Amaryllis Park Place Murals
Where Home Takes Root
The Amaryllis Park Place mural project is a partnership between the City of Sarasota and the Sarasota Housing Authority, bringing new public art to the Amaryllis Park Place senior affordable housing community in Sarasota’s historic Newtown neighborhood. The project is guided by the theme “Where Home Takes Root,” which encourages artists to explore ideas of growth, belonging, and neighborhood identity. The amaryllis flower, tied to the neighborhood’s name, serves as a symbol of renewal and continuity.
To help shape the vision for the murals, the City convened a stakeholder group that included representatives from the Sarasota Housing Authority, the Amaryllis Park Neighborhood Association, residents, local cultural organizations, and members of the Public Art Committee. This group reviewed artist qualifications and offered guidance on cultural context, aesthetics, and the importance of uplifting and abstract representation.
A Call for Artists was issued to muralists located within one hundred miles of Sarasota. From those submissions, five finalists were selected to develop concept designs that responded to the project theme and stakeholder input. The primary mural site is a large southwest facing wall along Orange Avenue. The Sarasota Housing Authority also offered a second site at the northeast side of the complex, an east facing wall along 21st Street.
Orange Avenue Wall Artist: N. Carlos Jefferson
N. Carlos Jefferson, a regional artist living about an hour from Sarasota, creates large-scale work that blends abstraction, symbolism, and community-centered storytelling. His concept for the Orange Avenue wall uses soft, abstracted human forms, layered color, and symbolic shapes to express the emotional meaning of home. Themes of connection, memory, and shared experience guide the design, and his approach aligns closely with the project’s direction to avoid literal figures while maintaining warmth and uplift. Jefferson has extensive experience working with municipalities, housing authorities, and community partners, and his work often explores cultural legacy and continuity.
21st Street Wall Artist: Zulu Painter
Zulu Painter is a St. Petersburg-based muralist known for dynamic color, rhythmic patterning, and expressive symbolic imagery. His concept for the 21st Street wall complements the main mural while offering its own distinct voice. Through bold forms and vibrant composition, his design interprets the theme through movement, energy, and neighborhood pride. Zulu Painter has created public art throughout the Gulf Coast region, including projects in Sarasota, and he approaches every mural with an emphasis on collaboration, cultural sensitivity, and strong community connection.
Installation is planned for later this summer. For questions or comments, email PublicArt@SarasotaFL.gov or call (941) 263-6349.