Smithsonian adds Sarasota's 'Mermaid Fountain' to its public art collection

Sarasota’s downtown “Mermaid Fountain,” created in 1993 by artist Nancy Matthews, has been included in the Smithsonian Institution’s collection of public art sculptures. 

In recognition of this honor, the City of Sarasota will hold a celebration at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at Paul N. Thorpe J. Park at the intersection of Pineapple and Lemon avenues.

“We are happy to see Nancy’s ‘Mermaid Fountain’ receive the recognition it deserves from the Smithsonian Institution,” said Mary Davis Wallace, the city’s public art manager, in a statement. “Her work has not only beautified our city but has also become an integral part of Sarasota’s cultural and artistic identity.”

Matthews’ creation includes several pools and bas-relief imagery. The fountain gets its name from a depiction of a mermaid and two dolphins on the south-facing panel. 

Raised in the Virgin Islands, Matthews’ work has been influenced by the cultures and spirituality of the Caribbean as well as the teachings of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung.

Matthews attended the New York School of Visual Arts from 1969 to 1971. After receiving a grant from the government of the Virgin Islands, she attended the Art Institute of San Francisco, where she studied printmaking and ceramic sculpture.

Eventually settling in southwest Florida, Matthews received her first commission for architectural ceramics from renowned Sarasota School architect Carl Abbott. 

During the next four decades, Matthews received a series of commissions through word of mouth and client referrals. Her work has been shown at the Allyn Gallup Gallery, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, The Ringling Museum of Art and the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature in Bradenton.