Art Environments with Katie

For SHAMc’s Marketing Director, Katie Bush, art environments aren’t just places to visit—they’ve been a lifelong source of wonder and inspiration.

“I can’t remember my first art environment or how I was introduced to them,” Katie reflects. “But I’ve visited dozens all over the world.” Among her most unforgettable experiences are The Cyclops in France, Luna Parc in New Jersey, the Cathedral of Junk in Texas, California’s Mosaic Tile House, and Salvation Mountain. Each of these places represents a different vision of what it means to live inside art. Here’s some more on each of those inspiring places:

The Cyclops – France

Hidden in the forest outside Paris is Le Cyclop, a towering 74-foot sculpture created by artist Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely and their collaborators. Built over decades, this massive steel-and-mirror structure feels like an industrial creature emerging from the trees. The exterior is covered in mirror mosaics, and the tongue of the cyclops can be transformed into a water slide. Inside, visitors find labyrinths, moving parts, and hidden artworks contributed by artists such as Niki de Saint Phalle. For Katie, the Cyclops showed the power of collaboration and scale—how a single idea can transform into an entire world with the help of many hands.

Queen Califia's Magical Circle - California

When Katie moved to San Diego, she was excited about the prospect of being so close to multiple Niki de Saint Phalle sculptures. Niki de Saint Phalle is the holy mother of art environments and she spent the end of her life in San Diego. The only large art environment by de Saint Phalle in the United States is Queen Califia's Magical Circle, located in Escondido (about 45 minutes north of San Diego). Katie did her maternity photos on site.

Luna Parc – New Jersey

Closer to home, Luna Parc is the whimsical residence of artist Ricky Boscarino. The house and grounds are covered in mosaics, metalwork, and playful sculptures, each corner buzzing with color and creativity. It’s part art studio, part living environment, and part fairy tale come to life. Katie remembers the sense of joy that radiates from Luna Parc, an example of how one person’s vision can ripple outward to inspire an entire community. "I was lucky", recounts Katie, "I got to visit Luna Parc with Heather Richardson, Todd, and Kiaralinda... There was a mini Burning Man/convergence of artists happening so I got to see it at its liveliest. It is one of my most treasured memories."

Cathedral of Junk – Texas

In Austin, Texas, Vince Hannemann has spent decades building the Cathedral of Junk, a three-story fortress made of discarded objects—bicycles, TVs, hubcaps, toys, and every kind of scrap imaginable. What could be considered “trash” becomes transformed into an awe-inspiring labyrinth. For Katie, it was a reminder of the beauty that can emerge from reuse and reinvention—a core value also at the heart of SHAMc. "I got to visit Cathedral of Junk with my good friend Michael Leidel. He has since passed away, so this, too, is a treasured memory.", writes Katie.

Mosaic Tile House – California

On the West Coast, the Mosaic Tile House in Venice, California, is a colorful explosion of ceramic fragments, murals, and sculptural details created by artists Cheri Pann and Gonzalo Duran. Every inch of the home and yard is covered with mosaics, making it a living patchwork of color and texture. Katie was struck by how personal and intimate the work felt—it’s not just a home, but a love story made visible in tile.

Salvation Mountain – California

Perhaps the most iconic of them all, Salvation Mountain is a brightly painted hillside near the Salton Sea, created by Leonard Knight as a spiritual message of “Love.” Covered in adobe, straw, and thousands of gallons of colorful paint, the mountain has become a pilgrimage site for people from around the world. Katie recalls feeling both awe and humility there—the sheer scale of one man’s devotion transformed into a lasting legacy. Truth be told, she feels that way about all art environments.

Discovering WhimZeyland

Katie’s connection to SHAMc and WhimZeyland goes back to her graduate studies. “In grad school, I wanted to do my master’s thesis about art environments, so I googled and found WhimzeyLand—which was just an eight-hour drive from Atlanta. I hopped in a car, and that trip changed everything.” WhimZeyland, the Safety Harbor home of Todd Ramquist and Kiaralinda (SHAMc’s co-founders), is a kaleidoscope of color—decorated with bowling balls, mosaics, sculptures, and whimsical details around every corner. Inspired by her visit, Katie wrote a children’s book about Todd and Kiaralinda and soon became part of SHAMc in its earliest days.

Continuing the Tradition

From awe-inspiring European sculptures to humble, joyful creations in backyards and deserts, Katie’s journey shows how art environments transform not just spaces, but lives. At SHAMc, she continues that legacy by sharing the same spirit of wonder and creativity with the community.

When you step into SHAMc or wander down to WhimZeyland, you’re not just seeing art—you’re entering a living environment that connects Safety Harbor to a global movement of visionary spaces.