MILTON — James Priddy is painting the second sea turtle statue to go up around Santa Rosa County. He hopes to have it finished by January.
As a Santa Rosa County corrections officer, Priddy regularly works with inmates to paint and touch up murals in town and at schools.
The Santa Rosa County Arts and Culture Foundation chose Priddy to paint the turtle.
The turtle will have a military theme with an American flag on its shell as well as logos of the military branches, Priddy said.
Priddy typically paints walls and canvas and found painting a three-dimensional object a challenge.
"You have to deal with textures and different pockets. It can be challenging to get the look right and fill the voids," he said.
When it’s complete, the turtle will go on the courthouse lawn where the Milton City Council voted in July.
The late Alicia Hansen painted the first turtle, known as Myrtle the Turtle, for the Interstate 10 Florida Welcome Center.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Corrections officer paints sea turtle statue in Milton