Palm Coast, FL – It’s as if the magical words of Lewis Carroll leaped off the page and landed on the shell of the giant loggerhead turtle.
They’re all there – the White Rabbit, Mad Hatter and the March Hare, Queen of Hearts, Caterpillar, and of course, grinning ever so cleverly, The Cheshire Cat. Each playing their own role in the story of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
Becoming the latest addition to the Palm Coast Arts Foundation’s Turtle Trail winding its way through Flagler County, this one makes a stop at the Flagler County Public Library, where tales of adventure and fantastical journeys to places near and far are just a page away.
Welcoming guests to the unveiling on Tuesday afternoon, library director Holly Albanese put into words what fans feel when thinking about the 1865 novel.
“Today I am reminded of a quote by Lewis Carroll and that is, ‘Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.’ This past year has been difficult for everybody and we all needed an outlet from reality,” she said.
“When we started this process we wanted this turtle to not only tell the story but also engage the public and have an interactive element. The first thing we had to consider as a library was what story could we use that would connect to all ages at the same time not violate copyright? The answer was ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ by Lewis Carroll,” said Albanese. “We were extremely fortunate to have such a talented artist as Bob Ammon who put his heart and soul into these drawings.”
Alice is the creation of artist Bob Ammon, a longtime contributor the arts community in Flagler County. As a member of the Flagler County Art League, the international award-winning artist has shared his many talents with countless aspiring artists and art lovers, working across various mediums, including most recently acrylics and calligraphy.
This masterpiece carries a special meaning for him.
“This is very important to me because I was able to incorporate my daughter who passed away into the work,” shared Ammon. “That’s what makes it very special to me.”
Alice is on display for public viewing at the Flagler County Public Library, located at 2500 Palm Coast Parkway NW, Palm Coast, FL. For more information on the Turtle Trail, visit www.palmcoastartsfoundation.com/the-turtle-trail.
