Turtles About Town is a city wide project in Galveston, Texas. The project has been put in place to help raise awareness about the Kemps Ridley sea turtle while helping drive tourism and business to the local economy. Clay Cup Studios, Galveston's local interactive art studio, has partnered with Turtle Island Restoration. TIRN is a leading advocate for the world’s oceans and marine wildlife.
How the project works
Sponsors in the community will sponsor a turtle statue. Local artists then work with the sponsor or business to come up with a theme for their turtle. The turtles will then be installed at the desired location to help drive business and traffic. We will also have a smaller traveling turtle. Ridley our traveling turtle will be painted each year with a new theme. He will then get to travel to participating businesses. Locals and Island Visitors will be on the look out for Ridley each year to snap their picture with him. Think where's Waldo. Then at the end of the year Ridley will be auctioned off to help raise money for Turtle Island Restoration.
Benefits of TAT
* Brings awareness about the Kemps Ridley sea turtle and the non profit TIRN
* Helps drive business in the local economy
* Creates a family friendly activity driving tourism
* Recognizes local artists, giving them exposer for future projects
* Brings educational resources with lesson plans for local schools
* Adorns Galveston with fun and beautiful art, adding to the charm of our little island
How can I get involved?
Simply email turtlesabouttown@gmail.com
Locations and Info on the Turtles Below :)
City Hall : The Protector : 823 25th St
Sponsor : Robert Lynch Family Fund, Dominick and Barbra Sasser, Peaches and Shrub Kempner
Artist : Gabriel Prusmack
Asset Recovery Management : La Calavera : 2728 Market St
Sponsor : Asset Recovery Management Services , Tim & Stephanie Southwell
Artist : Mary Ruth Brown
Hey Mikey’s Ice Cream : 2120 Postoffice St.
Sponsor : Hey Mikey’s, Mike & Kathy Bouvier
Artist : Shay McAnally
Oppe Elementary : Coral : 2915 81st St
Sponsor : Oppe PTO , Abel Longoria & Family
Artist : Gabriel Prusmack
Crockett Baseball Park : The Nolan No Hitter : 53rd & Ave S
Sponsor : Better Parks of Galveston
Artist : Shaifer Golan
Seawolf Park : Zeke : 100 Seawolf Park Blvd
Sponsor : Galveston Naval Muesum
Artist : Brian Mahaney
Strand Brass & Surf Styles : Flora : 2115 Strand
Sponsor : Sarah Moore Click & Ginger Halter
Artist : Kathryn Zimmerman
Kempner Park : Alice : 2704 Avenue O
Sponsor : Alice Taylor Gray Foundation
Artist : Derek Anderson
Sand & Sea Pirates Beach : 13706 FM3005
Sponsor : Sand & Sea Properties, Anne Reiswerg
Artist : Ellie Peters
A&M Galveston : Spirit of the Sea Aggieland : 200 Seawolf Park Blvd
Sponsor : Department of Liberal Studies, Texas A&M University Galveston
Artist : Nicholas Dominique
Campeche Cove Animal Clinic : Cam : 10015 Stewert Rd.
Sponsor : Dr. Jacki Cole
Artist : Jane Young French
Therapeutic Health Works Day Spa : Tiger Lily : 2114 Sealy
Sponsor : Therapeutic Health Works Day Spa
Artist : Isabella Carlin Alvarado
UTMB : Dr. Tommie Tortuga : 301 8th St
Sponsor : UTMB , Lori Blackwell
Artist : Sabrina Stachowski
Art League Gallery : Sargasso Susan : 2117 Postoffice St.
Sponsor : Galveston Art League, Patricia Jakobi
Artist : Leroy Leflore
Sugar Bean Coffee & Cream : Latte : 11 Evia Main
Sponsor : Sugar Bean, Jocelyn Sullivan
Artist : Shawne Helm Moore
Bryan Museum : 1315 21st
Sponsor : Bryan Museum, Joan Marshall
Artist : Ray Cosgrove
Moody Gardens : Queen of the Sea : 1 Hope Blvd
Sponsor : Moody Gardens
Artist : Lenexa Morais
Ronald McDonald House : Siren’s Tide : 301 14th St
Sponsor : Harbor House Hotel and Marina, Steve Cunningham
Artist : Mary Ruth Brown
Clay Cup Studios : Mertle : 2219 Postoffice St
Sponsor : Tom’s Galveston Realestate, Tom Schwenk/H.E.A.R.T./Piney Woods Wildlife Society
Artist : Tracy Van Horn Reed
2019 Turtles
1. Rainforest Café ; Location 5310 Seawall Blvd. Sponsor – Landry’s Inc
Artist – Mary Ruth Brown
2. Sunshine Center; Location 1726 21st street
Sponsor – Amber & Haley Jenkins
Artist –
3. Sea Isle Community Pool; Location 21704 Burnet Dr
Sponsor –
Artist –
4. Rudy and Paco’s ; Location 20220 Postoffice
Sponsor – Rudy & Paco’s
Artist – Kathy VanDewalli
5. Menard Park ; Location 2222 28th Street
Sponsor – Better Parks of Galveston
Artist -
6. Rosenberg Library ; Location 2310 Sealy Sponsor – Rosenberg Library
Artist – Isabella Carlin Alvarado
7. DSW Custom Homes ; Location 502 20th Street
Sponsor – DSW Custom Homes
Artist – Justin Lopez
8. Children’s Museum ; Location 2618 Broadway
Sponsor – Children’s Muesum
Artist -
9. Mario’s Seawall ; Location 628 Seawall
Sponsor – Galveston Restaurant Group
Artist – Tracy Van Horn Reed
10. Moody Early Childhood Center ; Location 1110 21st St
Sponsor – Moody Early Childhood Center
Artist -
11. Galveston Humane Society ; Location 6814 Broadway
Sponsor – Galveston Humane Society
Artist - Kathryn Zimmerman
12. Remax Kelly Kelley ; Location 3616 7 Mile Rd
Sponsor – Remax Kelly Kelly
Artist – Jane Young French
2020 Turtles
1. Sponsor; Chris and Tina Mathers - Location; 1124 24th Street
Turtle Name; Waters
Artist name; Alexandra Kontrimaite
2. Sponsor; Curly Mermaid - Location; (Sea Isle Fire Station #8) 21710 Shelby Dr S
Turtle name; Lucky
Artist name; Taylor H Rich
3. Sponsor; Cynthia Wander & Beverly Wander - Location; Salvation Army 601 51st Street
Turtle name; Hope
Artist name; Rachel Dilion
4. Sponsor; Jamaica Beach Improvement Committee - Location; Jamaica Beach; on Buccaneer between Edward Teach Road and Captain Kidd Road (three blocks north of FM 3005 in esplanade)
Turtle name; Ohana
Artist name; Kristie Baker Barlow
5. Sponsor; Community of Jamaica Beach - Location; City of Jamaica Beach 16628 Termini-San Luis Pass Road
Turtle name; Sunshine
Artist name; Doug Hiser and Trinity Torres
6. Sponsor; Friend of the Veterans of Foreign Wars - Location; VFW; 1014 24th Street
Turtle name; Shellback
Artist name; Therin Edwards and Kara Ward
7. Sponsor; David & Ginger Mitchell and Bret & Sheri Goebel - Location; (Sea Isle) 4012 Comanche Drive
Turtle name; Mystique
Artist name; Janavi Mahimtura Folmsbee
8. Sponsor; The Galveston County Daily News - Location; The Daily News 8522 Teichman Road
Turtle name; Scoop
Artist name; Tracy Van Horn Reed
9. Sponsor; GISD Texas ACE - Location; Burnet 5501 Ave S
Turtle name; Bio Louie
Artist name; Lorena Elser
10. Sponsor; GISD Texas ACE - Location; LA Morgan Elementary 1410 37th Street
Turtle name; Starla
Artist name; Makayla Lasley
11. Sponsor; GISD Texas ACE - Location; Parker Elementary 6802 Jones Road
Turtle name; Toby
Artist name; Abril Celeste
12. Sponsor; Galveston ISD and Texas ACE - Location; Crenshaw Environmental Science and Magnet 416 State Hwy 87 Bolivar
Turtle name; Timmy
Artist name; Bonita Comeaux
13. Sponsor; Galveston ISD, Texas ACE and Ball High National Honor Society - Location; Ball HS. 4115 Ave O
Turtle name; TOR-tle
Artist name; Isabella Carlin Alvarado
14. Sponsor; Dr. Bill Boudreaux and Fran Hutchison - Location; 2201 Ave K
Turtle name; Austin
Artist name; Vanessa Celest Herrera
15. Sponsor; The Meridian Retirement Community “Supporting the Seniors of Galveston” and Galveston Kiwanis Club “Supporting the Children of the World” - Location; The Meridian Retirement Community 2228 Seawall Blvd.
Turtle name; D. Gale
Artist name; Elizabeth Punches
16. Sponsor; El Milagro de Compartir “The Miracle of Sharing” - Location; Eatcetera 408 25th Street
Turtle name; Chef Mamacitta
Artist name; Presley Pyles
17. Sponsor; Better Parks for Galveston - Location; Lasker Park and Community Pool 2016 43rd Street
Turtle name; Joy Ride
Artist name; Jane Young French
18. Sponsor; Friends of the East End Historical District - Location; East End Historical Cottage, 1501 Post Office
Turtle name; NONE
Artist name; Kathy VanDewalli
19. Sponsor; 2019-2020 Odyssey Academy Galveston PTO - Location; Odyssey Academy 2412 61st Street
Turtle name; NONE
Artist name; Gabriel Prusmack