The Bowling Ball Art of the Whimzey Twinz
Art from the Heart!

by Fida Wild

Bowlers say that a perfect ball is a piece of art. But I doubt that they have the Bowling Ball Art of the Whimezy Twinz in mind.

Todd Ramquist and his partner Kiaralinda (no last name) - childhood friends and highschool sweethearts - started their artistic journey together.

Little did they know where their passion would take them. A sole bowling ball in a cacti garden caught Kiaralinda's eye and their backyard creations started rolling.

*The Whimzey Bowling Ball Art © HeartfulArt*

A few years and 700 bowling balls later, their candy-coloured fairyland had become a landmark in Safety Harbor and one of the most interesting Florida roadside attractions.

The first bowling balls from the flea market got company by others, brought or sent in by friends, neighbours and visitors. They received so many bowling balls that they started to ask fellow artists and friends to paint or decorate their own.

It didn't stop there.

There's no Place Like Home

*All Dressed up… © HeartfulArt*

They laid hands at their brownish gingerbread house and painted it from the foundation to the tip of the chimney. Gradually, the pale cottage got all dressed up and ready to impress.

Collage-ing their way through the garden and up palm trees, they transformed their back- and front-yard into a multicoloured fantasy art work. Glass bottles, stuck upside down on sticks sparkle and race each other with the Bowling Ball Art and the rest of the backyard creations.

A fountain tiled with multicoloured pieces of ceramic; masks on poles, and piece symbol flags everywhere. Twinkly lights, found objects transformed into art pieces, and fantasy creatures coexist happily next to each other.

Pathways patch-worked with ceramic pieces are separated from the flowerbeds with bowling balls. They are placed throughout the garden, are built to a pyramid in the vegetable patch, and some lead a solitary life under the rich green tropical foliage. They landscaped their backyard into a "phantasmagorical Whimzoo" - a feast for eyes and senses.

Interactive Art Project

Backyard Creations à la Whimzey…
© HeartfulArt

Fairies could live here. But then again, maybe the Whimzey Twinz are the fairies?

Starting in the early nineties, they created interactive displays during the holiday season with different themes and donated all the proceeds to charities. Several fundraisers were conducted after the tsunami as well as for Katrina devastated New Orleans.

After a world tour and discussions with artists from far and wide, their strong desire "to do something" took definitive shape after their visit to Myanmar.

With "Peace on Earth; Peace by Piece" they wanted to contribute to the awareness that freedom of expression was not something granted to everybody in this world.

*Peace on Earth; Peace by Piece…*

The call for piece flags went out - through media and a video they put up on YouTube. People created flags on envelopes and sent in more than 4500 Peace Flags from over 45 countries. The flags were strung with lights to create corridors where the public walked through - a striking exhibition in their own backyard and a huge success with approx. 25'000 visitors.

With this project, they established a foundation to support 3 orphanages in Myanmar. You can still participate in the project by sending a check to them, payable to "Kiaralinda" and the word "Myanmar" written in the memo section.

The exhibition is traveling the world. The next stop will be Hong Kong. Please check their blog ArtPrize and website for details.

Millennium Celebration at the Whimzoo

*The Whimzey Twinz*

Meanwhile, the backyard creations and bowling ball art of the Whimzey Twinz is hardly a secret anymore. Oprah, HGTV, the Internet, as well as the written media brought attention to the Whimzoo.

If Safety Harbor was ever a sleepy town, at the latest it must have woken up when the Whimzey Twinz welcomed the New Millennium with an overwhelming glitzy spectacle.

They got to work and engaged family, friends, neighbours, and even strangers. They wrapped house, gazebo, trees, and yard in aluminium foil and, according to Kiaralinda, "screwed, glued and tied CDs to everything that didn't run away."

Glitzy Millennium Celebrations
© Whimzey Twinz

Thousands of visitors hung wishes for the New Millennium on strips and the whole spectacle was flooded with lights - it must have been a magical sight. In their own words: "It caused cars to stop and dogs to bark, children to scream with glee and cops to scratch their head."

It must have been one of the glitziest roadside attractions to welcome the new millennium.

The whole spectacle was awarded the Peoples Choice Award and won the National Lighting Contest.

Bowling Ball Art Museum and Book

*The Book: On the Ball© HeartfulArt*

The inside of the studio-house is as colourful as the outside. It is also home of the Bowling Ball Art Museum. On display are their most unusual decorated balls as well as those made by friends and artists around the country.

The Book - "On the Ball" - features the bowling ball art work of 80 different artists, collected by Todd and Kiaralinda over the years. There is no limit to the imagination - bowling balls carved, sculpted, painted, feathered, calligraphed, cemented - you name it - you find it.

The Book can be ordered directly from Kiaralinda and Todd.

The Bowling Ball Art Museum is open whenever Kiaralinda and Todd are home. You may want to call ahead to make sure they are there.

Gallery

*Whimzey Art © HeartfulArt*

They work with Plexiglas, paints, beads, sequins - and aluminum wire as the skeleton for their 3-dimensional pieces - from small to large-scale mobiles, necklaces and unique art pieces decorated with all kinds of whimsy.

Some of their large-scale installations hang out at the Citrus Park Mall - huge mobile systems that sparkle and flicker delightful.

They created several Art Cars - one of them - a VW Bug became a Razzmatazz-celebrity - and can still be seen behind Casa Loco, their second art house across the street.

If you want to own a piece of their art for your home or garden, go to heir website or check their show schedule (updated in April/May) for exhibitions.

Casa Loco

Visits to Mexico inspired a second extravagantly decorated and colourful house, Casa Loco, which is located across the street from the Whimzey House. It can be rented for holidays in Safety Harbor. Please call Todd and Kiaralinda for details.

*Whimzoo indeed… © HeartfulArt*

Good To Know
Address

Whimzey House
Todd Ramquist and Kiaralinda
1206 Third St. N
Safety Harbor

Telephone: 1-727-725-4018

Where to find

View Bowling Ball House, Safety Harbor Florida in a larger map

Additional Information

Safety Harbor Spa
The Art Bug…
Safety Harbor Florida on the west shore of Tampa Bay - is a community with a bit more than 17,000 residents with tree-lined streets and a small-town feel in the otherwise busy south Florida area.

The Farmer's Market, Thursdays 8:00 am to 1:30 pm, is a must-visit.

Safety Harbor is home to the historic Espiritu Santo Springs, or "Springs of the Holy Spirit", a natural mineral spring.

The Safety Harbor Resort and Spa, as it is now known, continues to be a prominent visitor attraction. Thought to be the fabled "Fountain of Youth" by early Spanish explorers, the resort is truly a one of kind experience for mind, body, and soul. Set in 22-acres of waterfront property and featuring a 50,000 square foot spa and fitness centre, the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa is certainly a premier attraction in Safety Harbor.

Compare Safety Harbor Resort and Spa prices on over 30 booking machines with just one click.

Go here for reviews at Tripadvisor

If you are looking for more Safety Harbor Hotels check out the Mar Bay Motel and Suites. According to reviewers at TripAdvisor, it's one of the best motels in the Tampa Bay area.