Valdosta State University

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Tours

1. Scenic History & Art Tour of VSU

   This route offers historical facts about various buildings and artworks at VSU.

   Stops

   1. Stop 1: Trolley Stop

      The Valdosta Trolley called the Valdosta Street Railway opened in 1900 and ran until the end of 1925. The last part of the streetcar line still in existence is the Trolley stop at the entrance of Valdosta State University. 

   2. Stop 2: West Hall

      West Hall was completed in 1917. As Colonel West had died in December of 1914, the Board decided to name the building in his honor. 

   3. Stop 3: Bailey Science Center

      This building houses the biology office, biology faculty offices, teaching laboratories, classrooms, faculty research laboratories, and special use facilities.

   4. Stop 4: Powell Hall

      Powell Hall, originally named “The Library”

      Powell Hall was built by WPA funds, from the Roosevelt Administration, and completed in 1940.  It was dedicated in 1941 by Eleanor Roosevelt, a distant cousin of third GSWC president Frank R. Reade.  This was a magnificent building in the Gothic style.  

   5. Stop 5: Whitehead Camellia Trail

      The Whitehead Camellia Trail was donated as a Christmas gift in 1944 to Georgia State Woman’s College. Mrs. Jewel Whitehead donated 150 camellia plants to the college and took the time and effort to plant them on the north end of the main campus amongst some pine trees. She continuously worked on the trail throughout the rest of her life, adding new flowers and keeping up the old ones.

   6. Stop 6: "Big Red"

      Robert Coon

      Robert Coon was born and raised in a small textile community outside of Bessemer City, North Carolina. As Robert’s great-grandfather was a traveling furnace builder, Robert has practiced with melting metal all his life. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drawing and painting and went on for a master’s degree in sculpture at the University of Massachusetts. His three-dimensional sculptures are primarily made from 4-foot by 12-foot sheers of aluminum and tack-welded into configuration. As Robert is currently retired, he continues to make large pieces of his artwork. 

      The sculpture “My Big Red” was made out of painted aluminum and stands at 15 ft tall. The name was inspired by a sculpture by James Rosati, a previous piece of his own making, and a collegiate friend. This is the largest sculpture Coon has ever created. Although it is meant to be visually provoking while standing from afar, the best view is arguably the view from standing beneath the sculpture and looking up so that the red and the shapes fill your peripheral vision.

   7. Stop 7: "Fenris"

      Charles Hook

      Charles E. Hook was born on October 9, 1949 in Paducah, Kentucky and was a well-known art professor and international sculptor. He received his Master of Fine Arts at Washington University and later came to Florida State University in 1980. At Florida State University, Charles created a cast-iron program and shared his knowledge of places such as Bosnia, Peru, and Wales. He has created large outdoor sculptures for more than 30 years which including one at VSU.

      Many people think that Hook’s sculpture at VSU depicts a dragon, but it actually depicts Fenris. According to Norse mythology, Fenris is the son of Loki and the giantess Angrboda and is a monster shaped like a wolf. Odin bound Fenris with a magic chain after having received prophecies of disaster following the wolf-monster’s birth. Mythology states that he will remain bound until Ragnarok, when an earthquake will set him free, the nine worlds will burn, the earth will sink into the sea, and friend and foe will perish. Located in front of Odum Library, the Fenris sculpture is a sight to see, made of painted steel and standing at 9 ft. tall.

   8. Stop 8: "Black Bird"

      Ronald Zaccari

      Dr. Ronald Zaccari was born on August 29, 1937 in Butler, Pennsylvania. Ronald served as the seventh president of Valdosta State University from January 2002 until June 2008. He has a background in administration and teaching. He previously was a professor of art at Southeastern Louisiana University and continues to practice art and participate in art exhibitions. The theme of most of his art reflects human figures and birds, man and nature, man’s aspirations, and referencing hope.

      The sculpture “Black Bird”, located between Odum Library and the Student Union, was created and donated by Zaccari in 2012. The piece is made out of steel and shows a large, abstract black bird, encompassing the essence of the bird in flight.

   9. Stop 9: GSWC Fireplace

      "The massive gray stone fireplaces, located on opposite sides of the campus, are favorite spots for steak suppers and wiener roasts." (GSWC Bulletin, 25th Anniversary, 1938, p. 14) Originally there were two fireplaces. The fireplaces were donated by, "thoughtful faculty members for making our campus life more interesting, and credit is due to Miss Ivey, Miss Gilmer, Mr. Dusenbury, and Dr. Powell for our added pleasures." (Pinebranch, Nov. 1931, p. 15)

   10. Stop 10: "Guardian"

       Mark Dickson

       Mark Dickson was born in the San Francisco Bay area and raised in northern California. He currently is a full-time sculptor with a working studio in the district of Rail Road Square in Tallahassee, FL. Mark is also a part-time sculpture teacher at North Florida Community College in Madison, Florida. He has various apprenticeships in metal design, fabrication, casting, foundry methods, and blacksmithing. His larger designs include landscape architecture and open interior pieces, while his smaller designs include metal smithing and craftsmanship.

       Dickson created the sculpture “Guardian” located behind Odum Library. This piece is made of steel, stainless steel, and bronze and was added to VSU’s collection in 2012.

   11. Stop 11: "Potential"

       Hoss Haley

       Hoss Haley is a sculptor and a resident artist at Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina and John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Wisconsin. At an early age, Hoss learned machining and steel fabrication and later apprenticed as a blacksmith in Texas and New Mexico. His artwork consists of two and three-dimensional designs in bronze, concrete, and steel.

       Haley created a piece for VSU as well. His piece, titled “Potential”, was installed in 2011. This sculpture is part of Haley’s “Spheres” collection and consists of three differently sized spheres. The spheres are made of corten steel and are 36, 42, and 48 inches in diameter.

   12. Stop 12: "Cormorant"

       Harry McDaniel

       Harry McDaniel was born in 1959 in Wichita, Kansas and is the artist of several diverse sculptures and pieces within the United States. Harry’s passion for art began in 1983 while taking a painting class and metal sculpture class. His artwork includes abstract, figurative, outdoor, and wall sculptures; small and large mobiles; computer models; “American Artifacts;” and 2-D Works.

       One of his aluminum outdoor sculptures, "Cormorant", is included in the VSU Art Collection. McDaniel did not start with a conceptual intention with this sculpture but instead wanted to elicit a feeling of motion and interaction between each three pieces, allowing the viewer to have a visual experience. The artist stated, “As you walk around the sculpture, you will find that there is really no front or back; the three pieces can be seen as a new composition from each viewing angle”. The name of the piece, "Cormorant", was chosen after finishing the piece because of its resemblance to birdlike qualities. The Anhinga bird is a water bird inhabiting the southeast U.S and was chosen as the inspiration for the title.

   13. Stop 13: "Palm Benches"

       Ira Hill

       Ira Hill is a professional artist and environmental activist that currently resides in Tallahassee, Fl. In 1998, Ira received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture at the University of Alabama and his Master of Fine Arts at Florida State University in 2006. He is the president of C-4 Studio which specializes in creating cast terrazzo. He is a skilled fabricator in aluminum, concrete, steel, and wood along with having a professional foundry experience in aluminum, bronze, and iron.

       Hill crafted a cast iron bench that is included in VSU’s outdoor art collection. This bench is created in circle-like shape consisting of two complimentary leaves.

   14. Stop 14: "Fly Away Too"

       Andy Light

       Andy Light is a trained artist and sculptor with an active studio in Lexington, Kentucky. Andy uses fabricated metals for his artwork as they provide a high degree of plasticity and durability. His work is found in museums and municipal and private exhibits within the United States and the United Kingdom.

       The large, steel sculpture located outside the College of Education on Baytree Road was created by Light. It is entitled “Fly Away Too” and is included in VSU’s outdoor artwork collection.