Nellie Mae Rowe Exhibit Receives Statewide Recognition

Cobb Landmarks is proud to share that the recently completed Nellie Mae Rowe project received an award from the Georgia Association of Museums during its annual conference on February 6th. Cobb Landmarks partnered with the Vinings Village HOA and Kennesaw State University to create this new pocket park in Vinings, which honors the legacy of celebrated folk artist Nellie Mae Rowe. Located near Hotel Indigo at the former site of Rowe's home, the park and outdoor exhibit space serve as a tribute to her life and artistic vision.

Nellie Mae Rowe was born in Fayette County, Georgia, in 1900. Her father, who was formerly enslaved, was a blacksmith and farmer, and her mother was a seamstress. From her home in Vinings, Nellie used a variety of discarded materials to create paintings, drawings, sculptures, and outdoor decorations. “When other people have things that they don’t want, they throw them away, but not me; I’m going to make something,” she said.
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The project was supported by the Vinings Village Homeowners Association, Georgia State Representative Sheila Jones, Nellie Mae Rowe family members Cheryl Mashack and Cathi Perry, the High Museum of Art, and The Judith Alexander Foundation. Funding for the project was provided by individual donors and Georgia Humanities, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, through funding from the Georgia General Assembly.