Historic Springfield Art Tour

Stop 1

Welcome to Springfield Mural
Artist: Grant Thornton
Year: 2017
Type of Art: Mural
Address: 1101 Main St N, Jacksonville, FL 32206

The first stop on our tour is the Welcome to Springfield mural. It has been nicknamed the ‘Welcome Mat of Springfield,’ and was unveiled in 2017.

The idea for this mural came when Alyssa Key purchased the building and saw a space for a ‘welcome mural’ in the community. Her friend, Grant Thornton, was the perfect artist for the job.

The Springfield Preservation and Revitalization Council, or SPAR, was able to sponsor part of the project with overflow funds from Porchfest. Porchfest is a free music festival held in the neighborhood every November. Excess revenue is put back into the neighborhood

Information for this tour stop comes from jacksonville.com

Stop 2

Sesquicentennial Mosaic
Artist: Kate & Kenny Rouh
Year: 2019
Type of Art: Mosaic
Address: 1055 Main Street N, Jacksonville, FL 32206

Working in partnership with SPAR and local community members, RouxArt founders, Kate and Kenny Rouh, designed the mosaic to highlight historically significant landmarks and events in Springfield to commemorate the 150th anniversary of SPAR Council. “So many community people have participated in this project, and we are grateful and appreciative for their commitment,” said Kate. At least a hundred people have had their hands on the mosaic as it was being made.”

Imagery depicted in the mosaic includes the Trolley on Main Street, Big Jim Whistle, Bucket Brigade, Mary Dillon Fountain, Rose Arbor Tunnel, Water Tower, and the Sesquicentennial Logo.

"It has been a pleasure to work alongside JEA and RouxArt on the Sesquicentennial Mosaic project," said Kelly Rich, SPAR Executive Director. "It's vital to celebrate how far the neighborhood has come while simultaneously looking forward to the future and to the next 150 years of Historic Springfield."

Stop 3

RESILIENCE
Artist: David Nackashi
Years: 2021
Type of Art: Mural
Address: Between 1st and 2nd Streets on Walnut Street

When Michele Letourneaut was pondering the design for this blank canvas, she kept returning to the symbolism behind magnolia flowers: perseverance, endurance, resilience, dignity, and beauty. Magnolias are timeless and seasonless. She brought her vision to David Nackashi who turned it into reality after finding inspiration from an antique wallpaper for his depiction. “The magnolia flower’s symbolism tells Springfield’s story,” she says. “Or rather, the story through my eyes.” This mural is a work in progress. Stay tuned for Part II in 2022.

Stop 4

Klutho Sculpture Walk
Artist: Various Artists
Year: 2017
Type of Art: Sculpture
Address: 204 W 3rd St, Jacksonville, FL 32206

Feel free to peruse the current sculptures and enjoy the park.

Sculpture Walk’s mission is to provide community arts education and creative experience. Sculpture Walk creates culture and vibrancy in the community through outdoor public sculpture. Sculpture Walk is designed as an educational self-guided tour for families, tourists and passersby, free and open daily to the public.

Stop 5

Giraffe Sculpture
Artist: Melissa Russel
Year: 2017
Type of Art: Sculpture
Address: 204 W 3rd St, Jacksonville, FL 32206

Did you know that Springfield was the first home of the Jacksonville Zoo? This giraffe sculpture was a fun and interesting way to incorporate public art in the park and celebrate some Springfield history.

In 2017, the giraffe was an installment of public art that preceded our next tour stop, the sculpture walk. Dr Jenny Hager and Christina Stone-Parrish (executive Director of SPAR at the time) partnered to bring this piece of art to the park.

Christina and Dr. Hager really believe that public art helps to create a sense of pride in one's community and brings people together.

The piece was funded by private donations and a matching grant. It is 13' tall and sculpted by Melissa Russel from White Springs, FL.

Information for this tour stop was found at jacksonville.com

Stop 6

Mary Dillon Fountain
Artist: C. Adrian Pilars (original),Enzo Torcoletti (recreated missing pieces during restoration)
Year: 1910, restored 2006
Type of Art: Fountain
Address: 204 W 3rd St, Jacksonville, FL 32206

This fountain was created in memory of the first president of the Springfield Improvement Association (now Springfield Improvement Association and Archives) after she passed away in 1907. As the Springfield area went into decline, the fountain did as well. Chris shares the story of the grueling quest to bring this fountain back to life.

The photo is of the fountain pre-restoration. The marble had been painted over and many pieces removed and scattered.

Stop 7

"Klutho Corners" Mural Trio
Artist: David Nackashi
Year: 2020
Type of Art: Mural
Address: Found in Klutho Park and Springfield Dog Park.

David Nackashi, a local Springfield resident, chose to highlight Henry Klutho’s distinct architectural detail and iconic Springfield symbol, the Prairie Cross. The mural trio was possible due to the funds raised from SPAR’s signature event, Jacksonville PorchFest. The public art project was a great example of the partnership of SPAR, Jax Parks, and JEA.

Stop 8

Title - The Blossoming of Trust
Artist - Huariu (via ArtRepublic)
Year - 2019
Type of Art - Mural
Address - Main Street and Orange Street

From the artist: “Only when you cannot distrust, even if you want, have you come to the very center of your being, from where arises the trust in existence, in life, in people, in trees." Once you find you are inherently and essentially the same as everything in existence, how can you distrust anything or anyone? How can you exploit anyone or anything? Once you find everybody is suffering and causing suffering because they do not know what they are in essence how can you feel hatred for anybody else?

Trust existence! Trust that everything that comes your way, good or bad, pleasureful or painful, trust that it is coming to help you go further into yourself. Trust and know that it is coming to show you something, to take you a step closer to discovering the essence of life.”

Watch the Art Republic video on this mural!

Stop 9

Title - Cosmic Crystals
Artist - Jasmine Aldershoff, Elena Ohlander, Nicole Holderbaum, Julissa Adams, Morgan Badz, Perla Reyes, Barbara Hionides, Addie Gibson, Tatian Phoenix, Tabitha Skye, NotForTheBoring, Gabi Corley, Deja Anderson
Year - 2020
Type of Art - Mural
Address - 1255 North Main Street

From Nicole Holderbaum: “For a while now I have wanted to organize an all-girl mural production here in Jacksonville. The project was inspired by my crew of female street artists, graffiti writers, and skateboarders from around the world, Few & Far (www.fewandfarwomen.com). For the past 9 years our crew has organized multiple mural productions, art projects, and skateboarding events around the world. It has been very inspirational to participate.

Thanks to Elias I got permission to use a building for the mural! I organized a group of women artists from around the city, we raised some funds for paint and materials, and we made it happen!

The mural was painted by a group of 13 different women from around the city, 3 of them live here in Springfield! Each artist contributed their own unique piece to the mural. We unified the design with a matching background and matching color palette. The theme was cosmic, outer-space, and other worldly.

I believe it is important to bring women together and empower them through their art. Our society breeds competition and comparison between women which can lead to division and insecurity. To overcome this, we come together, we bond, and we create magic!

Perla Reyes came up with the name "Cosmic Crystals" it is reminiscent of an event that I organized last year called "Duval Gems" which featured over 20 local women musicians. The gems and crystals are creative, ambitious Duval women!”

Stop 10

Springfield Artistic Crosswalks
Artist: David Nackashi
Years: 2020-2022
Type of Art: Mural
Address: Intersections of East 3rd & Hubbard Street, East 3rd & Market Street, East 7th & Hubbard Street, West 9th & North Pearl Street

Part of the overall traffic calming strategy for Historic Springfield’s residential streets, SPAR leapt at the chance to not only prioritize pedestrian safety, but to provide proof of concept of mixing art and safety in a public setting. Working with the City of Jacksonville’s Traffic Engineering Department, SPAR advocated for the use of “bulb outs” - a visual narrowing of the road to slow drivers down. Once the striping was installed at each intersection, neighborhood artist David Nackashi made each one pop with a different artistic design from a rainbow and polka dots to Celtic knots and 3D shapes. This ongoing public art project is made possible due to funds raised from SPAR’s signature event, Jacksonville PorchFest.

Stop 11

Crispy’s Mural
Artist: Shaun Thurston
Year: 2017
Type of Art: Mural
Address: 1735 N Main St, Jacksonville, FL 32206

Artist Shaun Thurston shares about his inspiration for this work of art. His friend, Tehila Marks, had a persevering spirit to open a Pilates studio and after many setbacks, now has a thriving business. He says that he saw the same entrepreneurial heart in John Cripsens, owner of Crispy’s and he felt that this neighborhood and main street needed that spirit as well.

Stop 12

Plantaja
Artist: Tatiana K
Years: 2021
Type of Art: Mural
Address: 306 East 8th Street

Inspired from the vast array of plants that Plantaja will carry in store, Tatiana K created a vibrant and beautiful mural that brightens up the east side of Historic Springfield’s commercial corridor.

Stop 13

Eco Eve-Fiberglass public art
Artist: Joanelle Mulrain
Year: 2007
Type of Art: Sculpture
Address: 1602 Walnut Street, Jacksonville, FL 32206

Eco Eve is one of 25 fiberglass sea turtles created during the 'Turtle Trials' public art project, a fundraising program administered by the Child Guidance Center and dispersed throughout the City of Jax in 2007. Joanelle Mulrain was inspired by Eco Eve to reflect the environmental sensitivities to the sea turtle. She was sponsored by Breaking Ground Contracting and currently sits and waves to everyone on the corner of East 6th and Walnut in Historic Springfield.

Stop 14

The World is Lenore’s
Artist - Dustin Harewood and Shaun Thurston
Year - 2021
Type of Art - Mural
Address - Noah’s Ark Cure Violence, 221 East 8th Street

The last time that Shaun Thurston and Dustin Harewood collaborated on a mural, it was at the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens. The Cummer had launched a comprehensive exhibition of Savage’s work titled, ‘Augusta Savage: Renaissance Woman.’ The two artists included works of hers from the museum collection in their mural.

Savage’s sculpture of Harlem Girl (Lenore) of 1935 exemplifies the height of her career in terms of both style and theme. A young African American girl stoically gazes out at the viewer, her hair and dress decorated with ribbons; she possesses no distinct expression and yet she is deeply engaged with her audience. Her name is Lenore, yet she could just as easily be any other adolescent experiencing life in 1930s Harlem.

This newly completed mural juxtaposes the portrait of the young girl with the planet earth. Her image tied to a grand majestic heavenly body. Does she understand her potential? Her connection to the infinite? Blue is a very expressive color. It can represent melancholy, sadness and depression; peace, tranquility, hope, depth, vastness, spirituality.

Stop 15

Phoenix Arts District
Address: 2336 North Liberty St. Jacksonville, FL 32206

Located just 2 miles north of downtown in Phoenix and steps from Historic Springfield, the Phoenix Arts District is the start of something special. 100,000 sf of warehouse space spanning over a 4.5 acre campus will be converted into workshops, studios, apartments, a café, event space, galleries, restaurants and more. The district will also be home to the Jacksonville Florida School for the Arts, an adult art school for people of all ages, abilities, and interests. Multiple artists add their work to the warehouse walls making the public art constantly changing and evolving. Stop by and explore today!