This humming bird mural, titled from Dust to Dust. The mural speaks to the wholistic nature of the Universe and the singularity of a common thread of energy that connects all things.

7:44

This project represents thinking of one another, in business... in ideas, and adapting for the greater good of humanity, it also represents change and progress.

The number 7:

The paper airplane represents a large idea, and unity. There are 7 smaller airplanes, representing smaller ideas that don't come to fruition, or failures, and the number 7 is a sacred number. We won't go into the many ways the number 7 is represented in the universe from sacred geometry, and the positive creative force, but there are plenty of ways to research its significance on your own if you're curious about them...

The number 4:

There are four butterflies; symbolizing hope, change, endurance and the soul. In the human experience, the number four connects mind, body, and spirit with the physical world.

The number 4:

The child's hand throwing a paper airplane represents new ideas... And the sequence represents the four stages of growth, or developing intellect.

Nature:

The natural elements and plants represent the Earth and the natural order of things. Paying attention to nature, as we design communities, businesses, and actions will create positive outcomes. Nature has a perfect, regulatory balance. Nature also provides good design. Paying attention to the natural world when solving human problems, or presenting solutions usually provides sound answers and examples. In addition, it is possible to integrate local natural wonders into property design. For instance working with landscape architects to promote and attract pollinators and work with non-invasive species of plants.

Significance of locality:

TPA represents the significance of the Tampa International Airport and its role in Tampa's growth.

The sun rays represent change, and a better future. The outline of Westshore is present, underneath the symbolic imagery in hopes to bring good positive energy to this district, and property, and our city. Our hope is that businesses move forward to think more holistically. It's not always about the bottom line. It's about humanity. The greater good, and the intent, and focus on this will make business work.

This is the future for us all.

This piece in the Tampa Convention Center at their coffee shop on the third floor, features bay sea life, an outline of Tampa Bay, and native plants and wildlife. The wall also features a map element of the Hillsborough River that spans across the back wall. The shape mimics the river flowing through Hillsborough County, and operates the patterns and textures of the mural.

This project is located at Anchor Riverwalk in Downtown Tampa. We have two murals at this property, one in the north end parking garage, and this mural in the stairwell entrance off of W. Fortune Street, which is only accessible to residents.

This particular indoor piece features a 20ft Snook, floral elements, as well as patterns and textures.

Florida Paints is a company established in 1960. As part of their slogan "Paint a Brighter Day" the company commissioned us to brighten up their 22nd Ave. store in St. Pete.

This project features local wildlife and a nod to the official bird of St. Pete, the pelican. It also includes a Tarpon and a blue crab around the corner. The mural is sealed with Florida Paints "Sunscreen" product. We used all of Florida Paint products for this mural, with the exception of a few spray paint gradients and highlights from some cans of MontanaCans, and MTN 94.

We painted a custom themed humidor for Tampa International Airport (TPA)

This project was to be given as a gift during an annual conference hosted by Tampa International Airport and the Airports Council International. The design features turtle grass (native in the bay), University of Tampa minarets and a trolley image with the bayshore balustrade in the foreground.

Symphonic Distribution approached us to brighten up their listening room at their flagship office in Tampa, Florida. We incorporated image from local photographers such as James Luedde and ZITRØ. The image includes stylized images of DJ Bazarro, Fr33dback, an electronic music producer, and Jepstar, a pop-and-lock style competitive dancer.

Symphonic is one of the leading independent distribution and marketing companies in the music industry, it made sense that they represent so many independent artists that we incorporate local flavor into their project. The personal connections they make with musicians is what makes their company successful, we really wanted to encapsulate that.

This piece speaks of the contradiction of modern structures and their impact on the environment. We appreciate urban density, and wish more thought was put into sustainable development. We appreciate and are grateful to have buildings to paint on, cities to enjoy, but also realize that development happening in outlying areas of Florida’s fragile ecosystem impacts the unique wildlife this state has to offer. The majestic Florida Panther has already been once extinct but reintroduced to the wild. An adult panther needs about 200 miles of open range to thrive in the wild, these areas are hard to come by in today’s development hungry society.

This piece simply states, “notice us” - “we were already extinct in our natural home due to over hunting in the early 1900s now our biggest threat is loss of habitat and vehicles.”

This mural along the Pinellas Trail takes a look back at the history of the rail to trail. The Clearwater area used to be home to many citrus groves, and a narrow gauge railroad built by Henry Plant. The Pinellas Trail is on the right of way of a few former railroads, the former Orange Belt Railway (which was a narrow gauge line) and then later Atlantic Coast Line Railroad from Tarpon Springs to Clearwater, which was a standard gauge conversion on the same ROW, then it was home to the former Tampa and Gulf Coast Railroad (later Seaboard Air Line Railroad) from Clearwater to St. Petersburg.

Our mural for the City of Clearwater takes a look at the past and current uses of the trail, and provides clues throughout that tell the history of Clearwater, such as orange blossoms and oranges. There is also a connection between the establishment of the Orange Belt railway, it was established in 1885. This is the exact year the "safety bike" was invented, which was an invention that made the future use of the trail possible.

As a nod to J. Cole, we titled this piece, 100 years before J. Cole, because we were listening to KOD quite a bit while painting it, and because of the significance of the year 1885 in the mural. In J. Cole's album, KOD, the song 1985 talks about his birth year, and the evolution of hip hop music, all around us things are changing but sustainable change always grows from roots of authenticity.

Learn about the Orange Belt Railroad »

Commissioned by the City of Tampa's Art Programs Division, Faces of West Tampa lies at Salcines Park in the neighborhood of West Tampa. The project features many prominent residents of West Tampa who hold significance in the development and history of the area.

The City of Tampa Art Programs Division website lists all of the figures in the painting.

We really enjoyed meeting, and hanging out with the people from the West Tampa area, and Salcines Park.

Article in Tampa Bay Times

WTSP Article and Video - Faces of West Tampa

An eighth grader in the Tampa Heights neighborhood organized a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to contribute public art to her community for a school project. We were lucky to be chosen by her, the Tampa Heights Civic Association, and the owners of Shuffle to paint a mural on the side of their building at 2612 NORTH TAMPA ST TAMPA, FLORIDA 33602.

For this mural we chose to paint some of the common animals and plants you'd find in a Tampa Heights neighborhood naturally. The mural features magnolias, a cardinal, red-bellied woodpecker, black-eyed Susan flowers and a monarch butterfly.

This mural was created as a backdrop for a music event in partnership with Lot 1901, an event space and photography studio in Ybor City, and Basement Sessions, a hip hop, jazz fusion and spoken word event (founded by illsol member Tony Krol). The painting was completed during the event that took place on June, 24th, 2017, featuring the music of Telekinetic Walrus, Leisure Chief, Atlanta based The Txlips, Queen of Ex, Gat$, and Fr33dback.

We were commissioned to paint a dark corner of a parking garage at Novel Riverwalk. This is a public and private parking facility located at the newly built apartment complex. The concept of the mural utilizes the branding colors and shapes. The triangles that point to the direction of the riverwalk (if you’re standing looking at the piece) reference nautical flags, which nod to the complex's overall nautical theme. Another reference to the theme is the central image of an anchor, representing the idea of “being anchored, or home”. The oranges near the elevator also represent how this land was once used, there the Taylors (whom the bridge connecting the west and east banks is named after, Fortune Taylor) tended to orange groves, peaches and guava until the property was purchased for development. The figure at left conveys the idea of creating memories while the foliage serves to bring a part of the outside landscape, in. Overall, the design represents making memories through history, activity and movement.

We lit up a bridge for the opening of Julian B. Lane Park, this project was part of the opening celebration of the park.

Video

The ELT Group is a real estate and construction office located in the neighborhood of Sulphur Springs in Tampa. Illsol was commissioned to create two interior wall murals, one in the hallway directing customers to the construction offices, and a mural above the realtors desks in the main lobby.

Commissioned by the City of Tampa Art Programs Division, the Dream Pushers mural is located on the Dream Center building at 15th and 17th streets in the neighborhood of V.M. Ybor. The south facing wall tells the story of the original immigrants from Cuba and Italy, and the African Americans who first inhabited this neighborhood. Cuscaden Park has a rich baseball history, and one of 7 operating Wesley Bintz designed swimming pools in the country (out of 135 built) where many locals learned to swim. This neighborhood is also home to some of the oldest cigar factories in Tampa, including the only one with an operating clock tower.

The west facing half is a tribute to the current residents who maintain the neighborhood today. This is for the children, the future leaders, the dreamers. From 1887 to 2016 the Cuscaden Park area has seen many changes, from orange grove to baseball field, the addition of a pool in 1935, rec center and football fields. This section of Ybor has always been a hub of community energy, our mural is to inspire the neighborhood to stay vibrant, embrace history and embark on its future.

This bedroom is in Seminole Hieghts where we painted a vintage pattern and map design inspired by photos we took at the Tampa History Center. It features map of Tampa from around 1911, when the neighborhood of Seminole Heights was founded. Included is an image of a vintage cigar sign, and Florida citrus logo.

Revolution Cycle Republic is a spin studio in Carrollwood (North Tampa). We were commissioned for an interior mural and a sign for the main lobby and storefront.

"For the Love of This City" was commissioned by the Portico art initiative to brighten up the side of this building on Florida, Ave, downtown Tampa. The mural represents all of the original neighborhoods in Tampa with the two alligators being a nod to the "two headed alligator" of the Seminole Heights seal. The rooster represents Ybor City, and the star and halo around the rooster's head is a part of the West Tampa Seal. We also focused on the natural surroundings of the Tampa Bay area with the inclusion of native birds, and water sports that are a part of Tampa's history.

At it's zenith, Tampa Heights attracted entrepreneurs because of it's location within the city. Before the interstate and express ways segmented the city, Tampa's street car line united communities. From Tampa Heights, residents could reach Downtown, West Tampa, Sulfur Springs and Ybor. As a whole, this image serves as an homage to the entrepreneurial spirit that created Tampa Heights and sparked growth in the city. That same spirit has seen a rebirth and will serve to bring Tampa Heights back to it's former glory. This mural is not only about the work of entrepreneurs in building industry, but also the workers that kept the those industries going. It's about what made Tampa, community and interconnectedness.