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15 || Piedmont Bridge over I-75/I-85 / Peachtree Corridor

Folk Art Park

Folk Art Park pays homage to the rich and deep tradition of Southern folk art. Ranging from a large-scale installation based on quilt-making to environments drawn from the visionary worlds of artists such as Lonnie Holley and Howard Finster, Folk Art Park reclaims the cement islands created by two freeway bridges in downtown Atlanta. Those who drive or walk by or look below from the high-storied office buildings surrounding the park are treated to gourd trees, windmills, fantastic animal and human forms, totems, and sculpted walls. The first permanent outdoor tribute to folk art, the Park was completed for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games.


Folk Art Park AtlantaSITE ENVIRONMENT: Quilt Tradition

TITLE: "Sunshade Structure"

ARTISTS FOR MOTIFS:

  • Barbara Abrelat (b. Mobile, AL 1944, r. Decatur, GA)
    "Seasons Everlasting", "Generation unto Generation"
  • Barbara Butler (b. Owensboro, KY, 1944, r. Decatur, GA)
    "Early Bird", "Meander and Sun Flight"
  • Darlyne Dandridge (b. Los Angeles, 1955, r. Atlanta)
    "Mask", "African Figure"
  • Nora Ezel (b. Brooksville, MS, 1917, r. Tuscaloosa, AL)
    "Pineapple"
  • Hazel Fulton (b. Lawrence County, AL 1919, r. Cartersville, GA)
    "Willows and Pineapples"
  • Sharon Henderson (b. Appalachia, NC, 1945, r. Lilburn, GA)
    "Kudzu and Yew"
  • Wini McQueen (b. 1949, r. Macon, GA)
    "African Lizards"
  • Hystercine Rankin (b. Port Gibson, MS, 1929, r. Port Gibson)
    "Farm Scene"
  • Patricia Stettler (b. Winston-Salem, NC, 1946, r. Marietta, GA)
    "Symbols of Childhood"

MATERIALS: Stainless steel, paint
DIMENSIONS: Overhead Canopy – 42’ w x 42’ d x 16’ h
Painted Ground Surface Area: 122’ x 99’ x 194’


SITE ENVIRONMENT: Sculpture Garden

TITLE: "Earth Flower"
ARTIST: Lonnie Holly (b. Birmingham, AL, 1950, r. Birmingham)
MATERIALS: Styrofoam, Concrete, paint
DIMENSIONS: Base – 118" w x 48" d x 8" h
Figure – 87" w x 12" d x 47" h

Folk Art Park AtlantaTITLE: "Good Mornin’, Happy Day"
ARTIST: Harold Rittenberry (b. Athens, GA, 1928, r. Athens)
MATERIALS: Mild steel
DIMENSIONS: 64" w x 21" d x 48" h

TITLE: "Happy Day, Goin’ Fishing"
ARTIST: Harold Rittenberry (b. Athens, GA, 1928, r. Athens)
MATERIALS: Mild steel
DIMENSIONS: 64" w x 21" d x 52" h

TITLE: "A Plate Full of Love"
ARTIST: Harold Rittenberry (b. Athens, GA, 1928, r. Athens)
MATERIALS: Mild steel
DIMENSIONS: 43" w x 25" d x 29" h
Concrete base for 3 pieces – 14’ diameter

TITLE: "Faces on the Wall"
ARTIST: Willie Tarver (b. Wadley, GA, 1938, r. Wadley) and Mae Tarver
(b.Wadley, GA, 1932, r. Wadley)
MATERIALS: Concrete, paint
DIMENSIONS: Wall – 63’ w x 25" d x 18’ h
31 "Faces"

TITLE: "Eve" and "Adam"
ARTIST: Archie Byron (b. Atlanta, 1928, d. 2005 Atlanta, GA)
MATERIALS: Concrete, paint
DIMENSIONS: "Eve" – 30" w x 11" d x 66" h
"Adam" seated on bench – 50" w x 35" d x 54" h
Base for both figures – 21" w x 20 d x 5" h

TITLE: "The Meaning of Love"
ARTIST: Archie Byron (b. Atlanta, 1928, d. 2005 Atlanta, GA)
MATERIALS: Concrete, paint
DIMENSIONS: 10" diameter x 76 " h
Base – 18" w x 18" d x 5" h

TITLE: "Standing Anatomy"
ARTIST: Archie Byron (b. Atlanta, 1928, d. 2005 Atlanta, GA)
MATERIALS: Concrete, paint
DIMENSIONS: 23" w x 20" d x 68" h
Base – 24" w x 24" d x 5" h

TITLE: "Untitled"
ARTIST: Archie Byron (b. Atlanta, 1928, d. 2005 Atlanta, GA)
MATERIALS: Concrete, paint
DIMENSIONS: 36" w x 3 ½" d x 58" h
Base – 46" w x 25" d x 5" h


SITE ENVIRONMENT: Homage to Howard Finster

TITLE: “Homage to Howard Finster”
ARTIST: Kenneth Allen Wilson (b. Chattooga County, GA, 1959, r. Summerville, GA)
MATERIALS: Concrete, metal, glass, marble, tile, paint
DIMENSIONS: Mound Wall – 41’ w x 15’d x 4’ h
Temple Base – 48" w x 48" d x 5" h
Temple – 34" w x 34" d x 64" h
Tiger – 55" w x 4" d x 23" h
Plant – 13" w x 3" d x 36" h
Plant – 12" w x 3" d x 34" h
Hands – 34" w x 3" d x 25" h


Courtland St. Bridge over I 75


SITE ENVIRONMENT: Windmills

Folk Art Park AtlantaTITLE: "Star Wheel with Guitar Girls" Windmill
ARTIST: James Harold Jennings, (b. Stokes County, NC, 1931, d. Pinnacle, NC, 1999)
MATERIALS: Mild steel, paint
DIMENSIONS: 96" w x 66" d x 168" h

TITLE: "Fence" and "Gateway"
ARTIST: James Harold Jennings, (b. Stokes County, NC, 1931, d. Pinnacle, NC, 1999)
MATERIALS: Mild Steel, paint
DIMENSIONS: Fence (2) – 99" w x 3" d x 33" h
Gateway – 144" w x 12" d x 137" h

TITLE: "Mainstream" Windmill
ARTIST: Vollis Simpson (b. Lucama, NC, 1919, r. Lucama)
MATERIALS: Mild steel, paint
DIMENSIONS: 65" w x 84" d x 240" h

TITLE: "Ducktown" Windmill
ARTIST: Vollis Simpson (b. Lucama, NC, 1919, r. Lucama)
MATERIALS: Mild steel, paint
DIMENSIONS: 60" w x 84" d x 240" h

Folk Art Park AtlantaTITLE: "Willis" Windmill
ARTIST: Vollis Simpson (b. Lucama, NC, 1919, r. Lucama)
MATERIALS: Mild steel, paint
DIMENSIONS: 24" w x 84" d x252" h

TITLE: "TREVAL" Windmill
ARTIST: Vollis Simpson (b. Lucama, NC, 1919, r. Lucama)
MATERIALS: Mild steel, paint
DIMENSIONS: 48" w x 120" d x 240" h


SITE ENVIRONMENT: Rolling Hills of Georgia

Folk Art Park AtlantaTITLE: "Rolling Hills of Georgia"
ARTIST: Rubin R.A. Miller
(b. Hall County, GA. 1912, d. 2006 Rabbittown, GA )
MATERIALS: Mild steel, paint

DIMENSIONS: 16 Shapes
King – 20" w x ½" d x 57" h
Snake with Legs – 17" w x ½" d x 25" h
Dinosaur – 77" w x ½" d x 37" h
Donkey with Bird – 60" w x ½" d x 54" h
Spotted Horse – 59" w x ½" d x 32" h
Scorpion – 53" w x ½" d x 29" h
Spotted Dinosaur – 73" w x ½" d x 34" h
Striped Creature with Rider – 30" w ½" d x 50" h
Black Dinosaur – 62" w x ½" d x 28" h
Standing Creature with Tail – 23" w ½" d x 50" h
Deer – 60" w x ½" d x 44" h
Bull with Rider – 52" w x ½" d x 41" h
Lizard – 59" w x ½" d x 22" h
Rattlesnake – 72" w x ½" d x 11" h
Rhinoceros – 60" w x ½" d x 25" h
Cow/Donkey – 58" w x ½" d x 52" h
Average Wall Size – 65" w x 8" d x 24" h

TITLE: "Itawamba Man"
ARTIST: Burgess Dulaney (b. Itawamba County, MS, 1914, d. 2001 Fulton, Miss)
MATERIALS: Concrete, glass marble, paint
DIMENSIONS: 84" w x 39" d x 50" h

TITLE: "Two-Headed Snake"
ARTIST: Burgess Dulaney (b. Itawamba County, MS, 1914, d. 2001 Fulton, Miss)
MATERIALS: Concrete, glass marble, paint
DIMENSIONS: 66" w x 48" d x 40" h

TITLE: "Donkey"
ARTIST: Burgess Dulaney (b. Itawamba County, MS, 1914, d. 2001 Fulton, Miss)
MATERIALS: Concrete, glass marble, paint
DIMENSIONS: 75" w x 30" d x 55" h

TITLE: "Visions of the Past"
ARTIST: Tim Lewis (b. Isonville, KY, 1952, r. Elliott County, KY)
MATERIALS: Concrete, paint
DIMENSIONS: 33" w x 21" d x 54" h

TITLE: "Dinosaur’s Head"
ARTIST: Tim Lewis (b. Isonville, KY, 1952, r. Elliott County, KY)
MATERIALS: Concrete, paint
DIMENSIONS: 30" w x 52" d x 53" h

TITLE: "Big Head"
ARTIST: Tim Lewis (b. Isonville, KY, 1952, r. Elliott County, KY)
MATERIALS: Concrete, paint
DIMENSIONS: 54" w x 30" d x 49" h


SITE ENVIRONMENT: Homage to St. EOM'S Pasaquan

Folk Art Park AtlantaTITLE: "Homage to St. EOM’s Pasaquan"
ARTIST: St. EOM, a.k.a. Eddie Owens Martin (b. Glen Alta, GA, 1908, d. Buena Vista, GA, 1986)
MATERIALS: Concrete, paint, glass beads
DIMENSIONS: 7 Totems – 37 ¾" diameter x 65" h (average)
14 Walls – 180" w x 10" d x 60" h (average)
33 Mandalas – 27" diameter (average)
28 Buttons – 8" diameter (average)


SITE ENVIRONMENT: The Gourd Tree

TITLE: "The Gourd Tree"
ARTIST: Wayne S. Caudell (b. Jefferson, GA, 1934, r. Jefferson)
MATERIALS: Steel, plastic gourds
DIMENSIONS: 60 gourds

PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:

Barbara Abrelat Hazel Fulton R.A. Miller
Barbara Butler Sharon Henderson Harold Rittenberry
Archie Byron Lonnie Holley Hystercine Rankin
Wayne Caudell James H. Jennings Vollis Simpson
Darlyne Dandridge Tim Lewis Patricia Stettler
Burgess Dulaney Eddie Owens Martin Willie and Mae Tarver
Nora Ezel Wini McQueen Allen Wilson

CONSULTANTS:

Robert D. Clements, Inc.

Team Coordinator/Artistic Advisor

W. Robinson Fisher Associates

Landscape Architect

Pat Connell Pasaquan Design Consultant
Howard Finster Finster Site Artistic Consultant

Piedmont Olsen Hensley

Surveyor

Outdoor Living Spaces, Inc.

Concrete Specialist

Architectural & Garden Ornament

Artisan/Fabricator

Tom Douglas

Artisan/Fabricator

If It’s Art

Artisan/Fabricator

PM Goulding Sculpture

Artisan/Fabricator

Paul Lichtenstein

Artisan/Fabricator

Goodman Decorating Company

Artisan/Fabricator

Chito Lapena

Electrical/Fabricator

Phoenix Crane Rental Company Installer

The Flagler Company

General Contractor

COMMISSIONING ORGANIZATION:
Corporation for Olympic Development in Atlanta (CODA)
Installation: 1996