The City of Boca Raton has unveiled “Ode to Boca,” a large mural by South Florida artist Brian Butler, now painted on the stage doors of the Mizner Park Amphitheater downtown. The work is part of the city’s centennial celebration.
The mural draws on poems and reflections submitted through the city’s Ode to Boca initiative, which the city runs with O, Miami. Butler’s narrative style pictures beaches, the Intracoastal Waterway, local wildlife and historic architecture. Among the scenes are a sunbather, a sea turtle and a ship passing under a bridge, alongside memories of early Boca Raton and everyday life today.
The city revealed the piece at a community celebration with remarks from city officials, a meet-and-greet with the artist and a performance by Poems on Demand by O. Community-submitted verses were also on display. According to the city, survey responses on the artist’s vision statements helped guide the project and the choice of Butler.
The mural’s warm, restrained colors are meant to complement the downtown setting. Residents who want to add their own verse can submit a five-line Ode to Boca through the city’s website.
