Reaching Across and Rooted Deep: The Story Behind Jackson’s Newest Sculpture

Written & Photographed by Maddie McMurry

You might have noticed a new sculpture in downtown Jackson, and maybe it stopped you in your tracks as you were walking or driving by. This has been the reaction of many people I’ve talked to about the Highland Ave Sculpture, titled “Gateway Bouquet” by Memphis-based stained glass artist Suzy Hendrix. The process of installing a large scale piece of public art like this is far more complicated than most people understand. Over a year has passed since the project began, and Suzy’s inspiration for this piece was sparked by the very people who live and work around the area of the sculpture. 

Suzy Hendrix spent a decade living in Paris, France, working as a musician and performing in some of the city’s grand cathedrals. It was there, surrounded by centuries-old architecture and stained-glass windows, that she first fell in love with the medium.

When she returned to the United States and settled in Memphis over 30 years ago, she decided to pursue stained glass as an artistic medium. What began with classes in traditional stained glass eventually expanded into something much larger. She became interested in sculpture, public art and the possibilities of combining glass with other materials.

“I took classes to do stained glass, but the rest was really self taught. I consider travel my teacher. The architecture from another world really inspires me,” Suzy said.

Today, no matter what form her work takes, stained glass remains an important part of it. That combination of sculpture and stained glass eventually brought Suzy to Jackson to create our newest sculpture, Gateway Bouquet, located off of North Highland Ave. as an entrance into the Farmers’ Market area. 

She had been interested in creating work outside of Memphis and originally applied for one of Our Jackson Home’s projects the year before the Highland Sculpture was selected. Although she wasn't chosen for that project, she decided to apply when the opportunity for this sculpture opened up. This time, her artistic style aligned closely with what the selection committee was looking for.

As part of the process, finalists were given the opportunity to hear directly from the community through a survey about what residents wanted to see represented in the sculpture, and Suzy paid close attention to what they had to say.

“I was inspired by what people had to say about it, and I wanted something that was very uplifting,” Suzy said. “Because I looked at all the other public art you have in your area, and everything seems to have this symbol of hope.”

At the center of the design are trees, their branches reaching toward one another until they meet in the middle. At first, the trees were a natural choice, as the surrounding landscape inspired her to incorporate them into the sculpture. But as the design took shape, their meaning grew deeper.

The trees represent connection, such as people reaching across differences and finding common ground. Their branches stretch toward one another, creating a visual representation of people coming together despite the distance between them.

Trees are deeply rooted in the ground, with complex systems of roots intertwining beneath the soil. Suzy saw a similar symbolism as this sculpture is beneath Jackson's streets.

“These sculptures have roots just like trees do, you know,” she said. “It goes down deep into the ground, and it mingles with the pipelines, the gas lines, the water lines, and all that. So it coexists with the vital systems of the City of Jackson.”

In that way, the sculpture is both organic and distinctly connected to the place where it stands. Its roots are not simply symbolic, they physically become part of the infrastructure of Jackson. 

To make this sculpture come to life, it required a very talented team working together.

LG Fabricators handled the welding and fabrication of the sculpture, working closely with Suzy throughout the process. She made frequent trips to Jackson to collaborate with the team as the installation came together.

This was LG Fabricator’s first time creating a project of this kind, requiring them to develop an entirely new skill set as sculptural fabricators. It has now given them a new skill they can carry with them to the next project. 

The project also involved A2H, the sculptural engineering firm responsible for translating Suzy’s artistic design into a structurally sound piece. With an office in Jackson and connections to the community, the engineering team helped bring the artistic concept into the realities of building a large-scale outdoor sculpture.

That local involvement became one of the most meaningful parts of the project for Suzy.

“There’s a very strong sense of community and civic pride in Jackson,” she said. “Every time I mentioned that I was using Jackson crews for the project, they would just light up. That just shows that they really are proud of their city and abilities here.”

The stained-glass-looking leaves that extend from the sculpture's branches are made using a technique called “dalle de verre”, a French form of glass art known for its strength and durability.

The process begins with cast glass. Suzy makes some of her own glass, while other pieces are purchased in slabs in the colors needed for a particular project. The slabs are cut into individual pieces using a wet saw, then arranged according to the design.

A resin matrix holds the glass pieces together. The resin is formulated to have a similar expansion rate to the glass, allowing the materials to work together and creating a strong, stable piece. The finished glass assembly is then encased in steel and is welded onto the sculpture. The result is glass that is about an inch thick and capable of withstanding the demands of being outdoors.

“I hope that it is a beacon to encourage walkability downtown,” Suzy said.

From the area around Havner’s Frame Shop, where Hendrix currently has a gallery exhibition, to the Farmers Market, the sculpture sits within a walkable stretch of downtown Jackson. Its form and scale draw the eye, creating a visual landmark that connects one part of the city to another.

It is also intended to point out the convenient city parking lot located on College Street, and encourage people to park and walk across to the Farmers’ Market.

The Highland Sculpture stands as a reminder that connection can take many forms—between people, between places, between art and architecture, and between a community and the people who help shape it.

Suzy’s gallery at Havner’s Frame Shop will be up until September 24, and you can see more of her work on her website sassafrasart.com. 

Thank you to the City of Jackson, Downtown Jackson, and the Downtown Jackson Revenue and Finance Corporation for partnering with us on this project. Thank you also to LG Fabrication, MSB Construction, and A2H Engineers here in Jackson for all of their work creating and installing this piece with us.