New Public Art at Moon Lake Village in Mentone
New Art at Moon Lake Village in Mentone
By Stephen V. Smith
An appreciation of the arts has been central to life in Mentone since the town’s foundation. It is fitting, therefore, that a new public art project has become a focal point here for citizens and visitors alike.
An impressive sculpture garden stands a few yards from the front steps of Moon Lake Village, the former Moon Lake Elementary School. With its art, plants, and hand-crafted artisan benches, the garden can be found just off Alabama Highway 117 on East River Road in Mentone.
The centerpiece of the garden is a 10-foot-tall aluminum totem entitled “Firmly Planted, Forward Moving.” It is shaped like a white oak leaf, paying tribute to the 240-year-old white oak tree that stands in front of the historic campus. The tree bears witness to generations of students who played and learned here.
This unique artistic endeavor captures the community’s spirit and resilience, and it’s just one of the reasons visitors will want to visit Moon Lake Village.
Visitors will find unique shops here such as Other World Gifts, Sacred Earth Studio, Faith and Mustard Seed, Coming Up Violets, and Olde DeSoto Tackle.
The Little River Art Gallery offers works from local artists who are members of the Little River Arts Council. For a wider selection of artwork, Andiamo Gallery carries the work of artists from across the Southeastern U.S.
And what if you find that perfect print? Cloudland Framing provides expert custom framing services for locals and visitors alike.
The office of Delightful Retreats is also located on the campus. For visitors who fall in love with the area and want to return, Delightful Retreats provides a variety of vacation cabin rentals. Broker Holly Houston can also find a new residence for those ready to make Mentone their permanent home.
The former school’s cafeteria is currently being renovated into a public restaurant. In the coming months, it will transform into a fine dining establishment offering Creole cuisine, a complement to the array of excellent food options available elsewhere in Mentone.
The historic schoolhouse is now owned by the Town of Mentone, which renovated it and attracted the shops and art galleries to the former classrooms. This brought new life to the campus, which was closed in 2021 due to low enrollment.
The sculpture garden is a unique public art project coordinated by the Little River Arts Council. The artwork itself was created by nationally recognized artist Deedee Morrison, a native of Mentone. It’s more than just a sculpture — it’s a narrative of the community’s enduring spirit and forward momentum.
Morrison fondly recalls her childhood days playing under the tree that inspired her work. She attended classes at the school fifty years ago. Her deep connection to the site is evident in the intricate details of the sculpture, which features bees, butterflies, and other pollinators indigenous to the area as symbols of growth and unity.
The artwork serves as a beacon of hope and renewal, demonstrating how art can heal and unify a community. “We’ve seen our fair share of trauma in Mentone,” Morrison noted. “And I think public art gives us the ability to transcend language in a way. When you attach a narrative and an understanding of where the art came from, it deeply impacts the response of the community towards the art, because they’re invested and they’ve understood the narrative and development of it.”
Make plans to visit Moon Lake Village in Mentone for shopping, artwork, and dining, and to spend time reflecting at the “Firmly Planted, Moving Forward” sculpture and surrounding garden. It’s located at 5866 E. River Road. To get there, turn off of Alabama 117 at Mentone Baptist Church, where you will find the parking lot and entrance for Moon Lake Village on the left. In addition to the main white school building, don’t miss the small buildings between the school and the Moon Lake Library.
