Artist Erica Group’s new miniature Downtown DeLand Wings are the seventh in her series of “Wings of the West” art installations across West Volusia.
She painted her first pair of wings in Downtown DeLand in 2014, and after that mural drew so much attention, Group and the West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority began scouting more locations across West Volusia for painted wings.
Ensuring they were spread out was important, she told The Beacon, as well as placing them at family-friendly locations.
The project, Group said, was “a way to get some of the other areas in West Volusia some attention and highlight some of the desirable spots that people might not have known about.”
The other Wings are at Skydive DeLand, Barberville Pioneer Settlement, Cassadaga Fairy Trail, Lyonia Environmental Center in Deltona, and the Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge in DeLeon Springs.
Each installation is themed appropriately, too. The wings at Skydive DeLand resemble biplane wings, and the ones at Lyonia Environmental Center resemble scrub jay wings, referencing the scrub jay preserve near the environmental center.
Will she paint more wings? Group said she’s open to the idea after seeing how much excitement there was for her new installation, sized for small children and dogs.
“There are all these family locations, and they are pretty big for little kids,” she said. “I would be thrilled and honored to do more.”