ST. GEORGE —From a 100-pound bronze tortoise to a 12-foot-tall bird woman, Art Around the Corner has gone big this year, and you’ll want to stroll downtown to see the new artwork for yourself.

On Saturday, Art Around the Corner began its 19th year by installing nearly 30 new sculptures and works of 3D art in Historic Town Square and Main Street, with additional pieces placed at the St. George Regional Hospital. The program coordinates with artists to bring their pieces to St. George and display them along city streets, in parks, inside and outside the City Hall and the hospital.

“Art Around the Corner really enhances the quality of life in St. George through the installation of public art,” St. George Mayor Michele Randall said in a press release issued about the recent installations. “Our residents and visitors are always excited to see and interact with the Outdoor Sculpture Galleries each year. We treasure this enduring collaboration and encourage everyone to come downtown and enjoy these pieces.”

At 200 North and Main Street, where “Dad,” a 12-foot tall dragon made of Utah license plates once sat, a new winged creature has arisen.

Coming in at 12.5 feet tall with a wingspan of 20 feet and weighing almost 500 pounds, “Bird Woman” is a steel sculpture with fused glass created by Cheryl Collins, an artist who primarily creates fused glass and bronze sculptures, and Trent Ripplinger, a metal sculpture artist.

Collins said “Bird Woman” first began when she saw the shape of a bird woman in her patio rocks. She saw it as a profound symbol of comfort in a time of grief, helping her discover meaning in life and alleviate suffering. She drew the pattern on paper and created the bird woman with fused glass. As Bird Woman’s meaning continues to evolve and expand into something more beautiful and inspiring, she said those that come in contact with her find their own inspiration and insight.

As individual artists, Collins and Ripplinger have come together to co-create projects for the last 20 years. When Art Around the Corner reached out to Collins to see if she would be submitting art this year, she knew exactly what she wanted to create, and who she wanted to do it with. 

The original plan for “Bird Woman” was to have her stand around 5 feet tall, but Ripplinger had other plans. While Collins was initially shocked about the sculpture’s 12-foot size, she immediately saw indentations for chakra placements – which Ripplinger said weren’t placed intentionally – and burst into tears.

“There are so many synchronicities and just shapes on this whole thing that I can’t even explain them all,” Ripplinger said. “It happened the whole way through. It just came together like magic.”

The art piece is made with corten steel, which Ripplinger said is similar to stainless steel. While it rusts on the outside, it will never rust out. Once the sculpture was placed outside, the original silver color was patinaed, turning it into the rich, rusted earth color it is now.

“Her message was about recovering from loss to find hope and the resilience to move past grief and pain,” Collins said. “’Bird Woman’ raises her wings as if leading the choir, inviting us to join her in song to celebrate life. She exudes inner strength and beauty in her uniqueness.”

A variety of cards that represent different birds have been placed inside the head of “Bird Woman,” such as a raven, owl, heron, hummingbird and more, which each have their own unique meaning.

“It’s masculine and feminine,” Collins said. “Glass and metal, strength and vulnerability. It’s just like everything coming together that is nonduality. It’s like the inclusiveness and all the parts of us. That is the bigger picture of life.”

Most of Ripplinger’s metal art is commissioned and located in gated communities, which remain private. He said his gift comes from the ability to visualize things in his head and create them. One of his prominent pieces can be seen on the main entry doors of Sakura Japanese Steakhouse, which features a large metal cherry blossom tree.

At the annual Artists’ Social last Friday, Collins was honored as the 2023 Partner in the Arts recipient for her regular contributions to Art Around the Corner since 2017.

“Thanks to Art Around the Corner, artists can dream big and create sculptures larger than life to display in St. George’s outdoor gallery,” Collins said.

Deveren Farley, an artist who is known for his many prominent art pieces around St. George, including a giant spider and last year’s dragon made from Utah license plates, also had a new art piece installed this year. The art piece, “Family Tree,” is a tree sculpture made from old tools, recycled metal and scraps of metal. Farley said it’s important to conserve and recycle resources and the use of these elements makes the sculptures one-of-a-kind.

“I find a lot of joy in providing communities with artwork that can offer such a feeling of wonder,” Farley said in his call for entry application. “I’m so excited for this opportunity to bring something magnificent to your community.”

For more information on Art Around the Corner, including a walking map of the downtown art exhibits, visit their website.

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