Public Art
IN PUBLIC PLACES
Public Art Initiative
Thomasville Center for the Arts, in partnership with the City of Thomasville, continues to lead the initiative to install permanent contemporary art in The Bottom Creative District. This effort builds on the Center’s mission to creatively enhance our city, further establishing Thomasville’s reputation as an arts destination and tourist hotspot. Two new bronze sculptures were installed along West Jackson Street in February 2025: The Legend Lives On, a Labrador Retriever honoring Sallie Sullivan and sculpted by Walt Matia, and Pinetop Protector, an owl created by Paul Rhymer to honor Diane Williams Parker. These two women left a lasting impact on our community through their efforts to support and advocate for the conservation of our Red Hills.
Sculpture: Pinetop Protector | Paul Rhymer
Wildlife Art in Public Places
Pines to the People
For three decades, Thomasville Center for the Arts has enriched the creative life of the Red Hills Region through the visual, performing, literary and applied arts. We believe the arts have the power to transform communities as it can express community values, enhance our environment, reshape landscapes, heighten our awareness, and provoke thought. When art is placed in public spaces it becomes a form of collective community expression as it reflects how we see the world through the artist’s response to our time and place combined with our own sense of who we are.
Each year through 2018, Downtown Thomasville Main Street and Thomasville Center for the Arts worked with a private donor to commission a new sculpture from a Wildlife Arts Festival artist. This project featured animals from our region and were placed in designated location along our sidewalks on Broad Street and Jackson Street.
We invite you to connect with our community and take a stroll through our downtown with these prominent bronzes that promote the importance of preserving our deep history, rich sporting traditions, and the diverse land that is home to our natural wildlife.
For more information on the bronze art walk, contact dtaylor@thomasvillearts.org.
Take Root Sculptures
in The Bottom Creative District, while honoring those patrons and friends who have left their legacy on our community. These trees, designed by Florida State University’s Studio D, serve as a visual metaphor for deep community roots and a physical reminder of the importance of protecting and sustaining the flora and fauna of the Red Hills region. This experience is intentionally designed to enrich your understanding of how the Oak Tree has a special significance to Thomasville.
