The Oak leaf sculpture sits in the center of the UnVacant lot , inviting everyone to remember their roots .
The installation is a two-piece soaring metal tree sculpture that not only embodies the oak leaf but is dedicated to two cherished friends of the Thomasville Center for the Arts , Samuel Kellett and Leigh Perkins .
The City of Thomasville is known throughout Georgia for its vibrant use of public art to enhance the community and draw different walks of life together . In November , Thomasville Center for the Arts , in partnership with the City of Thomasville unveiled their most recent public art installation , “ Take Root .”
The installation is a twopiece soaring metal tree sculpture that not only embodies the oak leaf but is dedicated to two cherished friends of the Thomasville Center for the Arts , Samuel Kellett and Leigh Perkins .
Hailing from Atlanta , Kellett held a deep passion for South Georgia ’ s piney woods and cultivated Riverbend Plantation in Quitman alongside his wife , Janet McLeod Kellett . Perkins , husband of Anne Perkins , transformed The Orvis Company from a humble mail-order fishing store into a prominent American sporting brand .
Though not native to the Red Hills , both Kellett and Perkins held a profound love for Thomasville and have etched their legacy on the Wildlife Arts Festival and community .
For this reason , the Wildlife Arts Festival kicked off with the unveiling of the sculpture , allowing their families to attend and speak on their behalf .
OPPOSITE : Pictured from left to right Mariam Mirabzadeh , Brittany Shiver , Darlene Crosby Taylor , Joanne Thomas , Michele Arwood , Brabara Kreamer , Jasmine James , Ali Harvey , Heather Light and Sam McCoy at the unveiling .
Thomasville Scene | January 2024 17