Three colorful avian guests will tower over the Gainesville Garden of the Atlanta Botanical Garden through October. A giant woven peacock and two cardinals “flew” down from Massachusetts late last month to roost in the woodland garden near Lake Lanier.
Boston-area artists Donna Dodson and Andy Moerlein, known as “the Myth Makers,” sculpted the 20-feet-tall peacock and pair of 15-feet-tall cardinals from natural materials such as bamboo and tree saplings. They wove in recyclable objects, tiles and zip ties to color their feathers. Volunteers from Brenau University helped assemble the brilliant tail of the peacock over two days last month.
Brenau University volunteers gather under the giant peacock they helped install.
Reached by phone before migrating to Gainesville, “Mr. and Mrs. Myth Maker” spoke excitedly about bringing their creations to Georgia. They named the larger sculpture “Flannery’s Peacock,” in tribute to Georgia author Flannery O’Conner whose estate, Andalusia, was roamed by peacocks. They expected to haul most of the completed bird in a light-weight trailer and engage Brenau students for a hands-on lesson in natural fabrication methods while they assemble the long flowing tail.
“It will take more than two people to build,” Moerlein said. Photos from a recycling warehouse where they weave their myths show him atop a high ladder attaching a blue and green fringe “necklace” to the peacock’s intricate split bamboo frame. Dodson is shown affixing multicolor zip ties to a grid loom and fashioning pinwheels that will crown the peacock’s head. Peacock admirers can view the finished product inside and out. “They will be able to walk through,” Dodson said.
The cardinal sculptures, “Love Long Last,” are on loan from a New Jersey exhibit. “Cardinals are a common American bird that mates for life. They are familial in a local sense,” Moerlein said.
The artists have presented more than 30 public works throughout the world at art museums, sculpture parks, botanical gardens and urban centers from Taiwan to New York. Their collaboration began over a decade ago with a shared interest in sculpting with natural materials and recyclables. Dodson nodded to the current boom in public art for an increased demand for their work. “More communities are realizing the value of temporary public art,” she said. “We found a niche in botanical gardens.”
Their work carries a message, not only about using materials that are biodegradable or renewable, but also in story. Dodson described their mythical creations as “storytelling in sculpture” that often depicts the mysterious nature of animals, birds, and unsung heroes.
Photos/Video: Alan, Vicki Hope
Garden update for 2021
– compiled by Jane Harrison
