The Dunwoody Nature Center, Spruill Arts Center, and the City of Dunwoody today announced a community based public arts program, Dunwoody Rocks!, that engages the public in creating an expressive public art display along the trails of the Nature Center. Dunwoody Rocks! is based on a growing trend that incorporates public art through community involvement within a mission based park.
Members of the community will be able to come to the Nature Center between Monday, September 11th and Saturday, October 28th to get a rock to decorate. In addition, three workshops will be available for participants to pick up a rock and to utilize materials such as paint and brushes to create their rocks with assistance from artist instructors that will help to promote creative painting techniques and ideas. If participants can’t attend one of the workshops, they can pick up rocks at any time from the Nature Center to paint at home, or at their schools or businesses. The workshops will be held Saturday, October 7th from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at the Dunwoody Nature Center, Saturday, October 14th from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. at Brook Run Park in conjunction with Dunwoody Volunteer Day, and on Saturday, October 21st at the Spruill Arts Center from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Special “kits” will also be created and distributed through local schools, businesses, and other organizations identified in conjunction with Duwnoody Rocks! partners.
On Saturday, October 28th from 10:00 until 2:00, the entire community will be invited to a Dunwoody Rocks! unveiling and will gather on the grounds of the Nature Center where everyone will place their rocks and celebrate community with activities including a DJ, a picnic lunch, chalk artist Taylor Wilkins, and a Dunwoody Nature Center 25th Anniversary celebration! The rocks will remain in place through at least the end of Thanksgiving week, but because all paints and materials used will be non-toxic and water based, the intention is to allow them to remain in place until the elements eventually return the rock to their natural state. During the Dunwoody Rocks! Unveiling on the 28th, the Nature Center will also be celebrating its 25th anniversary with a planned reunion of former educators, campers, staff and program participants.
More information on Dunwoody Rocks is available from the Nature Center’s website at http://dunwoodynature.org/community-rocks/
