NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Twenty years after he built it, artist Charlie Partin is now returning to the sculpture he created in downtown New Port Richey to help clean it up.
- Sculpture sits in area known as Cavalier Square
- Design inspired by mangrove roots that used to cover area
- City will show off cleaned up sculpture on February 26 for "Locals Night"
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Partin first carved a brick sculpture in downtown New Port Richey in 1998.
Since then, it’s fallen into disrepair. The big issue is that it’s covered in calcite.
“Every year when I come back, I visit it,” Partin said. “It’s always been kind of a heartbreak that it had all that stuff on it and they couldn’t get it off. But now that’s changing.”
The sculpture sits in an area known as Cavalier Square. It’s City of New Port Richey property that is currently being leased by Dulcet Restaurant.
The city hired Partin back to fix it up as they work on redeveloping the downtown area.
Mangroves source of inspiration
Partin says his design was inspired by the roots of mangroves that used to cover New Port Richey.
“That was all there was here — mangroves, and mangroves are so cool," he said. "The roots make great designs that sculptors love."
Fixing it up requires a lot of patience and elbow grease.
But when it’s done, the city hopes the space around it will be used by other local artists to show off their work.
Partin admits that many don’t know it’s there. He hopes that changes now.
“I’m really happy the city is spending the time and money to get it back so this becomes an integral part of downtown again,” Partin said. “It’s my favorite piece.”
The city will be showing off the finished sculpture on February 26 for “Locals Night,” when other local artists will also be featured.