TEQUESTA, Fla. — A big splash of color will catch your eye the next time you pass by the Lighthouse Art Center in Tequesta. The northern side of one of the easternmost buildings on Seabrook Drive has been splashed with a bright new mural.
The words “Art for All” are blocked out in tangerine orange letters against a turquoise backdrop, with green and orange banana plants, palm trees and bird of paradise flowers.
Artist Cindy Fletcher Holden says the goal is to catch the eye.
“The colors are bright and cheery and the idea is to be able to see it far away so big, oversized leaves, oversized flowers,” she said.
The message “Art for All” reflects the $1 million matching challenge grant to fund the center’s outreach programs for underserved communities. Programs involve an array of opportunities for people of all ages and abilities, ranging across programs for veterans, children, adults with special needs and more.
Holden loves to work in grand scale.
“I really like the physicality of the size, huge, I mean I would much rather paint on ladders and scaffolding and use my whole body to paint instead of hunched over a small thing. I can’t paint small, ,it’s really hard. So the idea that you can see it a quarter mile away is the main reason I like painting big,” she said.
The bright pop of color is meant to add joy to the space, which will soon be home to outdoor seating for students.
“I hope it brings them happiness, this is not political, it’s not negative, it’s not activists, it’s just pretty, you know, it’s just to bring color and happiness to the person who sees it. I mean, you can’t be offended by these beautiful leaves,” she said.
