Standing tall in the Oconee Rivers Greenway, this art installation is designed as a "public example…read moreof creative architecture" by Los Angeles-based designer and educator Andrew Kovacs. The artwork is thirty-six twelve-foot brightly-colored columns at the entrance to the new Greenway Trail. The columns are spaced six feet apart and are standard 8" by 8" by 8" concrete masonry units. Each column is painted in two different colors, dematerializing the columns and providing an array of coloration to the field of columns. According to the statement, "The colors can be read in myriad ways, from diversity and individualism, to race and sexual liberation, while also commenting on the long history of brightly colored public art work." They are completely weatherproof but not weedproof. The ground has certainly picked up some local flora since it was installed. There is parking along the roadway and there are no barriers to enter the artwork. You can certainly selfie with them or use them as a background to a photo shoot. [Review 18063 overall - 538 in Georgia - 1585 of 2022.]

Looking back to a time when we didn't have the utilities we have today and how we've come to take…read morethem for granted. This statue and the stone at it's feet point out some of how that history changed. The almost life-sized representation of the man is so accurate that you'd wonder why he's standing so still. The facial expression shows him perhaps looking at a lighted building that he owned. The marker reads, "Native son William Church Whitner developed the concept and spearheaded financing for the first hydroelectric plant to transmit power over a long distance in the South. On May 1, 1895, electricity travelled six miles from a generator at High Shoals on the Rocky River to downtown Anderson, S.C. "Whitner was born in 1864 and attended the University of South Carolina. After considering law, he chose a degree in Civil Engineering in 1885. He set out as a railroad engineer, but soon contracted typhoid fever. He was at home in Anderson recuperating when in 1889 the city hired him to build an electric plant and system for running water. He completed a steam engine in 1890, as a source for electricity, but his attention soon turned to hydropower as a more cost effective alternative. Whitner sought the advice of Nicola Tesla, famous for his work with (and later against) Thomas Edison and the invention of the alternating current motor. Whitner returned to Anderson in 1894 with designs for an AC-driven hydropower plant in hand. Less than a year later, the High Shoals Experiment succeeded and Whitner collected investors for the much larger Portman Shoals Hydroelectric Station on the Seneca River, completed in 1897. That plant transmitted electricity 11 miles, the longest line in the United States at that time. It was this harnessing of "white fire" and its delivery which caused Anderson to be called "The Electric City" -- applicable then, as applicable today! "Whitner would later marry Katherine Roddey of Rock Hill and partner with Dr. Gill Wylie to form the Catawba River Company, forerunner of Duke Power. This sculpture by artist Zan Wells was unveiled on October 12, 2004. Given to the citizens of Anderson to commemorate the centennial anniversary of Duke Power. A grant from the Duke Foundation, secured by the Anderson County Arts Center, made this sculpture the first in our community's Public Art Series. It depicts Whitner peering up, watch in hand, waiting for the street lights to illuminate with the power his plant supplied. "The Man Behind the Idea" lives on in the hearts of this community which now reaps the benefit of his lasting contribution." [Review 208 of 2025 - 1262 in South Carolina - 23772 overall]

Absolutely stunning mural -- the scale, the detail, and the emotion captured in these faces are…read morebreathtaking. You can really feel the connection between generations and the community spirit it represents. We saw it while driving through and had to pull over just to take it all in. It's not just public art -- it's a tribute to humanity. A powerful and moving piece that makes the city more beautiful. Definitely worth seeing in person!

The carillon's 25 bells float within a basic structure of three painted steel columns, the highest…read moreof which is 54 feet tall. A continuously flowing water feature can be seen at the foot of the tower. The bell tower's open structure preserves the direct view from the RiverPlace courtyard to the river and the city beyond. The design and location of the bell tower and carillon were approved by the City's Arts in Public Places Commission and the former Design and Preservation Commission. It was unveiled in August 2012. The tower structure was dedicated in honor of Tommy Wyche, who was selected because of his love of music and lifelong support of downtown Greenville. Sadly, I didn't get to hear it ring today. [Review 2226 of 2024 - 1193 in South Carolina - 23244 overall]

Walking around downtown Greenville, you might spot this abstract sculpture with a small caption…read morebelow. It is at the corner of Spring Street and East Washington Avenue. The caption reads, "On his journey from The Liberty Theater in Greenville to the stages of New York City, 'Peg Leg' Bates danced around anything that dared get in his way." And it notes the sculptor is Joseph R. Thompson. The modernistic memorial was unveiled in 2013 and is near the historic Liberty Theater, where Bates was first discovered in 1926. Born in Fountain Inn, South Carolina, Bates lost his leg in a cotton mill accident at age 12 but refused to let his disability define him. His uncle crafted a wooden peg leg, allowing Bates to continue dancing and eventually rise to prominence in vaudeville, Broadway, and television, including multiple appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show. Bates not only broke racial barriers but also founded the Peg Leg Bates Country Club, a resort catering to African American clientele. This is a powerful reminder of Bates' legacy, inspiring future generations with his story of resilience and success. A must-see for those who appreciate history, dance, and the triumph of the human spirit. The statue was Greenville's 62nd piece of public art, further enriching the city's cultural landscape. [Review 251 of 2025 - 1271 in South Carolina - 23815 overall]

Everyone is from somewhere and Grammy-winning artist Peabo Bryson is from Greenville. This mural on…read moreone of the walls in The Commons at Welborn honors the local native who is best known for singing the songs in two Disney films: the title song from "Beauty and the Beast" with Celine Dion and "A Whole New World" from the movie "Aladdin" with Lea Salonga. The mural was unveiled in September 2024 as a tribute to the legend. If you're at The Commons, check it out! [Review 2220 of 2024 - 1190 in South Carolina - 23238 overall]

The Loretta Aiken aka "Moms Mabley" Mural is located on the corner of Main Street and Caldwell…read moreStreet. It is one of the newer murals, for the North Carolina Musicians Trail. It was done in September 2024 by Scott Nurkin. The mural was easy to find but finding parking not as easy. The public parking lot wasn't near the mural so I parked on the street. If you are out and about in Brevard the public parking would work just fine. I had heard of Moms Mabley but did not know she was the first woman to perform solo as a headliner at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. Besides being the comedian, she also sang and was a Civil Rights Activist. If you are near Brevard, this mural is worth a stop!

The sculpture along one of the walking trails that are part of the Reedy River Falls park is by…read moreartist Bryan Hunt. It was completed in 2004. It is quite tall, depicting what could be a tree with a leafy canopy. I did find an artist's statement online, "I have often used water as a subject in my sculpture because it can take many forms, and water is the element of which all life comes from. It [water] is spiritual. To me, the waterfall is the figure in the landscape. Falls Lake Fall is somewhat like a totem with a waterfall figure high above at the edge of the pool of a lake. All of this [is] exposed by taking away the earthy cradle [landscape]." And it continues, "There are two versions. The first version is in Tokyo, Japan, at a place called Shiroyama Hills Building Complex. Greenville has the second version." The plaque reads, "Fall Lake Falls. By Bryan Hunt. Endowed by The F.W. Symmes Foundation. In memory of Katherine McKinnon Wilkinson." [Review 2228 of 2024 - 1195 in South Carolina - 23246 overall]

Nice place to enjoy an afternoon we love the sound of water flowing we will be come again !read more