Clayton Sculpture Trail Unveils Largest Exhibit to Date
The 2026–2027 Clayton Sculpture Trail is now open, bringing 15 new sculptures to locations across Town.
This year’s exhibit is the largest and most competitive yet with the Public Art Advisory Board selecting pieces from 86 submissions by 30 artists representing 10 states.
The Sculpture Trail continues to turn Clayton into an open-air gallery. Visitors can explore artwork placed throughout downtown, parks, and public spaces. Each piece offers a chance to see something new and experience art in a natural setting.
This year’s collection features a wide mix of styles and ideas. Some works encourage reflection while others bring color, motion, and creativity into everyday spaces.
This year’s Sculpture Trail features:
- Key Hole Flutter Arch: Jim Gallucci (Greensboro, NC)-A welcoming arch that reflects joy and new possibilities.
- Vuida: Joni Younkins-Herzog (Athens, GA)-A large flower form that blends beauty with themes of loss.
- Novel Idea: Craig Gray (Key West, FL)-A granite bench shaped like books that celebrates storytelling and learning.
- Reluctant Prism: Harry McDaniel (Asheville, NC)-A curved sculpture that uses colored light to create a unique nighttime display.
- Scorpius: Lawrence Feir (Greensboro, NC)-A large steel scorpion built from hundreds of welded pieces.
- Inner Muse: Laura Teste (Bloomfield, MI)-A bronze figure thatrepresentscreativity and quiet strength.
- Pollinator: Kirk Seese (Lutherville Timonium, MD)-A bright sculpture made from reused materials that captures a butterfly in motion.
- Tomorrow Scope: Nathan Pierce (Cape Girardeau, MO)-A piece that invites people to think about the future.
- Low Poly Open Heart: Matthew Duffy (Washington, DC)-A geometric heart that allows viewers to see into and through the form.
- Red Passage: Adam Walls (Tryon, NC)-A playful work inspired by underwater life and movement.
- Tree Branches: Kirk Seese (Lutherville Timonium, MD)-A colorful design with repeating patterns that feel organic and inviting.
- Billy & The Strings: Jason Morris (Lillington, NC)-A sculpture inspired by music and nature using scrap metal.
- Lost Signals: Nathan Pierce (Cape Girardeau, MO)-A reflection on how technology can both connect and isolate people.
- Icosahedron: Kirk Seese (Lutherville Timonium, MD)-An interactive geometric piece that explores shape and movement.
- Big Al’s Story: Grace Cathey (Waynesville, NC)-A character-driven piece that celebrates learning and storytelling across generations.
The Sculpture Trail has been part of Clayton for more than a decade. It gives residents and visitors a chance to experience art without barriers. There are no tickets or set hours, so people can enjoy the trail at any time of day throughout the year.
Town leaders and the Public Art Advisory Board look forward to seeing how the community connects with this year’s exhibit. Each sculpture adds something new to Clayton and helps create shared experiences for all who visit.
The 2026–2027 Sculpture Trail is free and open to the public. For more details and a full list of sculpture locations, visit ClaytonNC.org/Sculpture.
