Andi Scurto

Mattie the Giraffe is a mural by Andi Scurto, an award-winning artist, writer, and Destin resident whose rich Colombian heritage and whimsical sense of adventure color her work. When Scurto’s poster featuring her giraffe won the 2015 Mattie Kelly Arts Festival, the character became such a beloved local icon that Destin Brewery even named a beer after her—the Mattie Light.

In Mattie the Giraffe, Scurto portrays the lanky protagonist riding a penny-farthing, a type of bike that was popular in the late 19th century. Adding to the work’s fanciful nature, Mattie is being pulled through the skies by three white birds, while other colorful avians form part of the unusual convoy. Is Mattie traveling back in time, as the old-fashioned bike might suggest, guided by helpful homing pigeons? Moreover, where are they taking her, and for what reason? And since when do giraffes, the tallest animals in the world, fly?

As viewers, we may not have answers—quite possibly, neither does Mattie—but certainly, like the free-spirited giraffe, every one of us is invited to embrace new horizons and chase seemingly impossible dreams. As Scurto says: “I... want (the mural) to have the message that it doesn’t matter who you are, you can still adventure. Who would have thought that Mattie the Giraffe would ride a bicycle and explore the world?” Who, indeed?