Ocean Springs has installed two large sculptures inspired by Walter Anderson at city gateway sites to help guide visitors toward downtown, and the works were unveiled on Oct. 1, 2026.
SuperTalk Mississippi reported that sculptor Phil Proctor of Lucedale was selected to create a shearwater and a pelican for the Ocean Springs Gateway Sculpture Project after a public call for artist qualifications from Mississippi and the surrounding region.
According to the report, design and engineering work for the sculptures began in late 2025 and manufacturing took place around March 2026. Julian Rankin, strategic advisor for the Walter Anderson Museum of Art, told the outlet the overall project took about two and a half years, including public input, design, funding and manufacturing.
Proctor, who graduated from The University of Southern Mississippi in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and later earned a master’s degree in fine arts from East Carolina University, moved to Atlanta and worked on large-scale projects across the country before returning to the Mississippi Coast for this commission.
The report says the Gateway Sculpture Project was funded through the Gulf Coast Restoration Fund as part of the Mary C. O’Keefe Cultural Center rehabilitation and signage project and is intended to direct visitors to downtown businesses and bring public art into developing areas of the city.
The SuperTalk Mississippi story was produced by the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
