Master Naturalists hope new squirrel statue sparks more ‘Curiosity’
25 Mar 2023
Downtown, Quality of Life, News
Felicia Frazar The Seguin Gazette
Squirrel statues are popping up all over town and the newest one is sure to spark some “Curiosity.”
The Seguin Squirrel Trail’s latest installment, “Curiosity,” was unveiled Friday in front of the Seguin Public Library along the Walnut Springs Walking Trail.
The work of art depicts several aspects of the city’s natural side from bats flying into the night sky to children learning about the world around them from a beloved, former Texas Master Naturalist, said artist Liz Romero.
“Betty Hughes was a very, very dear friend of mine. She was a master gardener, master naturalist, a member of the Native Plant Society and a member of the Seguin Art League. The first person I thought about when we talked about putting local characters on it was Betty. I wanted to honor her because she gave so much to the broader community — not just Guadalupe County, but Bexar County and the whole region.”
Romero, who is a member of the Seguin Art League and the Guadalupe County chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists, collaborated with fellow Master Naturalists Jim and Chris Dyess on the statue’s art design.
“It’s just a way of showing all of the activities that go on around the library and around the Master Naturalist’s program,” Romero said.
The Dyesses sponsored the squirrel with the intent of giving visitors a glimpse of the local Master Naturalist chapter’s programs for children and adults.
“We met with Liz around the kitchen table and threw out ideas and she thought about it a while and she came back with these wonderful vignettes and stickie notes,” Chris said. “We just had fun coming up with the things we did. I think it is going to be fun for kids to look at and find new things.”
The group pulled inspiration from the organization’s popular Discover Series for children. The educational series introduces children to the outside world through lessons like A Bug’s World, Blooming and Buzz, Dinosaurs, Horns and Thorns, Nature Journaling, Clues and Traces, Early Texans, What’s Swimming, the Forest, Rocks and What’s Flying.
“The Master Naturalist program is really great because it is an opportunity to acknowledge the curiosity that kids have and embrace their curiosity in nature,” Jim said.
As the couple travels across the country, they find they enjoy seeing public art. When they heard the Seguin Commission on the Arts was starting the Squirrel Trail, they wanted to help ensure that it was successful.
“We are really impressed when we go to towns that have public art all over,” Chris said. “We were just thrilled when Seguin said they were going to do these squirrels. We are excited to see them popping up around town.”
Seguin Commission on the Arts Chairman Kelly Follis said projects like the Seguin Trail bring the art to community members who may not otherwise get the opportunity to see creative displays.
“Not everybody is going to go into a museum and see art, not everybody has that access or they’re intimidated, so this brings the art right out to the people,” she said. “Nobody is going to be intimidated by this squirrel and they’re going to get to enjoy some beautiful art and just a lovely addition to our park.”
The new squirrel and its location are the perfect pairing, Follis said.
“I really think this is a great place for the squirrel because the library is all about access, accessing information,” she said. “It is the public getting to learn new things and it is just a hub in our community.”
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