Shannon Gray

New River State Park Visitor Center - I A major goal of the New River State Park Visitor Center in the mountains of North Carolina is to explain the importance of the Riparian Zone to the health of the river. In an attempt to "breathe some life" into the traditional approach to dioramas in natural science exhibits, I have proposed that this diorama reduce visitors to the scale of a typical animal resident of the Riparian Zone. This will add some surprise to the visitors' trip around the "River" as they explore nature from a mouse's point of view.

the Mouse that Started it All - At the New River, small animals such as mice, otters, raccoons, lizards, etc. use the Riparian Zone as "animal highways" because this zone is sheltered by a variety of woody and herbaceous plants. This little guy is the generator for the oversized diorama and gives visitors a whole new perspective.

the Visitor - The person around which all exhibits are designed. This is my redition of a typical visitor to the New River State Park: a canoe camper who loves the outdoors and has come into the Visitor Center for a map of the river. Will he stay and browse the exhibits? That depends a lot on the decisions that I make.

The Scott Collection: Hawfields Presbyterian Church - The Scott family was deeply involved both with the founding of Hawfields Presbyterian Church and with the system of education that began there (Robert Walter Scott, the patriarch of the Scott clan, established a tax to open the first high school in Alamance County). In this sketch, the facade of HPC serves as a backdrop for other interpretation.

Scott Family Collection: Medicine - In addition to producing successful politians and religious leaders, the Scott family was active in the health professions (the school of Nursing at the University of North Carolina, Chapel HIll was founded by and is named after Elizabeth Scott Carrington). This sketch continues the visual language established for the exhibit: it introduces the medically inclinded members of the Scott family with a recorded voice-over, life-sized images, and graphic panels. This island also features a display of Elizabeth Scott Carrington's unusual collection of hats.