Stop & Smell the Roses!

Exhibition | April 3 – May 31, 2025
The UnVacant Lot + The Creative District

Stop & Smell the Roses!, a public art exhibition + competition in the Creative District, is designed to complement the Center’s Due South 2025 Music, Food, & Art Festival. On display through the 104th Rose Show Festival, the focus will be on the sights and sounds of Thomasville as we celebrate roses – a symbol of our city.

YARN BOMB
14 teams of fiber artists competed by staging a yarn bomb inspired by roses along the West Jackson Street corridor, challenging them to create something fresh and contemporary. The top three fiber art teams will receive three awards: Best of Show, $1,000; 1st Place, $750; and 2nd Place, $500. Two additional teams received honorable mention awards for being “community favorites.”

UNVACANT LOT
Artist Marlo Ransdell showcases the diversity of wood and acrylic on a sponsor wall filled with color and blooms. Painter Trish Land brings life to the walls and our community with her signature roses. Sam McCoy collaborates with Joe Cowdrey on murals covering the walls and ground, showcasing her interpretation of Southern flora. Cindy Inman captures music and roses through a photo opportunity at the Ritz Amphitheater. Paper mâché artist David Junker brings pollinators to life with various playful sculptures.