ABOUT
Director, Hannah Cook
Art in Bartow is the public art commission for Bartow County and leads our community in the creation and installation of public art. We have worked on many local projects including paintings and sculptures in Cartersville at the Library, the Courthouse, at the Etowah Indian Mounds, in downtown Adairsville, and many other locations. We are currently producing a series of murals for the new parking garage on Main St, we painted the Church St Bridge in preparation for a rotating outdoor gallery, we finished the installation of an indoor mural "Imagination Grows Wild" in the Library's new Reading Room, and we've just launched a brand new project which will feature young artists throughout the entire county.
The Iron Butterfly Trail is one of many projects, but one that was created in direct response to this question, "What will our "bulldog" be?" While it seems silly worded that way, we understood the community very much wanted an icon to represent who we are. After much research we landed with the Iron Butterfly. It takes us from our mining history to our colorful and creative present. These butterflies are built and prepped locally at Steel Materials and each is hand painted by an artist. Local organizations sponsor a butterfly with a one time tax deductible donation of $2500 which covers the entire process from idea to install for the butterfly and the signage.
We currently have 8 butterflies installed (will be 21 by the end of 2023) and we have them in Adairsville, downtown Cartersville, Dellinger Park, and Woodland High School. We will continue to target local parks and trailheads as we move forward with the project.
Growing up in the Midwest, Hannah developed an early passion for community theatre, eventually earning a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance. Since her first job in 2001, Hannah’s career has been in and around the arts, from professional theatre work in Lancaster, PA while earning her Master of Communication to Nashville-area positions involving record labels, video production, live events, and more.
Hannah met her husband, David, on a friend’s front porch in 2006, only to lose touch after she deleted her MySpace account. Then, at the same house two years later, they crossed paths again. He didn’t let her out of his sight until he had her number. Eight months later, they were married at the historic Belcourt Theatre in Nashville.
In 2014, Hannah and her family moved from Nashville to Woodstock, GA. Two years later, her love for the arts led them to Rome, GA, her husband’s hometown, where she served as Executive Director of Rome Little Theatre, a position that gave her an immediate family in her new town and brought her back to her roots in live theatre. When a research grant through the CVB brought her to Bartow County, it launched her into the world of public art, and she hasn’t looked back.
Hannah and David, who works as an attorney for the federal government, have been married for 15 years. They have two daughters, 9 and 12, four small, energetic dogs, a cat named Tellus and two fish.
No matter the hat she’s wearing, she loves nothing more than to see a project through from conception to completion. In her role with Art in Bartow, Hannah is working toward the unity of storytelling and placemaking, seeing beauty in the world as we encounter it while building community and mining meaning from the stories we live and tell.
Mission: The mission of Art in Bartow is to increase public awareness and enjoyment and to provide equitable accessible opportunities for residents and visitors to experience the arts.
Vision: By creating memorable experiences, we generate community pride and foster a sense of belonging, while building an identity as a vibrant arts destination. We strive to present the highest quality, impactful art by spotlighting local artists, art educators and future artists. We highlight our history and culture by creating a public art program that brings interest to the arts and to our community in new ways.
Core Strategy: Explore partnerships with artists, arts organizations, public K-12 schools, government, Georgia Museums Inc., Georgia Highlands, local businesses, and private developers; to connect arts, artists and opportunities.
Goal: CONNECT
Identify opportunities for art in a variety of public spaces; foster diversity in the development and enjoyment of performing, visual, musical, literary arts and other cultural activities. Incorporate the work and ideas of artists and designers into public settings.
Goal: CREATE
Champion public art and engage the community in the development and enjoyment of public art projects. Include citizens in creating a plan that is unique to the needs and desires of Bartow County. Provide a legacy of art and culture for future generations.
Goal: EDUCATE
Develop public art outreach and information services. Raise public awareness of the cultural and economic contributions; including attracting industry, promoting identity and civic pride, attracting visitors and developing vibrant, creative spaces.
Goal: HIGHLIGHT HISTORY
Bring the community together through the marriage of art and history unique to Bartow County. Encourage public dialogue as we tell our history through the arts.