LSMSA Will Dedicate New Public Art Sculpture Honoring Caroline Dormon on Thursday, Oct. 3

LSMSA will officially dedicate “A Path Less Traveled,” a new public art sculpture honoring Sabine Parish native Caroline Dormon, during a dedication ceremony planned for 4:15 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3. The public is invited to attend this free event. RSVP to the Facebook event here.

The dedication ceremony will begin in David Conner Treen Auditorium on the first floor of the LSMSA High School Building at 715 University Parkway in Natchitoches. The front entrance to the High School Building will be accessible for visitors to campus, and ample free parking is available nearby.

The program will include an educational presentation from LSMSA Executive Director Emeritus, Dr. Arthur S. Williams, covering Dormon’s life and work.

 

“Although not usually counted among the other famous women of this parish—those usually named being Cammie Henry, Clementine Hunter, and Kate Chopin—Dormon is, to my mind, the most important and distinguished,” Dr. Williams said.

 

Following the presentation, attendees will walk from the auditorium to view the sculpture, which is located between the Living Learning Commons and the Center for Performance & Technology.

 

“This public art sculpture celebrates a woman who truly embodied the spirit of ‘the path less traveled.’ Her groundbreaking achievements remind us that pursuing unique passions can lead to extraordinary success,” said LSMSA Executive Director Dr. Steven Horton. “Dormon’s example resonates deeply at LSMSA, where we encourage our students to forge their own paths toward excellence.”

Dormon, a native of Saline, LA, was a pioneering conservationist and the first woman to work in environmental education in public schools as part of the Division of Forestry in Louisiana. She also authored several landmark books on Louisiana’s native plants and led the charge to establish Kisatchie National Forest. Dormon’s estate, Briarwood Nature Preserve, has been maintained as a nonprofit since her death in 1971.

 

Artists Jeffrey Reed and Jennifer Madden, creators of “A Path Less Traveled,” will participate in the dedication ceremony via remote call. 

 

"We wanted to create a place for students to sit and meet," said Madden. "To this end, we designed multiple tall 'trees' with boulders and a path to make a space where people can go to meet friends or read a book." 

 

Guests at the dedication ceremony will also hear, from LSMSA Principal Lecturer of Art Chris King, MFA, how Dormon was selected as the subject of the sculpture.       

 

“I decided to approach this project, from a conceptual perspective, aiming to honor Caroline Dormon and her historic work,” King said. “The more I learned about Dormon’s dedication, the more I saw an opportunity to create a landmark piece that honors this historic woman.” 

The project was made possible through Louisiana’s Percent for Art Program administered by the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development. The Percent for Art Program is designed to bring significant works of art to public spaces across the state. 

 

“This project has been a profound journey, and it is a testament to what can be achieved when vision, dedication, and collaboration come together,” Percent for Art Program Director Scott Finch said. “My involvement, alongside project manager April Baham, has been to ensure that the installation not only honors Caroline Dormon’s remarkable contributions, but also enriches the LSMSA campus environment. Our goal was to create a site-specific work that would resonate deeply with the school's mission and the community it serves."

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