Wild Water: Art Installations in the Family Area

The Family Area at this year’s Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival will come alive with color through a collection of whimsical fiber and arts installations created by local artists and young creatives.

For the fourth year, talented volunteer artists are transforming the Family Area’s Main Entrance into an immersive artistic experience for children and their families. This year’s theme, “Wild Water,” celebrates one of the most essential elements of life: water.

Water connects us all. Every person, animal, plant, and ecosystem depends on it to survive and thrive. It nourishes our communities, supports wildlife, shapes our landscapes, and gives life to the world around us. Here in Augusta, the Savannah River provides a wonderful source of local inspiration, offering a living example of the interconnectedness that water brings to our community.

Through “Wild Water,” we invite children and families to think about the many forms water can take; from rain and rivers to ponds, oceans, rain, and the water we use every day. The Savannah River serves as a particularly meaningful reminder that water is not simply something we see around us. It is an essential part of the environment and our everyday lives.

We are thrilled to welcome fiber artists Morgan Goeckel, Malaysia Itson, the creatives of Girl Scout Troop 20200, Erica Pastecki, Kaye Ferguson, Rakiyah Lenon, Aniyah Stampley, and Carolyn Rushbrook as this year’s participating fiber artists. You can find their work wrapped around the poles at the entrance to this year’s Family Area (2026 at the Augusta Exchange Club Fairgrounds). Using yarn, fabric, and other fiber materials, these artists are creating playful and imaginative works inspired by water, nature, and the wild things that depend on them. See everything from critters to kelp in these temporary art installations.

Adding another layer to the experience, artist Heather Dunaway, is creating an overhead immersive art installation that will extend the artwork above visitors and help transform the Family Area into the Savannah River.

Have supplies to spare? Help Us Bring “Wild Water” to Life!

Over the last several years, the Arts Council has accepted donations of yarn and fiber for the volunteer artists to utilize in their artworks. This project is a true community effort, and we are asking the community to help us build our watery world by donating blue and green yarn! New or gently used yarn in shades of blue, teal, aqua, turquoise, green, and other water-inspired colors can help provide the materials our artists need to bring their visions to life.

If you have yarn tucked away in your craft room or leftover from a past project, consider giving it a new life as part of a colorful installation that thousands of children and families will experience during the festival.

Have yarn to donate? We’d love to have it! Please contact the Greater Augusta Arts Council (706-826-4702 or heather@augustaarts.com) for information about where and how to drop off your donations.

Together, these installations will bring the Family Area to life with colorful textures, imaginative creatures, and unexpected details. Designed to spark curiosity and wonder, the artwork gives children an opportunity to see how everyday materials can be transformed into something beautiful while encouraging them to explore their connection to the natural world.

The theme also offers an opportunity to celebrate the importance of protecting our water and the environments that depend on it. By introducing these ideas through creativity and play, we hope young festivalgoers will leave with a greater appreciation for water, the Savannah River, and the incredible life supported by both.

We are incredibly grateful to these artists for volunteering their time, talent, and creativity to help make the Family Area special. Their generosity demonstrates the power of art as a way to inspire others and communicate impactful messages.

Come explore “Wild Water” at the Family Area and discover a world of art, creativity, and life-giving inspiration at this year’s Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival!