While the Augusta Sculpture Trail is only supposed to be a temporary, two-year public art exhibit, at least two of the sculptures are set to become permanent fixtures.
At Saturday’s ribbon cutting for the trail, Bennish Brown, president and chief executive officer of the Augusta Convention and Visitors Bureau, announced that funding through a tourism grant would allow for the purchase of one of the 10 sculptures. Initial funding for the project already earmarked the purchase of one piece.
[adrotate banner=”19″]
Projects such as the sculpture trail are things that make Augusta a “must see cultural and arts destination,” said Brown.
City leaders lauded the project.
Augusta Mayor Hardie Davis said the sculpture trail demonstrates that Augusta is a “city of opportunity for everyone who lives here and who works here.”
The sculpture trail has been at least five years in the making. It had its small beginnings when Greater Augusta Arts Council Executive Director Brenda Durant, and others including Commissioner Sean Frantom made a trip to Suwannee, Ga., to see a sculpture trail there.
“The former city administrator put $100,000 in the budget for this,” Frantom said. “We need another $100,000 in the budget to expand it.”
In early fall 2020, the arts council put out a call for artists to submit sculpture ideas to be considered for the exhibit. About 120 were submitted, and a committee decided on 10 that were installed in January.
Sculptures are placed in various locations around downtown near the Augusta Common, Broad Street and Riverwalk.
Each of the 10 sculptures has a plaque with a QR code. By downloading the Otocast app, people can scan the QR codes and hear the artists in their own voices describing the piece.
Durant said the sculpture “Invasive” at the Augusta Common might just look like a couple of large flowers, but by listening to artist Jenn Garrett on the app, people will learn she did the piece in honor of her mother and sister who had breast cancer.
Karen Gordon sang “Sunny” on an overcast day at the Augusta Common for the ribbon cutting for the Augusta Sculpture Trail. Charmain Z. Brackett/Staff 
Popsicles by Craig Gray is one of the sculptures at the Augusta Common. Charmain Z. Brackett/Staff 
Billy S painted during the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Augusta Sculpture Trail Saturday at the Augusta Common. Charmain Z. Brackett/Staff
The flowers have tall pink stems, and the petals resemble cells.
Also with the app, there will be special activities related to the sculpture trail including scavenger hunts and earning badges.
[adrotate banner=”33″]
Jay Markwalter, the arts council’s vice president for public art, said that all of the sculptures were for sale. The hope is for businesses or individuals to purchase the pieces. Sculptures range from $12,500 for David Sheldon’s “Orion” to $50,000 for Leonard Ursachi’s “What a Wonderful World.”
Durant said the CVB grant was for $20,000, but the sculpture hasn’t been decided yet.
Frantom said he’d like to see the second phase reach beyond downtown, and other officials said they hoped this would pave the way for talks to be renewed on the gateway sculpture project.
To learn more, visit www.augustasculpturetrail.com
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
[adrotate banner=”41″]
