Big Haynes Creek Nature Center’s new “Herald of Herons” art exhibit designed by Rockdale County students

CONYERS, GA— Visitors are invited to marvel at colorful great blue heron statues designed by Rockdale County students in a permanent new art exhibit entitled “Herald of Herons” at the Georgia International Horse Park’s Big Haynes Creek Nature Center (BHCNC) in Conyers.  The exhibit will feature 10 colorful great blue heron statues and educational signage situated along the 1.7-mile purple trail.

Officials say the public art project will be completed by mid-July. Big Haynes Creek Nature Center will honor the students and teachers and celebrate the success of the long-awaited exhibit with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday, July 22, at 11 a.m.

Big Haynes Creek Nature Center contracted with Icon Poly, a family-owned company from Gibbon, Nebraska, to create 10 paintable fiberglass sculptures. To bring the sculptures to life, BHCNC engaged students of all ages from Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) and homeschooled students to submit design suggestions for the statues. More than 140 entries were collected and a panel of judges comprised of city of Conyers staff and council members, the Conyers-Rockdale Council for the Arts, and Rockdale County Master Gardeners deliberated on the top 10 winning designs. Those selections served as inspiration for the final artwork of the statues, painted by professional artists from The Sketching Pad in Olde Town Conyers.

Kirby Meng, coordinator of Fine Arts at RCPS, expressed excitement about the project.

“Faculty and students were thrilled to be involved and put a lot of thought and creative energy into their design choices for the Herald of Herons project,” said Meng. “There were students that wholeheartedly considered our environmental responsibility to keep wetland habitats healthy. It was obvious that the kids understood the assignment.”

On Saturday, July 27, a free, public educational event led by Georgia Birds Master Birder Jack Bruce will be held at the nature center rom 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Participants will join in a two-mile interpretive walk to enjoy the new art exhibit, while taking a long lens look at the role of the incredible wading great blue herons.. Registration for the event is available on Eventbrite at https://shorturl.at/uUzJF.

Visitors are also encouraged to take self-led educational walks at their own leisure to learn about the characteristics of great blue herons and their connection to the wetlands.

Student art contest winners for the Herald of Herons art exhibit are:

#103 – Kennedy Gibbs, Age 10, Grade 5, Homeschool student; Sketching Pad artist,Theme: Springtime Pollination

#30 – Tionne Brown, Age 10, Grade 4, RCPS (Flat Shoals Elementary), Theme: Kaleidoscope of Colors

#42 – Morgan Clark, Age 12, Grade 6, RCPS (General Ray Davis Middle School), Teacher: King, Theme:The Monarch Butterfly & How it Migrates Through Georgia

#60 – Natalyah Jett, Age 12, Grade 6, RCPS (General Ray Davis Middle School), Teacher: King, Theme:Starry Night inspired by Vincent Van Gogh 

#49 – Izrael Bierra, Age 11, Grade 6, RCPS (General Ray Davis Middle School), Teacher: King, Theme:Stargazing 

#43 – Destiny Donald, Age 7, RCPS (General Ray Davis Middle School), Teacher: King, Theme: Heron’s Habitat in the Wetlands filled with Lily Pads & Flowers 

#57 – Alexandria Sands, Grade 7, RCPS (General Ray Davis Middle School), Teacher: King, Theme:Conyers Cherry Blossom Festival 

#40 – Cameron Jeffries, Age 14, Grade 8, RCPS (General Ray Davis Middle School), Teacher: King, Theme: Collage of Shapes with the City of Conyers “C” Logo 

#54 – Ximena Torres, Grade 8, RCPS (General Ray Davis Middle School), Teacher: King, Theme:River/Pond where Herons & Cranes Live. The metal rings in his legs represent awareness of pollution that affects animals. 

#18 – Allison Hart & Paula Gutierrez, Grade 9, RCPS (Salem High School), Teacher: Jones, Theme:The Buzz on Native Flowers & Bees

The Big Haynes Creek Nature Center is open daily from sunrise to sunset. Entrance and parking are free. For more information about Big Haynes Creek Nature Center and updates/photos for this project, please contact Dawn Tanner at dawn.tanner@conyersga.gov or visit: https://www.georgiahorsepark.com/ orhttps://www.facebook.com/BigHaynesCreekNatureCenter.