Sculpture Highlights Timber and Railroad History in Collinwood

Collinwood is home to a new masterpiece highlighting the community’s rich timber industry and railroad history, created by renowned artist and sculptor Jennifer Grisham of Columbia, Tennessee. The 20 x12.5 -inch relief depicts an L&N train loaded with ties and logs pulling alongside Collinwood’s train depot, passing by a giant oak tree, on its way to its next destination. Grisham submitted a proposal and was commissioned to create the sculpture as part of Collinwood’s Art on Broadway call for entries. The project was funded by an Arts Build Communities (ABC) grant through the Tennessee Arts Commission in partnership with South Central Tennessee Development District, the City of Collinwood, and Collinwood-Tennessee Downtowns.

Grisham researched Collinwood’s history and worked closely with City Manager Gary Victory, Beautification Board Chairperson Debie Pigg, and members of Collinwood’s Tennessee Downtowns Committee in designing the artwork. Once the original clay sculpture was completed, Grisham transported the delicate artwork to Tony Novak Studio in Nashville where Novak created a mold and cast the reliefs. Grisham then returned to Collinwood to deliver the mold and two reliefs.

Jennifer Grisham is a renowned artist who has sculpted many iconic works, including life-size statues of country music star Minnie Pearl and former U.S. President James K. Polk and First Lady Sarah Childress Polk, intricate sculptures of Coach Bear Bryant and busts of George W. Bush, Lady Bird Johnson, Davy Crockett, and others. Her works of art are displayed at the Civil War Fine Art Gallery in Gettysburg, in the Cary Maguire Collection in Dallas, on the campus of Columbia State Community College, and at the Dixie Carter Performing Arts Center in Huntingdon, Tennessee.

“The sculpture is a beautiful reminder of Collinwood’s heritage,” said City Manager Victory, “We are grateful to the Tennessee Arts Commission for helping us continue to beautify our community through art.” The reliefs will be mounted for public display in the downtown area this summer.

The Arts Build Communities (ABC) grant program is designed to provide support for arts projects that broaden access to arts experiences, address community quality of life issues through the arts, or enhance the sustainability of asset-based cultural enterprises. To learn more about the ABC and other arts programming, visit the Tennessee Arts Commission website at https://tnartscommission.org/.