New Eagle Nation on Parade sculpture depicts 118-year history of the Howard family’s lumber business

September 9, 2016

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Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art graduate students Courtney Ryan and Jessamy McManus unveil the latest Eagle in the Eagle Nation on Parade project at Howard Lumber and Hardware in Statesboro. The “Legacy of Lumber” Eagle is a tribute to the family’s heritage and reflects the evolution of their business.

On Sept. 9, an unveiling ceremony was held at Howard Lumber and Hardware on Gentilly Road in Statesboro for the newest addition to the Eagle Nation on Parade (ENOP) project. The sculpture, commissioned by Arthur and Carol Howard, was designed by Georgia Southern University Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art graduate students Courtney Ryan, of Columbus, Georgia, and Jessamy McManus, of Lilburn, Georgia. Four generations of Howards have worked in the lumber industry processing long leaf, yellow pines in Bulloch County since 1898. The “Legacy of Lumber” Eagle is a tribute to the family’s heritage and reflects the evolution of their business — from a small, man-powered sawmill to a technologically advanced, full-line manufacturer and distributor of lumber products in the city of Statesboro. “It was a pleasure working with Jessamy and Courtney on this project, and they were so easy to work with,” said Arthur Howard. “The Eagle turned out fabulous, and Carol and I are so proud of it.” Ryan is a Master of Fine Arts student working in ceramics at Georgia Southern. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in sculpture and ceramics at Columbus State University. Currently, Ryan is working as a graduate teaching assistant instructing foundations-level two-dimensional design and three-dimensional design classes at Georgia Southern. McManus is a Master of Fine Arts student studying painting at Georgia Southern where she also earned her Bachelor of Art in 2D Studio Art and currently is working as the gallery assistant at the Center for Art and Theatre. “We are excited about the latest ENOP project designed by Courtney and Jessamy,” said Robert Farber, chair of the Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art. “Through collaboration, these two emerging artists have created a unique sculpture that successfully represents the long history of the Howard Lumber Company and the Howard family’s involvement in the lumber industry in Bulloch County.” Eagle Nation On Parade is a public art project that salutes the University’s traditions, celebrates the unity of campus and community, contributes to the economic vitality and quality of life in Statesboro while supporting student scholarships. The Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art (BFSDoArt) at Georgia Southern University is committed to offering quality undergraduate and graduate degree programs that prepare students to become professional artists, designers, art historians, and industry leaders. The BFSDoArt is recognized as an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD). For more information, visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu/art. The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) is the largest of the eight colleges that make up Georgia Southern University, and it plays a central role in every student’s core of knowledge. CLASS, also described as the University’s College of the Creative Mind, prepares students to achieve academic excellence, develop their analytical skills, enhance their creativity and embrace their responsibilities as citizens of their communities, their nations and the world. CLASS offers more than 20 undergraduate degrees and several interdisciplinary minors from its 11 departments and five academic centers. CLASS offers eight master’s degrees, two graduate certificates and one doctoral degree. For more information, visit class.georgiasouthern.edu.

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