Welcome to Whimzeyland! What is that, you might ask? It's a bit hard to describe, so I'll let the photos do most of the talking. Artists and partners Todd and Kiaralinda have teamed up to create an outdoor art space at their home and studio in Safety Harbor, Florida. They've packed it brimful with a fun, colorful celebration of recycled and upcycled art. Just my kind of place!
Lots of mosaic works on sidewalks, walls, and everywhere. Creativity does indeed run wild. The hours of work that have gone into creating everything here is astonishing to contemplate. And the space has that "curated chaos" feel that might be challenging for anyone who prefers organized, predictable places.
Have some old discs? Suspend them from trees and branches on bead strands.
Blue bottles and whimsical plant spikes are found around every turn.
The venue is also known as "The Bowling Ball" house because of these, the many painted bowling balls that accent the foot paths. I read that this is how it all began- the owners received a large selection of bowling balls for free. They began to paint them, and things grew from there.
Find some new friends as you wander the grounds. And let the creative juices flow as you take in the many ways the most humble of materials have been repurposed. The mobile is crafted from assorted bottle caps. Clever! Cheap!
Do you have any idea what these colorful things might be, or once have been? I'm clueless. But they are imposing and dominate the garden. Let me know if you recognize them.
This dog is clearly barking up the right tree! A closer look at the twirly things on the upper right reveals that they are spiral strips cut from products that come in covered bottles- think coffee creamers and the like. Clever! Cheap!
You can tell from the plant leaves that this eye is no small thing! Another mosaic, it adorns the wall of the guest house next door to the main attraction. Collections of everything have found their way to Whimzeyland on their way to the landfill. Old copper jello molds decorate a kitchen ceiling, mid-century modern ashtrays (atomic age colorful ceramic) accent the wall outside the art studio. Something to delight the eye everywhere you look. A visit here has been on my list for a long time, so I was happy, happy to get there at last. Whimzeyland is free to visit (there is a donation bucket if you'd care to support), or you can arrange private tours for a fee.
