09/16/2026
Newest Public Art Project Underway: Salamander Scavenger Hunt
Following Town Council approval, the Waynesville Public Art Commission (WPAC) contracted artist Derek Rhodarmer of Waynesville, NC, to design, fabricate, and install seven small-scale salamander sculptures throughout Downtown Waynesville. Downtown Waynesville has long been known as “The Gateway to the Smoky Mountains.” To honor these beautiful mountains—and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park’s distinction as the “Salamander Capital of the World”—the WPAC created a unique way to celebrate both: a salamander scavenger hunt.
The sculptures will become part of an interactive public art scavenger hunt, creating a fun and unique experience for residents and visitors alike. The goal of the scavenger hunt is to help drive foot traffic to the downtown Waynesville area and educate the public on the wildlife that calls Western North Carolina home. This project will be completed in Fall 2026.
Waynesville businesses and residents have an opportunity to donate to this soon-to-be flagship art installation. Following the unanimous approval of the project, Town Council graciously sponsored the first salamander in the scavenger hunt, an Eastern Hellbender they named “Dolly”, after the late Dolly Parton who donated millions of dollars to Helene recovery efforts in WNC. Sponsorships start at $1,000 and include naming rights to the salamander. Each salamander’s species, unique facts, and name will be incorporated into the scavenger hunt poem.
This project is funded through donations and sponsorships. If you would like to donate to public art or sponsor a salamander, please email [email protected] for information on how to do so. Donations to public art can also be made via check. Please make the check out to “TOW-WPAC” and mail to:
WPAC
PO Box 100
Attn: Candace Poolton
Waynesville, NC 28786
The National Park Service has been instrumental in providing educational guidance and selecting species that accurately reflect the Great Smoky Mountains. Smokies Life will be donating prizes to those who discover all seven salamanders. Prizes include park patches, stickers, and a copy of the book So Many Salamanders by Diane Lang to the first 250 participants. In addition to providing prizes, Smokies Life will be sharing the scavenger hunt on their blog that boasts over 70,000 readers.
Waynesville Public Art Commission Chair, George Kenney, is impassioned about the project and collaborative efforts, “We are very excited about promoting the unique wildlife that call WNC home, with the added benefit of bringing locals and visitors to downtown.”
About the Artist:
Derek Rhodarmer is a multimedia artist and designer whose work can be found in many public and private collections across the United States. Rhodarmer is a native of Haywood County and holds an MFA degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. After stints in Philadelphia, Vermont, New York, Atlanta and Raleigh, Rhodarmer returned to Haywood County and creates both under his own name, and as 155 Design Studio. In addition, Rhodarmer is a professor in the School of Fine Arts and Communication at A-B Tech. His work encompasses sculpting, drawing, painting, photography, digital artwork and filmmaking, and architectural fabrication.
