Iconic Lorelei sign regains siren status

A casual conversation about construction needs led to a unique opportunity for a local artist.

Contractor Dave Jankowski was doing work for Marlene Lindback, owner of the Lorelei Restaurant and Cabana Bar in Islamorada, when she motioned to the iconic mermaid adjacent to U.S. 1 and said it needed work, too.

Jankowski replied, “My daughter paints; she’s an artist,” and a plan was hatched.

The sun is not the wooden mermaid sign’s friend. Over time, the paint job faded, the blonde hair became whitish and the lovely lass’s good looks began to fade.

With a deal struck, the mermaid was moved to the Jankowski property in four pieces, where Juliane “Jul” Jankowski began the conceptual process of revamping the mermaid.

The mermaid sign is reputed to have been placed outside the popular Upper Matecumbe Key watering hole around 1980, according to a former dining room manager, Edith Grenfell. When former owners Frank Kulisky and Richard Jacob took over the Lorelei in 1986, along with other partners, they had the mermaid repainted several times without changing the shape. One of the “repaints” looked like actress Cheryl Tiegs, according to many viewers.

Kulisky’s group owned the restaurant property for 20 years, enjoying great times.

“In the 1990s, I had a big-time architect and developer from Miami come down and make recommendations for the Lorelei property,” Kulisky said. “His first statement was, ‘Never change the mermaid.’ That’s the (suggestion) we followed — maybe the only one.”

Renowned marine artist Wyland, who owned a home in Islamorada for years, repainted the mermaid in March 2020, according to his Facebook post. Just four years later, she needed another facelift.

A few weeks ago, the mermaid structure was removed, leaving just the bare wooden planks that create the basic structure for the artwork.

Jankowski hosted a “reveal” event after the hard work had been done. Those who frequent Facebook were apprised that 4 p.m. March 9 was the opportunity to see the mermaid swim back into place.

Jankowski, who was raised in the Keys, attended the University of Florida, where she received her bachelor of fine arts degree with an emphasis in painting. Spending time in both the islands of Florida and mountains of Wyoming, her work is inspired by these equally extraordinary expanses on land and sea, she said.

Her work can be seen at the Limelight Studio and Gallery in the Morada Way Arts and Cultural District near Mile Marker 81.5, oceanside.