LITTLE
DEBBIE
COLLEGEDALE, TENNESSEE | 2023
CLIENT
McKee Park, Trails and Greenways
LOCATION
Little Debbie Park
Collegedale, Tennessee
MEDIUM
Bronze
SCALE
Life-size 45"
COMMISSIONED
December 14, 2021
UNVEILED
June 30,2023
A FAMILY STORY CAST
IN BRONZE
The Little Debbie sculpture was commissioned for Little Debbie Park in Collegedale, Tennessee, as a celebration of family, community and the story behind one of the most recognizable brands in the United States.
The sculpture was inspired by a cherished 1969 photograph of 8-year-old Debbie McKee serving Swiss Cake Rolls while helping her grandparents, O.D. and Ruth McKee, founders of McKee Foods, at the opening of Village Market.
More than five decades later, that moment became the inspiration for a life-size bronze sculpture.
Debbie Mckee visited my studio to review and approve the clay sculpture before it moved into mold-making and bronze casting.
FROM A PHOTOGRAPH TO BRONZE
1969 PHOTOGRAPH
Debbie Mckee at Village Market opening
CLAY SCULPTURE
Studio model
FINISHED BRONZE
Installed at Little Debbie Park
THE UNVEILING
The sculpture was unveiled on June 30, 2023, in a heartfelt celebration attended by the McKee family, community members and local state leaders. More than the unveiling of a bronze sculpture, it was a celebration of the smiles, memories, and simple moments Little Debbie snacks have been part of for generations of families.
