Large sculptures come to life in Ormond Beach

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. – Ormond Beach is recognized for more than its stunning location in Volusia County. It holds the distinction of being the birthplace of speed and was once the home of one of the wealthiest individuals globally, John D. Rockefeller.

Now, there’s a new buzz in town: some temporary residents who aren’t really saying a whole lot, but they are getting a lot of attention.

An art installation has injected new vitality into downtown Ormond Beach through lifelike sculptures. The Ormond Beach Arts District and its Main Street program are responsible for bringing these sculptures to captivate visitors.

Julia Truilo, the president of the Ormond Beach Arts District, notes, “People, especially children, adore them. These sculptures are life-sized and can easily be mistaken for real people if you’re not observant.”

These quiet but colorful neighbors arrived last November and have been captivating visitors from day one.

“I’ve seen people have conversations with them, even though they don’t get much in the way of answers,” Truilo explained.

Created by Seward Johnson, a grandson of the well-known Johnson & Johnson family, these sculptures are done in a style called hyperrealism.

So life-like, they blend in with the real people.

Each sculpture looks as if it could come to life at any moment. Johnson created them with the hope people would interact with them. Made of bronze, each one weighs about 600 pounds, so they are pretty durable.

There’s a postman in front of the post office, a kissing couple in front of the art museum, a woman sitting on a bench reading a book and a visiting painter named Monet.

If you’re really paying attention, you’ll notice Monet’s painting on the canvas is actually of the bridge he’s facing.

Throughout the day, you can find curious onlookers walking up to the sculptures and admiring them.

“We’re just amazed at the detail. I mean, look at the clothes. It’s amazing. The seams, and the texture on the jeans,” says Beverly Fox says as she describes the installation known as Bunnies Don’t Bite. It’s of a woman holding a bunny and a boy kneeling trying to pet the creature. Fox is visiting from Palm Coast. She has seen Johnson’s work elsewhere and is thrilled they’re in Ormond Beach now so she can take her friends on a tour.

People come from all over, not just to see the sculptures, but to be seen with them. They have become a popular spot for people to take selfies.

Judy Stein is a big part of why these sculptures are here. She saw them elsewhere and took a chance to bring them to Ormond Beach.

“Well, it could have gone any way. It was a big deal for us to do this. So the fact that it’s been so successful is really gratifying,” says Stein.

There are 13 of them spread out along a one-mile path around downtown Ormond Beach. The Arts District made maps so you can easily find them all. And each sculpture has a QR code so you can learn more about them.

They say it should take about an hour to complete the entire loop. But they encourage you take your time and get to know them. But hurry: they are only here until the end of April.

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