First Eagles Ordered for Eagle Nation on Parade Project

May 24, 2011

Georgia Southern University has ordered its first six eagles and is now accepting applications for artists for the Eagle Nation on Parade (ENOP) project.  The unique public art project is designed to salute the University’s traditions, celebrate the unity of campus and community, contribute to the economic vitality and quality of life of the Statesboro community, and support student scholarships and research initiatives.

 What is Eagle Nation on Parade?

Eagle Nation on Parade is modeled after other successful community art projects, such as Chicago’s “Cows on Parade,” Sandy Spring’s “Town Turtles,” Hawaii’s “Geckos in Paradise,” and Athens’ “We Let the Dogs Out.”  Using an original design created by Georgia Southern University sculpture professor Marc Moulton , 50 fiberglass sculptures of eagles eventually will be manufactured and delivered to campus for embellishment and sale at auction.

Artists submit design proposals they would apply to the surface of these larger-than-life fiberglass eagle sculptures and selected artists will then transform the blank sculpture into an original work of art.  Eagle Nation on Parade will auction five to 10  completed Eagles every two years, culminating in a total of 50 eagles.  Winning bidders will then receive their Eagle Nation sculptures for installation at their locations of choice and for prominent public display.

 About the Eagles

Each eagle will be a larger-than-life 6’ x 5’ x 4’ fiberglass sculpture, designed and created by artists, on long-term public display for viewing pleasure and interactive events. While the base form of each eagle sculpture will remain the same, each eagle will have a unique design.

The fiberglass eagle form is in take-off position, perched on a chiseled rock.

Call for Artists

Eagle Nation on Parade invites artists to submit designs for their chance to decorate an eagle that will later be auctioned off and placed in public areas for community members and visitors to see.  Each sculpture—wearing nothing but factory-applied primer—awaits an artist’s creative vision to transform it into a vibrant work of art. Eligibility to participate in ENOP is open to all artists over the age of 18. Entry for consideration is free of charge.  Chosen artists will receive exposure for their work and each eagle will have a plaque attached to the base that acknowledges the artist who designed the sculpture, as well as the eagle’s sponsor.  The deadline for artists to submit their applications for consideration is August 1, 2011.  The Eagle Nation on Parade artist application package, which explains design criteria and the selection process, is available online at: www.eaglenationonparade.com

“We are excited with the response and enthusiasm that we have received for the Eagle Nation on Parade project,” said Brooks Keel, Ph.D., president of Georgia Southern University.  “When complete, we believe this will be one of our area’s most unique tourism attractions.  The eagles will be a unique addition to downtown Statesboro and the surrounding area.”

“I am personally looking forward to receiving applications from area artists interested in decorating these magnificent eagles,” said Mike Smith, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at Georgia Southern.  “This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for artists to not only work on a very exciting

public art project, but to have their work prominently displayed.”

Join the Parade.  Become a Sponsor.

Anyone may become part of Eagle Nation on Parade by sponsoring an eagle. Businesses, individuals, organizations, families, and schools are encourage to support this unique public art project.

 Commissioned eagle sponsors include Rose Mae Bogan Millikan and the Naomi Davis McElveen Family .  Eagle Seed sponsors include the  Downtown Statesboro Development Authority, the Averitt Center for the Arts, CORE Credit Union,  Bryan and Elizabeth Burke and Georgia Southern’s Division of Continuing Education and Public Service.

“Only 50 eagles will be produced during a five-year period,” said Smith.  “This is an opportunity to be a part of a major project that will be one of our community’s most visible attractions.  Whether you are a business, a school, community group, or Eagle fan, we invite you to consider becoming a sponsor as hundreds of thousands of visitors will see these sculptures when complete.  We are grateful for the support of our initial sponsors and look forward to the beginning of a terrific public art project in Statesboro.”

The Eagle Nation on Parade project, sponsored by Georgia Southern University’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and the Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art, was originally announced in 2010.    For more information on the project or to become a sponsor, visit:www.eaglenationonparade.com.