Artists start painting in Downtown Fort Myers ahead of mural festival

Dozens of local Southwest Florida artists are well underway creating five new mural walls in downtown Fort Myers.

The theme for this year’s SWFL Mural Festival, starting April 5, is Mother Nature.

The five themes for the murals revolve around the elements of Mother Nature such as air, earth, fire and water. The fifth wall will be designed to incorporate all four elements into one wall, calling it “harmony” or “balance” of our universe.

According to the artist organizers, Cesar Aguilera and Brian Weaver, with ArtEsmble Underground, the city of Fort Myers gave them a $500 grant for the mural festival.

Many of the artists say the donation is generous, but it’s not enough to cover all the material costs. All are diving into their own funds in hopes of getting a symbolic message across town.

“I think really more to bring art culture to the community,” said Weaver, “sharing our vision, writing, bringing more love and colors to the community.”

The artists have found a younger demographic of people moving into Southwest Florida.

The artists have found the younger demographic craving a more vibrant atmosphere in their communities, but they are also fighting a stigma in influential areas that don’t want to see mural art, like Naples.

For one artist, air team captain, Danielle Branchaud, says while there is a divide in certain districts across the region, she finds that many artists just want a brighter community.

“As far as the arts go, the artist, we don’t really see that divide,” Branchaud said. “We just want to work together and make something special and beautiful happen.”

Despite the struggles after Hurricane Ian, the artists used aluminum panels to express their emotions after the devastation.

One year later, the artists are now working with a bail bond building owner off Martin Luther King Boulevard to create new paintings each year on the walls.

Weaver says the goal of the project is to create a new art district in downtown Fort Myers, similar to the Wynwood Art District in Miami.

The SWFL Mural launch party will be held on March 8 at 5 p.m.