Emerald Coast Herons
We recently completed an exciting project placing a sedge of 20 herons scattered about Okaloosa County.
We chose the heron because we wanted something that was symbolic throughout our area. The great blue heron is found in our inland rivers, lakes, and beaches. They can be seen while hiking the Florida Trail, fishing on the bridges or piers, sunning on the beach, boating in the bays, and kayaking in the local rivers. Okaloosa County is home to several heron rookeries, including the one on Okaloosa Island at Veterans Park and next to the coast guard station. Herons can be found throughout the area in both summer and winter. They are elegant, beautiful and stately, a beautiful piece of art in nature which we hope to help preserve through our public arts.
This project involved painting pre-fabricated 5 foot tall three-dimensional fiberglass herons with one-of-a-kind designs by artists of Okaloosa County. Our goal is to help raise awareness of the arts in our beautiful community and make art available to everyone in public places.
We hope to continue adding to the herons in the future.
Please see the interactive Google map at the bottom of the page for heron locations.
You can read each artist's biography by clicking on each heron.
"Belle"
by Bernadette Sims
Shalimar Town Hall
"Amazing Grace"
by Toni Dineen
Air Force Armament Museum
"Jailbird"
by Rick Otoupalik
FWB Police Department
"Starry Eye"
by Anne Johnston
Destin Library
"Purple Reign"
by Helen Harris
HH Arts
"Happy Dance Heron"
by Becky Brice Nash
Holiday Isle
"Swamp Chicken"
by Daria Knapp
Future Valparaiso City Hall
"Ooh La La"
by Pat Z. Roberts
Arts and Design Society
"Bleu Bijou"
by Sharon LaPine
Fort Walton Beach Library
"Fancy Feathers"
by Jeanne Thomas
Destin/FWB Convention Center
"Cherish Our Tails, Fins, Flippers, and Feathers "
by Dori Lewman
Destin Commons
"Reves Impressionistes"
by Ruta
Northwest Florida Ballet
"Onyx, the Watcher"
by Sheila Mahony
Cinco Bayou Town Hall
"Glory"
by Patricia Basque
Okaloosa County Administrative Building
"Journey"
by Joy Harris
Emerald Coast Science Center
"Garden Party"
by Alanna Grayce Campbell
Lions Park
"Sciatica"
by Arthur Jenkins
Mattie Kelly Arts Center
"Petey"
by Pam Folse and Thalia Newton
Turkey Creek Park
"Lucky"
by Toni Dineen and Pat Z. Roberts
Harborwalk Village
"Hector the Heron"
by Lexy Adams, Pat Roberts, Helen Harris, Rick Otoupalik, Pam Folse, and Toni Dineen
Ross Marler Park