Tampa International Airport Case Study
Transforming Community Stories into Lasting Art
The Opportunity
When the Tampa International Airport (TPA) commissioned artist and professor Sheryl Oring to create “Greetings from Tampa Bay,” they sought a work that would both capture and celebrate the heart of the local community. The project was designed as a two-phased installation, blending performance, storytelling, and fine art into a permanent public display.
In the first phase, Oring (Chair of the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art History at Wayne State University in Detroit) conducted a series of live, performance-based events throughout the Tampa Bay area. Residents were invited to share personal stories, memories, and reflections about their community. Oring hand-typed each message on vintage typewriters, creating hundreds of one-of-a-kind postcards; each representing a moment, a voice, and a piece of local history.
The second phase would bring those voices to life visually. The stories and accompanying photographs would be transformed into a permanent metal collage at Tampa International Airport, an installation that would welcome millions of travelers each year with an authentic sense of place and people.
To achieve this, Oring needed a production partner who could handle the precision, consistency, and craftsmanship required to produce hundreds of small, high-fidelity metal panels, each containing a unique story. That’s where Vivid Metal Prints came in.
The Solution
Vivid Metal Prints collaborated closely with Oring and her team from concept to completion, ensuring every detail of her creative vision translated flawlessly to metal.
Each individual piece, from small text plates to photo tiles, required precise color correction, tonal balance, and legibility. Vivid’s team carefully optimized every image and typewritten document for dye-sublimation printing on aluminum, preserving the warmth and texture of the original works while ensuring clarity and durability for long-term public display.
To help Oring execute the final layout, Vivid cleared space in its production studio and invited her to physically arrange and test the installation on-site. This allowed her to adjust spacing, alignment, and composition in real time, down to the last inch. Once finalized, every single piece was individually numbered, catalogued, and assigned coordinates for its exact position in the installation grid.
The final set of panels was meticulously packed in custom wooden crates, organized in order of installation, and safely shipped to Tampa — ready for assembly at the airport.
The Result
The completed installation, “Greetings from Tampa Bay,” now stands as a stunning visual chronicle of community voices, a permanent artistic bridge between the people of Tampa Bay and the travelers passing through their city. Each piece gleams with depth, color, and permanence, transforming fleeting human moments into a timeless public artwork.
For both Oring and Tampa International Airport, the collaboration proved that fine art can thrive at the intersection of storytelling, technology, and craftsmanship.
The Takeaway
Every artist and every project brings a unique creative challenge, and Vivid Metal Prints is built to meet those challenges head-on.
From one-off exhibitions to large-scale public installations, we don’t just print, we partner. Our commitment to precision, flexibility, and collaboration ensures that your vision is executed flawlessly, no matter how complex or ambitious it may be.
Vivid Metal Prints: where stories, art, and innovation take flight.