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Public Art at Blue Ridge Road
Funded by the 2017 Transportation bond, the City hired artist team Marino Heidel to create public art as part of the Blue Ridge Road Widening project. The project includes public art sculptures at locations throughout the corridor. In 2026, seven sculptures were installed on Blue Ridge Road South, from Duraleigh Road to just east of Homewood Banks Drive. Two more sculptures are planned as part of Blue Ridge Road North, just east of Homewood Banks Drive to Crabtree Valley Avenue, and will be installed by 2027.
The Blue Ridge Road public art functions as a poetry walk experience for the corridor, with poems included at each art location. Taking inspiration from nine of North Carolina's poet laureates, the artists designed each sculpture as a visual interpretation of selected poems. Participating Poet Laureates include Jaki Shelton Green, Shelby Stephenson, Joseph Bathanti, Cathy Smith Bowers, Kathryn Stripling Byer, Fred Davis Chappell, Sam Ragan, James Larkin Pearson, and Arthur Talmage Abernathy.
Marking the beginning of the poetry walk, this sculpture is located near Rex Hospital. It is inspired by current NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green's poem, "who will be the messenger of this land."
Located at Ed Drive, this sculpture is inspired by Kathryn Stripling Byer's poem, "Mountain Time." Byer served as NC Poet Laureate from 2005 to 2009.
Located at Home Wood, this sculpture was inspired by Joseph Bathanti's poem, "The Haybaler," from his book Land of Amnesia. Bathanti served as NC Poet Laureate from 2012-2014.
This piece was inspired by Fred Chappell's poem, "Forever Mountain." Chappell was NC Poet Laureate from 1997 to 2002.
Located at Blue Ridge Road and St. Paul's Church, this piece was inspired by Arthur Talmadge Abernathy's poem, "In Eden." Abernathy was the first NC Poet Laureate, appointed in 1948.
Located at Blue Ridge and Marshall Park Lane, this sculpture was inspired by James Larkin Pearson's poem, "Fifty Acres." Pearson was appointed in 1953 as the second NC Poet Laureate. He held the title for 28 years.
Located at Arbor and Notmack, this piece was inspired by Shelby Stephenson's poem, "Birds." Stephenson was NC Poet Laureate from 2014 to 2016.
About the Artists
Located on the west coast of the United States, Joel Heidel and Angelina Marino-Heidel work in public art, nationally. Working as an artist team for twenty years, Marino Heidel Studios designs and fabricates public art murals and sculptures as well as their individual studio works.
Concept design for "who will be the messenger of this land" sculpture
Concept design for “Mountain Time” sculpture
Concept design for “The Girl in the Green Bathing Suit” sculpture, inspired by the poem by Sam Ragan. This piece will be installed as part of Blue Ridge Road North.
Concept design for “In Eden” sculpture
Concept design for “Birds” sculpture
Concept design for “Fifty Acres” sculpture
Concept design for “The Haybaler” sculpture
Concept design for “A Southern Rhetoric” sculpture inspired by a poem by Cathy Smith Bowers. It will be installed as part of Blue Ridge Road North.
Concept design for “Forever Mountain” sculpture
About the Project
The Blue Ridge Road Widening Project was prioritized in the Capital Improvement Program, as a major street project. The roadway project widens a segment of Blue Ridge Road from Duraleigh Road to Crabtree Valley Avenue to three lanes with curb and gutter, sidewalks and a multi-use path to provide a functional and safer multi-modal corridor for vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians. The roadway connects a major hospital and shopping center. Along with those two anchors, Blue Ridge is fronted by both single-family residences and apartment complexes. Towards the North-Eastern end, the road is intersected by a heavily used greenway. Current plans include a roundabout, major intersection improvements, a 10ft multi-use trail, and a pedestrian culvert.
