Created by Charlie Brouwer, "Happy Wanderers" was among the sculptures in the first Art in Roanoke (AIR) temporary exhibition from October 2008 to April 2010."Happy Wanderers" was inspired by a “hike” Brouwer took with his 3-year-old grandson around his yard. They carried walking sticks and on the way started singing “I love to go a-wandering…” from a song he learned in childhood titled “The Happy Wanderer.”

"Happy Wanderers" was also featured in the second installment of the Art in Roanoke (AIR) temporary exhibition from September 2010 to March 2012.

About the artist:
Brouwer holds a BA from Grand Valley State University and an MFA from Western Michigan University. He was a professor of art at Radford University for 21 years. Brouwer has exhibited nationally and internationally in a total of 183 exhibitions since 1975, 34 of which were solo exhibitions or installations. Visit his website at charliebrouwer.com

About AIR:
Since 2002, the City of Roanoke has designated 1 % of funds for certain capital projects to purchase or display art in the city. The program is overseen by the 19-member Council-appointed Roanoke Arts Commission. Art for Everyone, the city’s first public art plan, was adopted by the City Council in 2006.

AIR is a project of the City of Roanoke’s Percent for Art Program, established to provide public art in city neighborhoods and public places to reflect the community’s vibrancy and heritage.

Sourced from:
Information was obtained from documents by the Arts Council of the Roanoke Valley.