It’s said that a true artist can turn anything into something extraordinary. Peter Agardy proves that point with this linear mural at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL). The fourth-generation Floridian transformed an ordinary metal blast fence on the west end of the North Runway into a work of art that showcases the area’s bountiful wildlife and patriotism.
To be fair though, Agardy had help. Members of FLL’s maintenance crew came up with the idea of painting a patriotic mural and even presented a sketch to Christina Roldan, public art project manager for the Broward County Aviation Department. Roldan, in turn, secured public art funding for the project and initiated the standard process to solicit proposals from artists throughout the state.
“At first, the maintenance team was disappointed, thinking we were going to stifle their idea,” she recalls. “They were planning on painting the fence themselves. But I assured them that if we selected a professional artist competitively, the final product would be even better.”
The crew’s supervisor served on the panel that ultimately selected Agardy to paint the mural, and maintenance workers had hands-on involvement by sandblasting the corrugated fence panels and applying an acrylic metal primer. “They also visited the artist on-site while he painted and helped with anything he needed,” adds Roldan.
Agardy used an airless sprayer for blending the background and applying the main base colors for individual elements. Fine details were added with brushwork and aerosol paint. To help his outdoor artwork last, the artist applied two layers of acrylic clear coat to the entire 445-foot-long piece. The center section, which receives the most direct jet blast, has a third layer for added protection.
Imagery on the mural includes an iconic Florida sailfish, a small school of flying fish skipping on water, an egret in flight, the Fort Lauderdale skyline, an American flag and a bald eagle.
“This amazing artwork will provide travelers with a unique FLL welcome,” said Chief Executive Officer/Director of Aviation Mark Gale when the mural was unveiled in 2019. “Believed to be the first of its kind on an airport runway, In Flight is a beautiful representation of Florida’s nature connected with modern day air travel.”
