Giant Aluminum Sea Turtle at Venice Beach Now Affectionately Known as “Speckles”

April 2, 2021 – Venice

The winning entry in the month-long naming contest for the new environmental turtle sculpture at Venice Beach is “Speckles.”

Submitted by 12-year-old Val Kappelmann, the name was one of more than 250 proposed to Gulf Coast Community Foundation for the larger-than-life sea turtle that greets beachgoers and educates them about the value of recycling. A sign will be installed nearby to identify the turtle by its new moniker, and Gulf Coast will make a grant in Val’s honor to the environmental organization of her choice—Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium.

As part of the foundation’s 25th anniversary, Gulf Coast Community Foundation gifted the nine-foot-long aluminum sculpture to the City of Venice. It was installed in January behind the Venice Beach Pavilion. The sculpture was designed as an educational piece of public art that demonstrates the dangers of marine debris, such as discarded plastics, to wildlife and our waterways. It displays recyclables like cans and bottles that are visible through its mesh panels.

In March, Gulf Coast partnered with SKY Family YMCA to engage children ages 3 to 12 from its Venice and Englewood branches, SKY Academy middle schools, and Early Learning Centers to help give the turtle an honorary name. Students received a coloring sheet on which they could propose a name and decorate a sea-turtle drawing. More than 250 submissions and a turtle-naming committee later, Gulf Coast selected five finalists: Akiro (Japanese for “Bright Boy”), JoJo, Speckles, Tortilla, and Timothy. The foundation then took the names to social media to let the community make the final decision.

Val’s entry “Speckles” received 41% of nearly 550 votes placed through a poll on Gulf Coast’s Facebook page. The SKY Academy Englewood student embellished her vibrant winning submission with a different environmental scene in each segment of the turtle’s carapace, with creative details down to the “speckles” on its shell.

“‘Speckles’ will help us teach visitors to Venice Beach about the harmful effects marine debris can have on sea life and the environment,” said Jon Thaxton, senior vice president for community investment at Gulf Coast Community Foundation. “Protecting our region’s natural environment is a priority for Gulf Coast. With its adorable new name, we hope this work of art inspires beachgoers of all ages to help us do that by reducing and recycling.”

Gulf Coast commissioned two turtle sculptures from the Scenic Studio of Sarasota’s Asolo Repertory Theatre. A second turtle will be installed within the main beach access area at Siesta Beach in Sarasota in April. Other local beaches have expressed interest in obtaining similar sculptures for their locations, including Manasota Key and Lido Key.