ENTWINED STRENGTH - HORSE SCULPTURE

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​Artist: Eric Strauss     https://www.ericstrauss-sculptor.com/

Installation:  May 2022
Location: Bell Road and Boles Road Roundabout, Johns Creek, GA

 

To make something from nothing takes vision, strength, and creativity. This sculpture by Eric Strauss embodies—and is dedicated to—the people who came together to build the new City of Johns Creek.

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As you contemplate the sculpture, notice how the vines intertwine to form the dramatic figure of a horse. The horse appears to rise from the direction of the Chattahoochee River, moving toward the place that would become Johns Creek. Its hind legs evoke the towering presence of cypress trees, stretching upward toward eternity.

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Each of the hundreds of vines that form the horse’s body was individually hand-crafted, varying in curve, ridge, and thickness. Together, they symbolize the diversity of our community. Like vines in nature, which rely on one another for support, the strands in the horse intertwine to create greater strength. In the same way, our community thrives when the talents and expertise of residents and leaders are woven together, forming a strong and tightly connected fabric.

 

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GENERAL INFORMATION

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Entwined Strength is constructed from 4,000 pounds of hot-forged steel. Artist Eric Strauss describes himself as a self-taught metalsmith and an assemblage sculptor. For this piece, he applied “architectural techniques and toolings in a sculptural way,” combining precision with the expressive qualities of hand-forged steel.

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Eric used hundreds of steel rods, heating each repeatedly to 1,400 degrees until glowing red, then striking them countless times on the anvil. After a final reheating, the pieces were twisted and pulled to create the flowing ridges and “wavy gravy” forms that give the horse its dynamic movement. Each rod was carefully treated like a puzzle piece—tacked, retacked, and hand-welded into the final sculpture.

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The creation of Entwined Strength came with many unexpected challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic began just as Eric started construction of the sculpture. Anticipating widespread business shutdowns, he quickly sourced and secured the materials he would need to continue working.

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Soon after construction began, Eric realized that his existing hammer could not withstand the level of use required for the project. He ordered a German-style enclosed power hammer, but pandemic-related shipping delays caused it to become stuck in port backups. After waiting for months, Eric ultimately drove to Texas to retrieve the hammer himself.

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Additional logistical challenges arose at Eric’s studio, which sits atop a mountain. The driveway had to be graded and covered with gravel to safely deliver the heavy equipment and eventually transport the completed sculpture to Johns Creek. Inside the studio, the cement floor also required reinforcement to support the weight and force of the new pneumatic hammer. During the creation process, Eric burned through two welding torches and countless smaller tools while forging the sculpture’s steel components.

Artist Eric Strauss was selected to create the piece because of his distinctive artistic style and his strong ties to the Johns Creek community. Eric grew up on a farm in the Shakerag area and was especially excited to create a work that would become a permanent part of the city’s landscape.

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Eric draws inspiration from imagery found in the natural world and combines it with hand-forged steel to create a striking juxtaposition between nature and industrialization. After discovering sculpture while studying at Georgia Southern University, he continued his artistic education in Cortona, Italy, before returning to Atlanta to open his own studio. His work gained significant recognition with a 2006 exhibition at the Booth Western Art Museum, and his sculptures are now included in both private and public collections throughout the United States and Europe

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