Public Art

Artist Statement:

Guidance by Debra Zelenak of Wyoming was the People’s Choice winner of the 2012 CityArt Walking Sculpture Tour.
Debra is an avid hiker and while on the trails in Colorado, she frequently came across cairns, which are manmade piles of stone, often conical, marking trails and at the top of mountain peaks. In some areas, piles of rocks used to mark hiking trails are called “ducks” or “duckies,” and are named because some would have a “beak” pointing in the direction of the route. A trail through barren terrain is not as clear as a trail through the woods, thus the need for cairns. Debra states, “The path we take through life is full of twists and turns. Sometimes we have to choose one path over another. Guidance is a combination of a pile of rocks and small birds or duckies that have guided us on our life journey.” This beautiful bronze sculpture is Debra’s interpretation of life’s cairn and the many paths we take.

Location: Belgrade just north of Cross Street, North Mankato