The woven design of “Villa Aviana” allows an interesting play of sunlight and shadows throughout the day, said sculptor Jack Denton.Since the Rock City birdhouse was created in 1952, the red-and-black icon has evolved into a nationally recognized symbol of the Lookout Mountain attraction.
Now artist Jack Denton has designed another birdhouse for the gardens. It’s a sculpture he created after Rock City management commissioned a piece to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the gardens.
“Villa Aviana” (house of birds) is Denton’s take on what a See Rock City birdhouse might look like if the birds made one from native plants. The birdhouse is installed in Gnome Valley inside Rock City Gardens.
“It is made of quarter-inch aluminum,” said Denton. “It’s 14 feet tall, 9 feet wide and 9 feet deep. It’s large enough for visitors to walk through.”
Although massive in scale, the artwork gives an illusion of air and light through its lacy, woven design. Denton said he incorporated plants native to the Rock City gardens, such as rhododendron, hosta, ferns and holly, as he sketched out the piece.