Mural Painting on Dome, Dome in Rotunda, Lauderhill City Hall

“Florida Impressions” is a trompe l’oeil mural painting on the Rotunda, located at the Lauderhill City Hall. This picture is intended to give you an idea of the scale of the dome: it measures 25 feet in diameter, 6 feet deep, and 25 feet from the floor to the top of the dome. It was my dream to become a public art artist and this was my very first public project, awarded by the City of Lauderhill in 2009! Who wouldn’t dream about painting a dome mural?! The excitement of the project made me completely forget about the height of the dome.

I am afraid of heights! I couldn’t climb a man-made scaffold more than 10-12 feet! I was lucky that the building was in process of construction and the floors were not started yet. Therefore, the ideal solution was to use a scissor lift. Hurray! I will use a scissor lift!
At first, I thought ‘the problem was solved’. I enjoyed learning how to operate the machine. I was amazed by this giant, portable, hydraulic-powered lift that smoothens and accelerates work process in so many industries. This machine’s aerial platform is a great solution for artists too.

However, when going up on the lift, I was terrified. It took seconds, maybe a minute, but it felt like hours. I had mixed feelings – I wanted to scream, to get down, but I was ashamed! There were some electricians on the floor watching me. Maybe they were ‘admiring’ my courage, or maybe they were worried that I won’t make it. But I had to make it! There was this other side of fear in me – to not fail, to keep going. This made me play the intrepid hero on the edge of fulfilling her dream – to paint a beautiful public project for people to enjoy. It took me some time to get used to the height. To my surprise, while absorbed in painting, I would forget how high I was! The Dome is located at 5581 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Lauderhill, FL 33313
Schedule a mural visit at (954) 739-0100.