Mayor Honored with Bronze Sculpture

St. Petersburg is known for its towering public sculptures and colorful murals, and Indian Rocks Beach is ready to be put on the map as an arts destination as well.

Over the last several years, Indian Rocks Beach has added bronze public sculptures to the area’s parks, including a manatee rendering at the 5th Avenue Pocket Park and a sea turtle at the Indian Rocks Beach Nature Preserve. Sometime this fall, the city will install another art piece near the Pinellas County Beach Access Park.

What will the bronze be?

“That’s a surprise,” said Indian Rocks Beach office administrator Lorin Kornijtschuk, “We want to be a city full of art.” 

The sculpture, like the others, is funded by the Indian Rocks Beach Homeowners Association. This particular piece is being custom made by New York-based sculptor Randolph Rose Collection.

Indian Rocks Beach is also asking community members and business owners to contribute their own art to the city-wide art project.

“The city would like to encourage owners of commercial properties in Indian Rocks Beach to invest in public art on their own property. This will bring additional attention to the business and become a part of the public art effort,” City Manager Brently Gregg Mims wrote in a press release. “The City of Indian Rocks Beach looks forward to seeing and recognizing the creative art efforts of our businesses. Working together, we can continue this city initiated public art effort.”

NEW CITY — A sculpture honoring those who served during the D-Day invasion will be unveiled Thursday at Clarkstown's Street Community Center.

The statue made from a bronze cast by the Randolph Rose Collection of Yonkers is called "The Fallen Soldier Memorial-Battlefield Cross." 

The sculpture is of a combat helmet that rests on a rifle stuck in the ground next to a pair of combat boots. A set of dog tags hang from the rifle. It is a depiction of grave markers left for soldiers buried in the field.

The statue, which cost the town $3,950, stands about 4 feet high and weighs 150 pounds.

George Hoehmann, the Clarkstown supervisor, has invited several veterans of D-Day —  the day 75 years ago when the Allied forces landed on Normandy Beach in France during World War II — to be part of Thursday's unveiling ceremonies.

Hoehmann called the new memorial "a lasting tribute to all who have fallen in battle from Clarkstown and a reminder of all that the Greatest Generation sacrificed to ensure liberty and freedom for the world."

The tribute, which stands beside a plaque that honors all of the town's veterans, is part of the final phase of the community center's $4 million renovation.

Street Community Center, where three Clarkstown senior citizens clubs meet, also houses the town's Hall of Heroes. The hallway recently added murals depicting soldiers in armed conflicts stretching from the American Revolution through the War on Terror, and a large image of the American flag.

INDIAN ROCKS BEACH — City officials and members of the nonprofit community group IRB Action 2000 unveiled IRB’s newest public artwork Aug. 3 at the Indian Rocks Beach Nature Preserve.

The bronze sculpture, which is from the Randolph Rose Collection, depicts a manatee rising from a wave and sits in a shaded area right near the entrance to the 10-acre park at 903 Gulf Blvd.

During the brief ceremony, Mayor Cookie Kennedy thanked the organization for donating $8,500 for the piece, which is the fourth public art installation in town, with a fifth scheduled for this fall, according to the mayor.

“I think we’re incredibly grateful to have the support of IRB A2K behind us,” Kennedy told the small crowd, which included IRB A2K President Diane Flagg, board members and volunteers as well as City Commissioner Phil Hanna. “These sculptures, one is more beautiful than the other, and I’m excited for the dedication of the next one at the city’s main (17th Avenue) park this fall.”

When it was her turn to speak, Flagg returned the praise to the city.

“Having the city as our partner helping us do things that have a lasting effect in the community is impressive,” she said. “We have a lot of volunteers and supporters who help us throughout the year, and the results of our hard work and dedication are going to be remembered for many years. So, thanks to (City Manager) Gregg (Mims) and the city because an organization like ours couldn’t operate and do what we do without their help.”

After the speeches, the group gathered around the sculpture for the ribbon-cutting and a quick photo session, where Kennedy and Flagg were cajoled into kissing the bronze manatee, making it an official member of the IRB community, according to the mayor.

“It looks awesome, and it’s in a great spot,” she said of the piece’s perch atop a bed of mulch under a large shade tree. “I can’t thank IRB A2K enough for all they do for the community, and I want to thank city staff and Gregg and everyone who worked so hard to make this happen. It’s a great job by all involved.”

According to Flagg, she and the rest of the IRB A2K crew are in the middle of planning the latest edition of the annual Oktoberfest, which is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 8, from 12-6 p.m. at Kolb Park, and working on the upcoming release of the 2023 Plein Aire Cottage Artists calendar, among other projects.