The Tampa Convention Center Coffee Bar recently received a makeover thanks to local artists Tony Krol and Michelle Sawyer.
The husband and wife duo, known by their moniker, Illsol, have worked on many projects around the City of Tampa, including the Tampa Heights Mural at Café Hey and the For the Love of this City mural on Florida Ave.
The pair’s distinctive style, characterized by Michelle’s clean lines and Tony’s layered approach, offered the perfect aesthetic for the convention center’s new Coffee Bar. Not to mention, it elevated the design of the space with a touch of local character.
Inspired by nature, Illsol focused on bringing elements from the waterfront indoors. As explained by the artists, “the form on the back wall is an outline of the Hillsborough River and on the left wall there is an outline of the bay with natural elements of water and growth showing through.” The mural also features a large shell, waves, a crab, and a mangrove, amongst other imagery.
The artists also kept in mind the versatility of the Tampa Convention Center to create a space where everyone could feel welcome and relaxed. “We sampled a lot of colors, since the convention center itself caters to a wide audience of people,” they explained. In the end, the duo decided to contrast a bold and fun pattern with some more muted hues that could resonate with everyone from pop culture convention-goers to business conference visitors.
This project was just one of the many local partnerships coming soon to the Tampa Convention Center.
In addition to the Coffee Bar, visitors will soon be able to enjoy food and beverage services from Datz and Big Ray’s Fish Camp—two local restaurants that will soon call the Convention Center home.
To learn more about Illsol and to see some of their other projects, visit their website at https://illsol.com/.