Gwinnett Daily Post

Photo by Kristen Ralph

SUWANEE -- Mini canvases of Suwanee landmarks will bloom along Suwanee's trails next month through the city's Art on a Limb program.

Two pieces of artwork -- retouched giclees of old and new Suwanee icons -- will be hidden along the Suwanee Creek Greenway and at Sims Lake Park each day throughout May. Those who find the artwork may keep it.

Since 2005, this annual finders-keepers treasure hunt has combined Suwanee's enthusiasm for art and nature, city officials said.

Last year, Kathleen Webb said she found both a great piece of art and a little relaxation on the Suwanee Creek Greenway.

"It had just occurred to me how relaxed I felt and how good that was (when) I happened to look toward the creek ... and there it was ... a little treasure just waiting for a pair of eyes to spy it," she said. "What a great 'aha' reminder (that) sometimes we just need to relax and see what happens. Amazing what a little Art on a Limb can do."

This year's Art on a Limb pieces, created by local artist and Suwanee resident Vickie Johnson, are mini canvases of scenes reflecting historic Old Town and the new Town Center.

"As I was putting together my thoughts on what would be considered a beautiful addition to the homes of residents who would find the hidden artwork, I kept returning to the sights of Old Town Suwanee," Johnson said. "I wanted to provide a piece -- or pieces, in this case -- of artwork that each finder would treasure as a way of maintaining a little piece of what Suwanee was and has become.

"That is why I have created retouched giclees of my art in miniature form to encompass the old and the new."

The giclees, or fine art prints created from a digital source using ink-jet printing, feature five Suwanee landmarks: City Hall, Suwanee First United Methodist Church, the caboose, former barn at White Street Park and Town Center.

Johnson is an art teacher at Central Gwinnett High School. She has been named Teacher of the Year by several regional and national organizations and recently founded the North Gwinnett Arts Association.