JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — There used to be a mural in Downtown Jacksonville and it featured a giant frog holding a small fisherman. It could be found near the Florida Theater on Forsyth & Ocean Street. Art lovers considered the painting a hidden gem, plus it was made by Shaun Thurston, a local artist. After 10 years, it's gone. It is now a black canvas. There is a new business coming downtown with a boudoir theme and the mural is on its property.
Jay Weakland, with Hidden Jacksonville, gives tours around downtown showcasing the art and sharing it stories. The removal of the mural didn't sit well with art lovers in the city.
"The fisherman happened to be Shaun himself," Weakland explained the significance of the painting. "It's a reference to Florida when he was young and he would actually catch tad poles."
Thurston's work can be found around the First Coast, but the frog mural was special to Weakland. He admired it's longevity; it wasn't vandalized or painted over for 10 years. Weakland described the painting to be the first major mural in the downtown area. The local docent said he talked to Thurston about the removal.
"We joked about it now that he's part of history," Weakland chuckled.
Tours around the city, won't be the same for Weakland. The giant frog or 'Earth God' mural was one of his stops. To Weakland, the removal of the mural is bitter-sweet. He hopes the cover up will remind people to take a moment to appreciate the beauty in Jacksonville. Weakland encourages residents to be a part of their community.
"Get out there. See your community," Weakland suggested. "Support local businesses. Support local artists. Get to learn what makes our city so great."
There are at least 200 murals in Jacksonville. Hidden Jacksonville, a local business, tracked them down and shared it in an interactive map here.