When Bill Savarese received Broward County’s VisualEYES commission at Port Everglades, he reached out to the building’s tenants and the Port Everglades Association—the port’s business association—to find out what themes they wished to see in a mural. The responses were nearly unanimous: water, light and imagery that reflected the port’s vitality.

Based on those comments, Savarese worked from photographs of light reflecting on water to design an abstract, swirling composition of blues, greens and purples. He

designed the mural so that it would be seen from a distance by cruise passengers. He also considered the Amman Building’s tenants, who would experience the mural up close everyday. “I wanted the design to be visually exciting from a variety of viewing areas and didn’t want to do something tight and realistic that couldn’t be seen from far away,” he says.

Using acrylic paint, Savarese completed the mural in 9 straight days. Being outside for long days in the hot, south Florida sun can be brutal, though. To combat the rays, Savarese devised a tent canopy on the scaffolding with cloth and clips. But even the most ingeniously designed shade couldn’t keep out the heat. Like an endurance athlete competing in extreme conditions, he monitored his water intake and drank large amounts of water. All part of a day’s work.