Jack Smith Park in Cary, N.C., is the perfect microcosm of what I look for in a “little adventure” outdoors – entertainment, creativity and natural beauty.
The park has all the typical parts you’d expect like brightly-colored playground equipment and nicely landscaped green spaces, but what’s not typical are the art installations.
The towering whirligig sculptures of Vollis Simpson, a farmer/machinist turned folk artist, comprise the park's delightful centerpiece. If you've ever played with a pinwheel, then you understand whirligigs – toys and objects that move, or rather whirl, by wind power.
The park’s three whirligigs, standing at least 20 to 30 ft each, are painted in bold, contrasting primary colors. One whirligig looks as if it's covered in a bouquet of flowers, but are actually textured circular sculptures and fan blades of various sizes painted in dynamic patterns.
Each one spins independently when the wind blows. My favorite of the three whirligigs features a pipe-smoking farmer working a well pump as a little bird looks on.
Simpson was commissioned to create the park’s whirligigs and clearly this one is a nod to the site’s past as a working farm.
The farm's history was also the inspiration for an installation along the park’s walking path. William Moore, a sculptor from nearby Pittsboro, N.C., created a flock of sheep that resemble the Suffolk breed that were once raised on the land, according to park signage.
The sheep are crafted of cement and painted with the breed’s distinctive markings – a black face and legs. Moore’s sculptures are beautifully done in a modern style.
The flock is separated into three pods that look natural along the edge of the park’s large grassy field doing what sheep do – grazing, looking around and scratching their side.
The installation is intended to be interactive and every time I visit the park, children run down the hill to climb and sit on sculptures.
Jack Smith Park is located in southeastern Cary as the area starts to turn less suburban and more rural. The park is small, well-maintained and nestled among trees that provide shade along parts of the walking path that winds around the entire park.
For families, there are plenty of activities all close to each other, including a splash pad with several water features, playgrounds designed for different ages and a 10ft tall climbing structure.
Plus, there’s a large covered picnic area. Down the hill is a wide field that's perfect for frisbee and soccer.
The main area of the park is a short drive toward the back of the property. At the park’s entrance is a dog park with separate areas for large and small breeds.
Jack Smith Park, like all other parks, is designed to connect us with nature and find enjoyment. I love that the art installations add to the park’s cheerfulness and escapism. Maybe the imaginative work of Simpson and Moore will help inspire park visitors, as well.
If you like Simpson’s whirligigs, the most impressive collection is the two-acre Vollis Simpson Park in Wilson, N.C. Simpson lived on a farm in Lucama, which is just outside Wilson.
The downtown park features 30 of Simpson’s large-scale whirligigs. The city also hosts the annual Whirligig Festival every November celebrating art, music and food.
To learn more about Moore’s work, visit the Chatham Artists Guild or his personal site for Rock Rest Studios.
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