With the Blind in Mind
By Maggie Zackowitz
Landscape Architecture Magazine, December 2018
You don’t have to be able to see to appreciate the colorful mural on the side of Lighthouse of Broward building in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Stretching for 82 feet along the narrow sidewalk on Andrews Avenue, Maine Course portrays a mythical version of a mockingbird who has eaten so much citrus she’e begun to turn orange herself. But it is more than eye candy in this oversaturated part of Florida. Portions of the painting are made of texture, waterproofed panels and mounted at different heights along the wall. Motion sensors activate speakers that play recordings including rustling sawgrass and chirping frogs for passersby. Diffusers puff out the fragrances of wood and grass and citrus every few minutes. Its the perfect piece for Lighthouse of Broward, a non-profit that provides job Training and other services for the visually impaired.
