The Wildabout Walkabout is an animal sculpture scavenger hunt in downtown Johnson City. In 2020 and 2022, art students and faculty in the East Tennessee State University Department of Art & Design designed and fabricated the bronze animal sculptures under the direction of professor Travis Graves. Fourteen pieces were installed in each round, resulting in a total of twenty-eight sculptures included in the scavenger hunt. The City of Johnson City and the Johnson City Public Art Committee coordinated the project, and a group of educators and librarian from the Johnson City Public Library created the scavenger hunt by developing clues for the location of each sculpture.
Scavenger hunt clue cards are available at various downtown businesses and at the Johnson City Public Library. Clues may also be accessed online:
CLICK TO VIEW WILDABOUT WALKABOUT SCAVENGER HUNT CLUES
The sculptures are located in and around King Commons and Founders Park and along Main and Market Streets. The mural in King Commons entitled Wildabout inspired the types of animals that were selected for the sculptural works, and nearly all of the animal types chosen for the sculptures are also represented in the mural. Animal types utilized in the sculpture designs include the red fox, beaver, osprey, turtle, rock bass, ladybug, and cicada, among others.
Many thanks to Travis Graves, the art students and faculty, and others who dedicated their time and creativity to this project.
