Spotlight on River Basin muralist Shari Shifrin
Mural #48 at the river basin next to Luminary Hotel is a painting of a shrimp boat moored at the balustrade along the Caloosahatchee River circa 1949, which was a common sight prior to the discovery of “pink gold” in the waters off Fort Myers Beach around that time. It was painted by Shari Shifrin, who not only serves as the Executive Director of the Fort Myers Mural Society, but who played an instrumental role in 
orchestrating the River Basin Mural Project and overseeing the installation of the murals contained in the City’s walkable outdoor art and history museum.
Shari grew up in the NYC area. Her mom was heavily connected to the arts & entertainment industry, so Shari and her sisters were exposed to diverse cultural influences growing up.
Shifrin graduated with a BFA from the School for American Craftsmen and a BS in Textiles from Rochester Institute of Technology. She moved to Florida in 1987. Since then, she has owned and operated two different textile printing companies, including, currently, Grand Illusion Creative.
Over the 
course of her career, Shari has also served as Art Director @ Outlaw Graphics and graphic editor @ Hot Rods n Hogs Magazine.
“My passion for public art encouraged me to form the non-profit Fort Myers Mural Society in 2015 to use my skills to help local artists paint murals and contribute to the public art scene,” says Shari. “As director of the Fort 
Myers Mural Society I built an App that has the capability to map all the public art and places of art interests all over the world.”
Shari currently sits on the National Board of Decorators, is a member of Florida Association of Public Art Professionals, and is a member of the International Decorative Artisans League.
“On a personal note, I’m happily married with 4 grown kids and 3 grandchildren,” Shari adds. “I like living in the country with my dogs and horses, riding motorcycles and have been a Girl Scout for over 50 years.”
July 31, 2023.
About the Author
Tom Hall is both an amateur artist and aspiring novelist who writes art quest thrillers. He is in the final stages of completing his debut novel titled "Art Detective," a story that fictionalizes the discovery of the fabled billion-dollar Impressionist collection of Parisian art dealer Josse Bernheim-Jeune, thought by many to have perished during World War II when the collection's hiding place, Castle de Rastignac in southern France, was destroyed by the Wehrmacht in reprisal for attacks made by members of the Resistance operating in the area. A former tax attorney, Tom holds a bachelor's degree as well as both a juris doctorate and masters of laws in taxation from the University of Florida. Tom lives in Estero, Florida with his fiancee, Connie, and their four cats.