Bay Area artist helps bring St. Pete Pier's 5th anniversary to life with new mural series

New mural series for St. Pete Pier's anniversary

Local artist Alyssa Marie is one of six artists chosen to create a series of murals that honor the history and transformation of the St. Pete Pier. Photojournalist Mike Hughes reports.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Local artist Alyssa Marie is one of six artists chosen to create a series of murals that honor the history and transformation of the St. Pete Pier.

Each piece in the series reflects a different style and voice, capturing the Pier’s evolution from its earliest days to the vibrant, modern destination it is today. 

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"There were six artists that came together to all create murals in their own unique styles," Marie said. "They are beloved artists of St. Pete, so it's really special that they were out here to immortalize the things they love about the city and the pier."

Big picture view:

This year marks five years since construction on the new pier was finished.

The St. Pete Pier dates back more than 130 years, beginning in the late 1800s. The new Pier District, opened in 2020, reflecting the city’s next chapter: A blend of green space, recreation, dining and public art. 

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The backstory:

Originally from Littleton, Colorado, Marie moved to St. Petersburg in 2017. She was drawn to its natural beauty and creative energy. 

The mural Alyssa is painting celebrates St. Pete’s past with the pelicans in front of the pier. Strokes of blue fill her mural with touches of yellow flowers and butterflies, which are known to be a staple in Alyssa’s art. 

"I knew without a doubt I was going to have pelicans front and center stage sitting with the distant old pier in the background. Even though I wasn’t here to experience the old pier, it has so much love from everyone who was here for it." said Marie.

Dig deeper:

The artist invited community members to stop by and paint with her this week.

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The mural is expected to be 70% complete by Thursday, offering a visual preview of what will soon become a permanent part of the city’s growing public art collection. Each artist’s mural is different, but the message is unified: the pier’s story is still being painted.

The six completed murals will be finished for this weekend’s anniversary celebrations and will be displayed throughout the pier.

For more information, visit the artist's webpage.