Dancing for Joy by the Will of the People

25 ft tall, bamboo, paint, reflectors, fencing, wire ties, 2024

Located at Back Cove Trail Parking lot, Portland Maine

Great Egrets are flamboyant and vivid. Each spring they grow extravagant plumes and leap with abandon to attract and impress a mate. They are unusual birds that share all nesting and child care duties.

This work of art will be a meeting place, a place for children to play in and run through. A glittering silver white and nearly 20 feet tall, it will be a beacon, visible from many views along the Back Cove trail. Dancing for Joy is designed for all ages. The doorways are a variety of sizes. Which entry suits you? Can you dance your best show off prance through the display of the Dancing Great Egrets?

This installation is dedicated to the freedom to marry who you love. These sculptures celebrate the will of the people to democratically transform society. In 2012, Maine became one of the first states to legalize same-sex marriage through a citizen’s petition that won the popular vote. Watch a short film by Buoy Media about this project.

Press links:

Scenes from the Community Opening of Dancing for Joy, TempoArt, Portland Maine, June 19, 2024

New avian sculpture unveiled on Back Cove Trail in Portland, WGME, Channel 13 news, June 13, 2024

Giant Bird Statues Towering Over Back Cove in Portland, Maine, Q97.9 radio, June 12, 2024