On September 22, 1999, Hop To It by Colorado sculptor Kim Shaklee was unveiled as the first piece of sculpture purchased for Summerville by Sculpture in the South. Another frog from that edition of twelve was installed in Washington, DC’s National Zoo at the Smithsonian the week before the Summerville unveiling. Of course, we think our Hop To It has the better view!

Lab ("Toby") by Sandy Proctor

That friendly-looking Labrador retriever beside the bench is actually a bronze sculpture by Tallahassee artist, Sandy Proctor. And the friendly woman beside the "Lab" is Joann Brooks, who donated the sculpture to Summerville.

A quiet woman who works in the Summerville Chamber of Commerce office, Joann decided to obtain the sculpture to celebrate the life of her late husband, John, who was won over by the unconditional love of a yellow Lab that appeared one day when John was quite ill.

The dog, who the Brooks named Toby, remained with John during his entire illness and then disappeared shortly after John's death. A few days later, Joann discovered Toby waiting for her in her garage. When she let him out the next morning, he walked around the house once and then sat down in the front yard, just looking at her. "When he got up and walked away," Joann remembers, "I knew I’d never see him again. I called to him, but he never turned around. It was as if he’d come to say goodbye."

Now Toby is the never-wandering companion of anyone who relaxes on the bench in Azalea Park, and a wonderful reminder of the power and comfort of a pet’s presence.

Follow the Leader by W. Stanley Proctor

The third sculpture to be installed in Azalea Park was Follow the Leader, installed in February 2002. Engineered to allow and even encourage children to have contact with the pieces, the bronze life-sized images of five playful children and their dog have been installed on a low serpentine brick wall near the amphitheatre in Azalea Park. Follow the Leader is the work of artist W. Stanley Proctor, and was a favorite at the 2000 Sculpture in the South Show & Sale.

After eighteen months of persistence and patience, contributions and grants, this beautiful grouping came to Summerville, made possible through the generosity of hundreds of remarkable people in our community and a substantial grant from the Saul Alexander Foundation.

Anticipation and Whisper on the Wind
by Diane D. Mason

Dr. David Price and his mother, Jean, purchased Anticipation and Whisper on the Wind by Diane D. Mason, in memory of David’s father. The two bronze sculptures depict life-sized foxes, one alertly sitting and expectantly licking his lips and the other standing only on his two hind legs, curiously sniffing the air.

Neighbors have told us they have seen a pair of foxes scampering through the east side of Azalea Park near to where the foxes are installed.

The dedication was held on November 8, 2002.

For Wind and Waves by Robert Allison

Friends and family of the late Jack Wilbanks, former Town of Summerville administrator, purchased For Wind and Waves, by Robert Allison. Jack had a life-long love of reading, and was impressed by the bronze sculpture depicting a little girl seated on a wall and reading a book when he saw it in Azalea Park during the Sculpture in the South 2001 Show & Sale.

Dedication took place November 29, 2002, on the east side of Azalea Park.

Dreamin’ of the Big Game by Bobbe Gentry

This sculpture depicts a kneeling 6-year old boy with baseball and glove, his face beaming as he imagines making the game-saving catch. This 24” bronze was donated by a group of 3 individuals from Summerville, and rests on its own “home plate” at the entrance to Summerville’s Gahagan Soft Ball Fields. Installation took place on January 10, 2003.

Fantasy Flight by Bobbe Gentry

Proceeds from the Sculpture in the South 2002 Show & Sale have been used to purchase the eighth piece of artwork for Summerville’s outdoor sculpture collection: Bobbe Gentry’s Fantasy Flight, a 48” high bronze reflecting a young woman’s dream of freedom, with a bird lifting in flight from her hand. It is from an edition of ten. Installation took place on May 9, 2003.

Heron and the Sun by Darrell Davis

The 7-foot bronze sculpture depicting a majestic heron, head lifted to the sky, basking in the sun garnered great interest when it was first introduced to Summerville at the 2003 Sculpture in the South Show & Sale. Heron and the Sun faces east, resting on an underwater base that was built between two islands in a brick-lined pond, where dozens of yellow-bellied slider turtles make their home.

photo to come

Boy of Peace by Gary Lee Price

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James Millar of Atlanta, GA. Artist Gary Lee Price states: “I want my work to make a difference in your life – a positive, uplifting difference – so that as you look at it in your home or office, in a city park, municipal building or wherever, you feel life is awesome!” Dedicated in 2005.

Sculptor Susie Chisholm (left), Summerville Mayor Berlin G. Myers, Sr., and model “Aunt” Polly Brooks at “The Garden”   dedication on April 21, 2007 in Summerville, SC.

The Garden, created by Susie Chisholm, is the 17th bronze sculpture in Summerville’s permanent collection.  This life-size bronze depicting a mature woman seated serenely in a twig lawn chair is integrated into the surrounding landscape in the center of historic downtown Summerville in Hutchinson Park.  “The Garden” faces the new Town Hall Complex, and looks with hope and optimism toward the future.  Looking at “The Garden,” we form a connection with the wisdom and dignity handed down to us from a previous generation. 

Sculpture in the South is grateful for the generous support of Mary Beth Nethercutt, Holly Gaughf, Tommy Socha, Mr. and Mrs. James Millar of Atlanta, Otis Engelman, and Mabel Goodyear.  “The Garden” was selected from a field of 20 proposals submitted from sculptors who took part in the 2006 Sculpture in the South Show and Sale. Susie Chisholm is a native of Savannah and is in demand for her remarkable gift in creating figurative sculpture and portraiture. 

Free Ride by Paul Rhymer

Shepard Park visitors enjoy the illusion of a real hippo in the pond.