For the last two weeks, residents might have noticed some unusual art pop up along the streets.

The 10 new pieces of art are part of the Avenue of the Arts on-loan program and were installed from City Hall, 100 E. Boynton Beach Blvd., continuing south on Seacrest Boulevard and then east on Ocean Avenue to the Boynton Harbor Marina.

The theme of this year’s art was the environment. Some of the artwork is made from recycled materials while others illustrate awareness of environmental concerns. 



“Our city is big into green initiatives, and we have a Green Alliance trying to attract more green businesses and buildings to the city,” said Debby Coles-Dobay, the city's 
public art administrator. “The art that was submitted was either made from recycled debris or had that theme.”

A rather large example of the environmental art is at the Boynton Harbor Marina entrance. Rick Beau Lieu created a 500-pound sculpture, the "Opus 4 Manatee Calf,” from recycled oil pipes off an oilrig from the Bahamas.

Another piece was from artist Beth Nybeck, who is not local and had to transport it from Iowa. "Point Defiance" is a large stainless steel abstract bear that is balancing on a shrinking polar ice cap.

The Avenue of the Arts is a program that is funded by the City's Public Art ordinance that applies to development and redevelopment.

Coles-Dobay explained that the art is funded by a 1 percent public art fee for all private development and redevelopment that takes place within the city.

“The art is on loan, so we are only really giving the artists a stipend to cover shipping costs and installation fees,” she said.

Read more about this story in the Sept. 30 issue of the Boynton Forum.
Mike Rothman can be reached at mkrothman@tribune.com.