Muralist adds character to Dunedin water tower

Work on Henry the gopher tortoise on the Dunedin Curlew water tower started in April, and phase one was completed in June.

Large-scale muralist Tom Stovall will add a sea turtle named Sylvia during phase two of the project on the west side of the tank. “She is simpler in style, but more colorful,” Stovall said about Sylvia, which will feature 22 colors compared to Henry’s 11.

Henry is named after Henry Scharrer, a Swiss immigrant and nature lover who lived on Caladesi Island from 1892 to 1934. His daughter, Myrtle Scharrer Betz, wrote “Yesteryear I Lived in Paradise, the Story of Caladesi Island.”

The sea turtle is named for Dr. Sylvia Earle, an internationally renowned marine biologist, oceanographer, explorer and lecturer born and raised in Dunedin.

Stovall faces challenges from the complexity of the characters to equipment failures and weather. Avoiding rain showers and storms is a challenge, as the paint is sensitive to water and humidity and takes a long time to dry.

Stovall’s other work can be seen on the Seminole water tower, the Crescent Lake water tower and murals inside the Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club.