ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Art is meant to be looked at, and hopefully the viewer gains something from its beauty or emotional power.

People, however, aren't like that. People rarely appreciate that kind of attention and scrutiny. But when those looks come, there is power when the most intimate parts of a person are on display. 

In a shop in St. Petersburg, a six-foot orb is polished by Don Gialanella. 

“This is the most ambitious one yet,” he said.  

The huge sphere is full of detail with hundreds of metal pieces that give it shape. It's grandness even amazes Gialanella. 

“This weighs 400 pounds and we lost count of how many pieces are in there," said Gialanella.

A sculpture this large would be an amazing feat for any artist, but especially for Gialanella. 

“I get some very surprised looks. Mostly in the supermarket where they don’t know me," smiles Gialanella, as his hands shake beyond his control. It is his hands that give him away. 

“It’s frustrating as hell. I mean try to eat a taco, it’s like a disaster area," he jests, as he battles full blown Parkinson's Disease. “Your problem is right out there for everybody to see. But everybody’s got some kind of a problem that you can’t see. So they can relate to it.”

After five years with Parkinson's, Gialanella now doesn't create alone. He gets help from assistants like Hope Crosson and Aleisha Prather. 

“I think knowing Don and his struggles and how open he has to be because like he says, 'It’s not something that you can hide, but everybody is always going through something,' so he has been very understanding to just be human, and that is really, really nice to see in a boss and a partner," said Prather. 

Now complete, the orb is driven to its place of display - Fire Station Number Nine in Orlando. 

“It’s just beautiful, it’s better than I had imagined. It really looks great," said Gialanella. 

Shiny and bright, the sculptor welcomes all eyes to take it in in all its glory. It's bold and visible like its creator. 

“There is nothing to hide, you are what you are. Whatever you think your personal issues are, people accept you for who you are, and you just have to accept yourself for who you are," said Gialanella. “If I can help anyone find the strength to overcome their disabilities or their problems, that is a great thing. I would be honored to be able to do that.”

Gialanella already has several more projects planned for 2021 including one coming to Crest Park in Clearwater. To see more of his work, you can visit his site here.