At the onset of Covid, when we socialized freely, our public library offered periodic art classes. I attended only a few over a few years; in one we created lino block prints and in another it was hand-painted silk scarves. Our instructor is a creative woman whose artwork slowly made a mark all around the center of town, some of it highly visible, some hidden in plain site. I’m embarrassed to admit that as observant as I think I am, I only found a few.

She had been contracted by the local businessmen’s association to fill the windows of the all- too-many empty storefronts with amazing images that delighted passersby including me. Only now as I perused my friend google to find information about her, I realized that so many of these wonderful images filling the windows are now gone. The playfulness of these empty spaces has been replaced by more vacantness (for examples, see https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/a40549084/flying-knight-artist-miami/ for images and more).

I only caught a three of the not-so-visible artworks nestled in the hidden landscape of the area. I referred to them as “diving ladies” when in fact she called them “peekaboo bathers,” like the short-lived artists studio space she tried to establish (https://flyingknight.com/peekaboo-bathers-of-lincoln-road/).

The other images scattered around were part of her “See the Queen series.” One remains outside of the theatre where I work as an usher. I imagine most people who walk by her are not aware that she is one of a group of eleven (https://flyingknight.com/seen-the-queen/).

And then somewhere, her dog Mimo, pops up. I’ve only seen her once!

I thank Jayda Knight, the Flying Knight (https://flyingknight.com/about/) for the art classes she shared with me and others. And I hope she will bring them back to the library soon. I also thank her for the many ways in which she brightened up our cityscapes.

In keeping with the trend for street art, this mural of a spreading tree by Kelsey Montague graces a wall on a side street near the site of the late Peekaboo Studios.