18. Golf Birds
By Jonathan Bowling
Location: SB Gratiot & Wellington Crescent (NW)
Host: City of Mount Clemens
Sponsor: Macomb Cultural and Economic Partnership
This is the last of three sculptures by this artist in our collection (Brea and Charleston Horse are the other two).
Jonathan Bowling grew up on a small farm in Kentucky, where the Appalachian Mountains melt into the rolling hills of the Bluegrass. His first sculptural efforts were the simple games of childhood–fieldstone castles, a bridle of hay twine, a driftwood armada. As a teenager in the late eighties, Bowling lived in Belgium, where he had access to the museums of Western Europe. On his return to the states, he attended the University of Kentucky where he received his BFA in sculpture and a BA in art history. In 1996 he moved to Greenville, North Carolina, to pursue an MFA in sculpture at East Carolina University in 1999. He has been working out of Greenville ever since. Bowling has shown extensively in the Eastern United States, which has resulted in a number of long-term lease agreements and sales to municipalities and private collectors.
For the past 12 years I have been focused on public art, largely farm animals. These pieces are made with the intention of staying outdoors in a public area without the need for extensive maintenance. The materials I use are often from the turn of the last century, which I feel is appropriate for depicting animals so intertwined with our agrarian past. Repurposed steel provides a sound structure which allows me to work on a scale that lends itself to public spaces.
Check out more of his work at: https://jonathanbowling.com and on https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.s.bowling
One of our first sponsors for this sculpture were Sharon and Dana Gire. We remember them fondly.
Stop by our office located at 92 NB Gratiot in Mount Clemens and pick up a brochure of all our sculptures in the brochure box located on our front porch at 92 NB Gratiot, or at the Bonior Tree or Pollinator Park. There are now plenty of sunny days where a walk can be exhilarating.
If you want to support our efforts, please send a small tax-deductible contribution to keep the next show going in October 2026 – 2027 and be sure to like us on Facebook
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