Michael Hammers

We must care to prosper

Michael called his vision for Tampa “The Joy of Life” and meant it to be a symbol of the beauty of creation, the beauty of nature, a beauty that in its diversity mankind must honor and perpetuate.

When he received the request from Tampa if he would be interested to design an artistic light Installation he immediately said “YES!” – already knewing what he wanted to do: a ballerina of the skies, a bird moving effortlessly between the elements of our world, arising from the water dancing towards new heights: an expression of the pure zest for life, a playful joie de vivre –the joy to live.

The glistening reflections of the splashing sea should give rise to an elegant bird, a dancer of the skies: The flamboyant roseate spoonbill became the inspiration. This fascinating creature has nesting areas at Tampa bay, a species at the brink of extinction in the late 1800s – early 1900s, hunted just for their beautifully colored feathers.