The Mirage: A Columned Courtyard

Written & Photographed by Ki Ki Hobbs

As South Florida rapidly develops, Palm Beach Gardens remains committed to protecting and preserving green space, an endeavor that has earned our slice of paradise a Tree City, U.S.A. designation. From our beautiful parks, picturesque walking trails and stunning wildlife, anyone visiting or living in Palm Beach Gardens can feel the City’s connection to nature. That connection is well-reflected in The Mirage: A Columned Courtyard by Tracy Rosof-Peterson, which is a beautiful piece of public art, located just outside the Laser and Surgery Center on Kyoto Gardens Drive.

Rosof-Peterson frequently explores the connection between humans and nature in her art. In an interview with the arts magazine chART, she describes her time studying indigenous American pottery in the Four Corners region of the U.S. Rosof-Peterson says one of the biggest influences on her art was seeing how the indigenous tribes’ ceremonies allowed them to connect with each other and with nature. With her public artwork The Mirage: A Columned Courtyard ,

Rosof-Peterson gives people in Palm Beach Gardens a chance to also connect with nature.

The Mirage is a cast iron and stone seating area with three stone, square columns decorated with sculptured tiles depicting Florida’s natural flora and fauna. The courtyard’s 8-foot-tall columns are teeming with life. Sculpted vines, roots and leaves lift from the facade while animals climb out of the frame.

On one column, a rabbit leaves its hiding spot to catch a glimpse of the viewer while a fox watches from the background. On another, a panther stalks the viewer, ready to pounce at a moment’s notice. The animals’ unwavering gaze transforms the viewer from a passive observer into an active participant. We watch the sculpted animals in their natural habitats and in turn, they watch us in ours. For that brief moment of eye contact, we’re connecting not only with the art but also with the Florida wildlife it’s representing.