Egg-perience the Eggstraordinary Outdoor Art of Forsyth County

Have you ever wondered about the large, painted eggs placed around the county? How many are there?  Who hatched the idea? Where’s the chicken that laid these huge eggs? 

Twenty five giant replicas of a chicken egg are located throughout Forsyth County as the result of a grant from the Forsyth County Arts Alliance (FCAA) in collaboration with Forsyth County Parks & Recreation Department, and Sawnee Woman’s Club. Local merchants and Lanier Technical College provided finishing touches. With that, the 'Eggstraordinary Outdoor Art Exhibit' was born. 

According to Debbie Little, who at the time was co-chair of the Arts Department of Sawnee Woman's Club with Kristin Joyner, the purpose of the project "was to create an outdoor project accessible to everyone within the county."

The grant funded the production of the eggs. Larry Hutto took the dimensions of an actual egg and produced a mold from which the 25 eggs would be produced said Kristin Joyner of Sawnee Woman’s Club.   

Once Hutto created the mold Sawnee Woman's Club "reached out to local organizations and partnered with schools" for the actual painting of eggs, explained Laura Pate of Forsyth County Parks & Recreation. "That's what makes it a community project," explained Pate.

All of the eggs have been allocated since the project began in 2008. A local artist, Cornbread, is currently working on the last one; the first egg, is located at Forsyth Central High School, said Joyner. 

The effort has received support from Lanier Technical College where the eggs are clear-coated to withstand weather. “They have been absolutely marvelous,” said Joyner. The school offered the clear-coating at a reduced cost, and as the process occurs at the Oakwood Campus, it is the only part of the process that takes place out of Forsyth County. Joyner was quick to add that the Forsyth campus of Lanier Tech does not have the capability to perform the job.

The students “did a remarkable job” and “they learn to paint a non-flat surface,” stated Joyner. 

Travelling to the Tech Oakwood campus with a six-foot egg is humorous at best and raises eyebrows of onlookers. There is now a method to the transportation and everyone knows their part. 

Forsyth County Parks & Recreation Department pour concrete slabs for each egg that is then secured by bolts. Pate arranges for individual signs which include the name of the artist. 

The egg-cellent idea was inspired by the chickens in Gainesville, Georgia; the chicken idea evolved from Chicago’s cows. The bovine were made of fiberglass in Texas and became cost prohibitive; chickens were only four feet high and the incidents of theft of the fowl were high. 

Three high schools have decorated the eggs: Central painted the first one and the egg remains on campus. West decorated the egg at Forsyth County Board of Education on Dahlonega Highway, and young artists from North adorned their egg with license plates. That egg is now at the Tag Office. 

Other eggs are located at the , field at Coal Mountain Park, the VFW post on Dahlonega Highway, McDonald Funeral Home, and Humpus Bumpus bookstore. Each egg has its own personality, most often based upon its location. The United Community Bank egg was hand-painted by a teller and the design for the Senior Center eggs were voted upon by unanimous decision. 

Not only do the eggs serve as a colorful decoration to the county and a reminder of the importance of art, but families have made day trips of excursions to locate all of the eggs. According to Joyner, there is one family that makes a day trip to see each egg with their homebound relative.

The Historical Society of Forsyth County now maintains the articles and information regarding the eggs project.

Joyner said the club hopes to have a map of the eggs and has asked that any graphic designers interested in creating a “whimsical map” should contact the Sawnee Woman's Club here.

Editor's Note: This article first appeared on Cumming Patch on August 17, 2011.