Abernathy Sculpture Garden

Take a stroll and discover the Abernathy Sculpture Garden. These eight sculptures were selected as winning entries from previous ArtSS in the Open Sculpture Contests.

Optimistical

Artist: Nathan Pierce

Materials: Stainless steel and cast acrylic

Artist Statement

In today’s world, technology often makes people feel more connected while simultaneously creating new forms of disconnection. Through public art, Nathan Pierce explores contemporary issues related to communication and human interaction.

Using displaced geometric forms and subtle organic curves, his sculptures reflect themes of technology, communication, and the role they play in daily life. His public art installations are designed to create a visual counterpoint to viewers’ perceptions of time and place.

Boreas

Artist: Jonathan Bowling

Materials: Found and forged steel

Artist Statement

Over the past decade, Jonathan Bowling has created a series of steel horse sculptures that focus on interior and negative space as much as contours and surface.

Each horse is envisioned as a combination of abstract sculptural forms brought together into a unified structure. Forged manes and tails introduce organic curves that contrast with the industrial construction of the body.

The reclaimed steel materials, many dating to the early twentieth century, reflect the historical relationship between horses and agrarian life while providing the strength necessary for large-scale public art.

Billow

Artist: Jacob Burmood

Materials: Cold-cast aluminum and steel

Artist Statement

Jacob Burmood draws inspiration from the natural systems and interconnected forces found in wooded creek environments.

His sculptures abstract the fluid movement of nature while also referencing the human body in motion through activities such as dance and martial arts. The work seeks to reveal an underlying harmony that unifies individual elements into a cohesive whole.

Specimen

Artist: Joey Manson

Materials: Steel, bronze, concrete, and paint

Artist Statement

Specimen abstracts a moment within the natural cycle of a plant emerging from dormancy.

Le Voyageur qui Fait son Nid

Artist: Corrina Sephora

Materials: Forged and fabricated steel

Artist Statement

This sculpture reflects themes of home, travel, and belonging. The nest symbolizes home, while the ladder represents the journey of creating and finding that sense of home throughout life.

In Motion #1

Artist: Hanna Jubran

Materials: Steel and paint

Artist Statement

In Motion #1 is part of Hanna Jubran’s motion sculpture series exploring movement, celestial motion, and the cycles found in nature and the universe.

The elliptical forms reference orbit and seasonal cycles, while the colors symbolize heat, sky, emotion, and energy.

Mountain Landscape

Artist: Hanna Jubran

Materials: Steel and paint

Artist Statement

This abstract painted steel sculpture depicts a mountain landscape. Circular and angular forms symbolize the sun, mountains, horizon, and clouds while translating traditional landscape imagery into sculptural form.

Delilah

Artist: Joni Younkins-Herzog

Materials: Cor-ten steel, stainless steel, chrome, plastic, and silicone

Artist Statement

Joni Younkins-Herzog’s work blends humor, botanical references, anatomy, and fantastical imagery. Her sculptures are designed to invite viewers to pause, engage, and take a closer look.

Across the Street Along the Abernathy Greenway South

He Always Carried It With Him

Artist: Charlie Brouwer

Artist Statement

This sculpture features a figure carrying a large leaf made from Appalachian black locust wood treated with a preservative stain.

The leaf symbolizes the natural environment and serves as a reminder of the importance of remaining mindful of humanity’s impact on the world around us.

The Vision for Art in Sandy Springs

The community envisions Sandy Springs as a leading arts destination within the Atlanta metropolitan area.

A key part of this vision is the Art in Public Places initiative led by the City of Sandy Springs and supported through partnerships with Art Sandy Springs (opens in new tab) and other community organizations.