to see this project become its own reality. It took almost two years, in fact, to fully be approved. Two years for them to approve kids painting Beach art to only help out by beautifying their island home? Trust me. I know.
Yet this is the reality. Kids art on display thanks to governmental action and a vision by one local artist for the real better of tomorrow. The special thanks of mine and biggest of hip hip heroes go to these kids who choose to paint and explore artistic expression while being community oriented as ONE. My hat goes off to them for being the change.
Every kid, parent, teacher, visitor, vacationer, exchange student and/or governmental official who comes on or leaves off our island is to see the beauty of community. The children are teaching us others a lesson about unity and the ability to express it in a positive angle. It is for all to enjoy. I am thrilled to see that the town took the idea from a local artist when brought up to a councilperson over a year ago.
“Last year a local artist brought me an idea that we should decorate the fence at Seafarers,” that councilperson said “And, it’s at the point now where a prominent local artist has cleared the background checks and will be working with the kids at Bay Oaks. I believe that, after Labor Day, we will have beautiful artwork there created by our kids.”
As a local activist I say kudos to government! It may have taken you almost two years to approve good, wholesome values for our youth to display into our community, yet its a job well done in the end. What a great day for Fort Myers Beach. Kids painting murals to be erected to show town pride, and the local government working well side by side with the county agencies as to say anything can be accomplished now, and a local artist who had a vision of goodwill for the town, the youth movement, the artistic dream to hide the mess at the corner by the bridge, and to see our local community act as One Human Family.
It is nice to see it all as the truth and even better to know of its truth.
John. G. Heim
Fort Myers Beach