Oct. 6, 2023

Ceremony to recognize artists, organizers of Wildabout Walkabout

The Johnson City Public Art Committee will hold a dedication ceremony to recognize those involved in the design and installation of a small sculpture scavenger hunt known as the Wildabout Walkabout. The event will take place on Friday, Oct. 20 at 5:30 p.m. in King Commons (112 Commerce St.). Attendees will gather by the Johnson City landmark sign.

The scavenger hunt includes 28 bronze animal sculptures designed and fabricated by faculty members and two student classes under the direction of East Tennessee State University (ETSU) professor Travis Graves. Half of the sculptures were completed in 2020, and the other half were completed in 2022 as an expansion of the scavenger hunt. All the pieces have been installed downtown in and around King Commons and Founders Park and around Main and Market streets. The project was coordinated through the combined efforts of the ETSU Department of Art and Design, Johnson City Public Art Committee, Johnson City Public Library, and City of Johnson City.   

The mural in King Commons entitled Wildabout inspired the types of animals that were selected for the sculptural works, and nearly all of the animal types chosen for the sculptures are represented in the mural. Sculpture designs include the red fox, spring peeper, blue heron, turtle, eastern chipmunk, rock bass, monarch butterfly, and cicada, among others.

Printed copies of the scavenger hunt clues are available at various downtown businesses and at the Johnson City Public Library. Clues are also available online on the Johnson City Public Art website.

To learn more about the Wildabout Walkabout Scavenger Hunt or the Johnson City Public Art Committee, visit https://jcpublicart.com/.

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