Don Reynolds relocated to the Orlando area from Jacksonville, Arkansas in 1978 and he has literally been leaving his mark on buildings, university campuses, tourist areas and the hearts of the people of Central Florida ever since. Reynolds has created watercolor paintings, memorials, statues, sculptures, wood carvings and larger-than-life murals in and around Orange County. He even built his own 39 foot sailboat, his 2-story tree home and his art studio-workshop. He considers himself a sculptor first, but enjoys all of his artistic endeavors.
Magnolia Mall Mural
One of Reynold’s first “megamurals” was the 1890s Magnolia Mall mural on the side of Milady’s Fabrics at the corner of Magnolia and 1st Street in downtown Sanford. Reynolds created the mural in 1980, a year after he was appointed Cultural Coordinator for Seminole County by the Council of Arts and Sciences. Taking a month from start to finish, Reynolds painted the mural gratis with paint provided by Florida National Bank, the owners of the building at the time. It captures his innate ability to bring the past to the present as passersby seem to become part of the painting.
Library Parking Garage Mural
Reynolds’ fantastical creation above, was commissioned by the Orlando Downtown Development Board. Completed in 1991, it featured gargantuan garden creatures, and flowers, plants and vines sprouting from the east facing wall of the parking garage across from the Orlando Public Library. The mural, unfortunately, is now blocked by the 22-story Modera Central building at 150 E. Central Boulevard.
Pine Street Mural
In another larger-than-life mural, Reynolds retold the history of Orlando businesses from 1880 to 1920 in the Pine Street Mural on the O’Connell building at 30 West Pine just west of Orange Avenue. The historic building and the mural were destroyed by fire on February 19, 2005.
Waves of Communication
The mural on the AT&T building at 45 North Magnolia Street in Orlando is Reynolds only remaining mural in downtown Orlando. For months he researched the history of communication and even toured the old AT&T building before creating the “Waves of Communication” six-part mural on the AT&T building.
Gertrude’s Walk Mural
The Gertrude’s Walk mural, completed in 1980, was the first mural Reynolds created in the City of Orlando. It featured reminders of the old Orlando Fire Department, the South Florida Foundry and Machine Works founded in 1889, and other businesses around when Gertrude Avenue, named for Gertrude Sweet, was a major thoroughfare in Orlando. Reynolds received a Craftsmanship Award presented by the Central Florida Builders Exchange in 1981 for his work on this project.
In addition to the mural, Reynolds, created the bronze signs marking the length of Gertrude’s Walk that ran along the train tracks between the entertainment destination called Church Street Station and the restaurants and entertainment on the other side of the tracks on Church Street in downtown Orlando.
Winter Garden Heritage Museum
Paying homage to citrus’ heyday in Central Florida Reynolds created a citrus packing house mural on the Winter Garden Heritage Museum in 1998. A postcard depicting the mural was distributed to visitors to the museum when it opened in 1998. Unfortunately, this mural has faded into history, like so many of Don Reynold’s other vivid murals that brought the past to the present around Central Florida.
Sculptures and Statues
Reynolds also worked in cast aluminum when Orlando had an aluminum foundry. The two photos below show the placing of the fountain feature in the Barnett Bank building at Barnett Plaza in Downtown Orlando in 1982.
In 2007, Reynolds created the iconic cast bronze knight with lance on horseback statue located outside the main entrance to the UCF Bright House stadium. He spoke at the dedication ceremony on November 3, 2007.
The UCF Veteran’s Memorial was dedicated on October 29, 2010. The monument, composed of five horizontal canon-like structures with the emblems of one of the five branches of service – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard – is centered in front of the large flagpole, appearing as sentinels guarding the American flag.
His Blue Jacket Recruit honoring women sailors stands in Baldwin Park on the site of the former Orlando Navy Recruit Training Center parade grounds, the first co-ed boot camp in the Navy. “She stands on graduation day at boot camp in Service Dress Blue, and carries the Navy Cutlass sword….”
“The statue was cast from a unique formulation of bronze at American Bronze Foundry in Sanford, Florida, with casting that includes brass relics of seven retired U.S. Navy warships welded within, and a small portion of this brass melted into the bronze alloy. Those ships, which are familiar to all Sailors, are USS Lexington, Yorktown, Ranger, Independence, Oriskany, Constellation and Saratoga.” From CFNL.org.
The Monarch Project
The Monarch Project of the Bloom and Grow Garden Society of Winter Garden took four years from conception to celebration! Don Reynolds created “Flora” the larger-than-life copper butterfly for the Society and installed it in the Butterfly Park in downtown Winter Garden in September 2021. The video of the event with its musical accompaniment is magical!
Winter Garden Butterfly Park – Don Reynolds’ Monarch Butterfly made possible by the Bloom and Grow Club Monarch Project.
He has also worked on many other projects for the Orlando International Airport, Lake Buena Vista Palace, creating murals, mosaics, and watercolors at Mercado on International Drive in 1985.
In addition, almost every expression of Don Reynolds art can be found in, on or at institutions, businesses, homes and towns all around Central Florida. From elegantly carved doors, walls, furnishings, and fixtures, to columns, stonework, statues, and sculptures, to paintings of every size and shape and theme and even a sailboat crafted by his own hands.
Ppalu is a "home-built backyard, from scratch, Roberts 36' cutter-rigged sailboat. It was begun in 1978 in the pine woods of central Florida and launched in 1995 in Daytona Beach, Florida." View Reynolds' sketches from ports of call on cruises across the Atlantic in Cruise Sketches Parts 1-4, below, under Documents.
To experience Reynolds talent and some of his vast array of artistic endeavors in paint, wood, stone and metal, peruse the portfolios attached at the end of Documents, below.
Please note that all the images, especially those in the Cruise Sketches are copyright protected and are attached with permission of the artist.
View the items under Documents, below.
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November 2, 1979, After Hours column,
Going Public, November 2, 1979, After Hours column, Orlando Sentinel Star, p. 8E.
1980 - Sanford Mural
1980 - Sanford Mural. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
1980 - Sanford Mural
1980 - Sanford Mural. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Bronze sign for Gertrude's Walk
Bronze sign for Gertrude's Walk created by Don Reynolds in 1980. There are several signs along the route; this one is at...
Gertrude's Walk Under Construction
Image from what appears to be an edition of the Orlando Sentinel Star probably from 1980-1981, showing work on the Orlando Fire...
Gertrude's Walk Recognition
Craftsmanship Award presented by the Central Florida Builders Exchange to Don Reynolds in recognition of exceptional craftsmanship shown in wall graph...
1982-1983 Don Reynolds - Aluminum - Barnet Bank Building
Cast in aluminum way back when Orlando had an aluminum foundry. This piece is for the “Spring” fountain sculpture in the Barnett...
1982-1983 Don Reynolds - Aluminum - Barnet Bank Building
Cast in aluminum way back when Orlando had an aluminum foundry. This piece is for the “Spring” fountain sculpture in the Barnett...
Don Reynolds - Aluminum Sculpture
Don Reynolds - Aluminum Sculpture in Orlando. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Don Reynolds - Aluminum Sculpture
Don Reynolds - Aluminum Sculpture in Orlando. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
1985 - Mercado Tile Mural
1985 - Mercado Tile Mural. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
1985 - Mercado - Ba Relief - Ponce Deleon
1985 - Ba Relief of Ponce DeLeon at The Mercado created by Don Reynolds using ferrocement technique. From the personal history...
1985 - Mercado - Spanish Coin sculpture
1985 - Spanish Coin sculpture 18"-24" created by Don Reynolds for The Mercado. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald...
1985 - Mercado Mural - St. Augustine
1985 - Mercado Mural of St. Augustine by Don Reynolds for the Mercado.
1985 - Mercado - Ba Relief - Columbus
1985 - Ba Relief Christopher Columbus at The Mercado created by Don Reynolds using ferrocement technique. From the personal history collection of...
1985 Pine Street Mural
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
1985-2005 Pine Street Mural Destroyed
The O'Connell building at 30 West Pine Street was destroyed in a suspicious fire in the early morning hours of February 19,...
1991 - Library Parking Garage Mural
Mural on the east facing wall of the City of Orlando parking garage across from the Orlando Public Library on Central in...
1991 - Library Parking Garage Mural
Giant flowers, vines, and animals sprout from the wall of the library parking garage in downtown Orlando. This mural, originally painted by...
1991 - Library Parking Garage Mural
Giant flowers, vines, and animals sprout from the wall of the library parking garage in downtown Orlando. This mural, originally painted by...
1997 - Don Reynolds - ATT Building 45 N. Magnolia
1997 Don Reynolds creating panel 3 on the then ATT Building at 45 N. Magnolia Avenue. From the personal history collection of...
1997 - Mural panel 1 - 1997 ATT Building 45 N. Magnolia
Photo taken by Kim Peters in June 2025 and enhanced to show detail as the images are faded. The first image shows...
Mural panel 2 - 1997 ATT Building 45 N. Magnolia
Photo taken by Kim Peters in June 2025 and enhanced to show detail as the images are faded. The painting includes the...
1997 - Mural panel 3 - 1997 ATT Building 45 N. Magnolia
Photo taken by Kim Peters in June 2025 and enhanced to show detail as the images are faded. The painting includes an...
1997 - Mural panel 4 - 1997 ATT Building 45 N. Magnolia
Photo taken by Kim Peters in June 2025 and enhanced to show detail as the images are faded. Shows a frog jumping...
1997 - Mural panel 5 - ATT Building 45 N. Magnolia
Photo taken by Kim Peters in June 2025 and enhanced to show detail as the images are faded. This panel appears to...
Multi-story - Waves of Communication - 1997 ATT Building 45 N. Magnolia
Multi-story - Waves of Communication by Don Reynolds, 1997. This image to the left of the others, spans the entire 6-stories of...
September 19, 1997, Orlando Sentinel
September 19, 1997, Orlando Sentinel. 1997 Waves of Communications by Don Reynolds. Orlando Sentinel, September 9, 1997, p. D1. Thinking big. Artist...
1998 - Postcard - Winter Garden Heritage Museum Citrus Mural
1998 - Postcard - Winter Garden Heritage Museum Citrus Mural. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
1998 - Winter Garden Heritage Museum Citrus Mural Sketch
1998 - Winter Garden Heritage Museum Citrus Mural sketch. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Ppalu
Ppalu is a "home-built backyard, from scratch, Roberts 36' cutter-rigged sailboat. It was begun in 1978 in the pine woods of central...
Stonework at Rollins College
Stonework at Rollins College. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
2007 - UCF Charging Knight
November 3, 2007 - UCF Charging Knight. Courtesy UCF video - Unveiling of the UCF Charging Knight - https://youtu.be/QgEz7Z7m3aE From the personal...
2010 - UCF Veterans Memorial
Photographer unknown. Please let us know if you are the photographer so we may give you credit for your amazing work. From...
2010 - UCF Veterans Memorial
Photographer unknown. Please let us know if you are the photographer so we may give you credit for your amazing work. From...
2010 - UCF Veterans Memorial
Courtesy UCF Central Florida Future newspaper article on the dedication of the memorial on October 29, 2010. Photographer Emre Kelly. From the personal...
2018 - Blue Jacket Recruit Dedication Ceremony
Don Reynolds and his statue at the dedication ceremony of the Blue Jacket Recruit statue at the former Navy Training Center parade...
October 2021 - Installation of Flora the Monarch Butterfly
Flora the Monarch Butterfly in the Butterfly Garden in downtown Winter Garden, Florida was dedicated in October 2021. From the personal history...
October 5, 2021 - Dedication of Flora the Monarch Butterfly
Flora the Monarch Butterfly in the Butterfly Garden in downtown Winter Garden, Florida was dedicated in October 2021. From the personal history...
Oral History interview of Don Reynolds. Interview conducted by Tyler Campbell in Colbourn Hall, University of Central Florida.
2017 UCF Interview with Don ReynoldsUnveiling of the UCF Charging Knight statue by Don Reynolds on November 3, 2007.
2007 Unveiling UCF Knight"Artist in Residence," written by Suz Tapy, Community Relations Coordinator, Sentry Management, was published in the December 2024 edition of the Baldwin Park Living magazine. Used with permission. https://issuu.com/wotimes/docs/bpl_20241206
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Sanford Evening Herald article written by Don Reynolds.
Also on this scan is a photo of Don Reynolds checking the base he made for a statue being placed to commemorate the 25th annual Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival in March 1985. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Florida section May 13, 1979, p. B1, "Arts celebrated against backdrop of shore and waters of Lake Eola" features photo of Don Reynolds and his sailboat made with aluminum cans called "Natural Resource." From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Two murals painted inside the Sanford History Museum were unveiled on October 27, 1979.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
1979 - New cultural coordinator wants to paint the town.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Front cover image of the Progress '85 section of the Sanford Evening Herald newspaper, February 24-28, 1985.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
August 8, 1983, Seminole Sentinel, page 1, features portion of Don Reynolds mural on a building at the corner of Magnolia and 1st Street in Sanford completed in 1980. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
1985- Magnolia Mall's Mural includes photos of the artist standing in front of the mural at the corner of Magnolia and 1st Street in Sanford, Florida.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
The October 1980 edition of the OrlandoLand magazine features part of Don Reynold's Gertrude's Walk mural on the front cover.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
May 10, 1981, edition of the Florida Magazine features images of Gertrude's Walk.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Several items on the sculpture inside the former Barnett Bank Building at 201 South Orange Avenue in the former Barnett Plaza (now Seaside Plaza) between 1982 and 1983.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
June 30, 1983, article about the Shoppes of Park Avenue. Don Reynolds created the fountain in the photo. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Shoppes of Park Avenue. Don Reynolds created the fountain in the photo. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Variety of clippings from newspapers and magazines showing or discussing the Pine Street Mega-mural. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Inspecting the base he created for the Albin Polasek statue for the 25th Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival in March 1985. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
https://orlandomemory.org/places/the-mercado-on-international-drive/
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds. https://orlandomemory.org/places/the-mercado-on-international-drive/
1986 - Orlando Business Journal, City Sonata at 530 E. Central Blvd.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
1996 - Culinary Team. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
1995 - Reynolds and his wife set sail in the handmade sailboat Ppalu.
April 14, 1996 article from the Orlando Sentinel, "Art Shows at Large," about murals in downtown Orlando.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
2005 - UCF Enlightenment Statue. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
2005 - UCF Enlightenment Statue. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
2007 - UCF Charging Knight photos by Don Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
November 3, 2007. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
UCF Trevor Colbourn.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
The UCF Charging Knight was unveiled on November 3, 2007. This document contains the speech that Don Reynolds gave at the unveiling and a news article from September 3, 2020. From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
UCF Central Florida Future newspaper, November 9, 2009, page 1A: "Veteran Memorial Underway on the Mall" and page 4A: "Commemorative site will be built solely on donations." From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
UCF Central Florida Future newspaper, November 1, 2009, articles about the dedication of the Veterans Memorial at UCF on October 29, 2009. Page 1A: "Celebrating the Veterans" and page 7A: "Site Idea From UCF Alum." From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Pamphlet describing art created by local artist Don Reynolds displayed at the Orange County Administration Center from January to May 2015.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Blue Jacket Recruit Dedication Ceremony April 14, 2018. Information provided by the Department of War on the ceremony. Courtesy U.S. Department of War. The appearance of U.S. Department of War visual information does not imply or or constitute Department of War endorsement.
April 14, 2018, Dedication Ceremony of the Blue Jacket Recruit at the former Navy Training Center parade grounds, now Baldwin Park.
The 2019 - Orlando Arts Magazine feature on Don Reynolds includes a photo of him in his workshop.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
https://www.bloomandgrow.club/the-monarch-project.
The project took four years from concept to installation.
Proposal for sculpture for the I-4 Ultimate Public Art project.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Made of Italian Carrara marble, the statue was handcrafted by Don Reynolds at a prestigious studio in Pietrasanta Italy owned by the famous sculptor, Nicola Stagetti, who procured the marble for the sculpture. The statue represents the two young children of the Johnson Family of Winter Garden, Florida.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Italian Magazine article featuring Don Reynolds as he is carving the statue of the two children in Pietrasanta Italy.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Cruise Sketches from 1995 to 2002 by Don Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Cruise Sketches from 1995 to 2002 by Don Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Cruise Sketches from 1995 to 2002 by Don Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Cruise Sketches from 1995 to 2002 by Don Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Painting Portfolio of Don Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Painting Portfolio of Don Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Wood Art Portfolio of Don Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Wood Art Portfolio of Don Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Variety of wood projects from the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Art pieces for interior spaces in scrapbook of Don Reynolds, digitized on November 4, 2025.
Stone Art Portfolio of Don Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Stone Art Portfolio of Don Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
Metal Art Portfolio of Don Reynolds.
From the personal history collection of Joe Donald Reynolds.
There’s a copy available online https://cfnavyleague.org/product/blue-jacket-recruit-statue/
I am interested in buying a copy of his Blue Jacket Recruit statue. I was stationed @ Orlando Recruit Training Command in 1983. I served for 6 yrs with the US NAVY SEABEES!! I would love to own a copy for myself.