Peach Bowl statue nears completion

DAHLONEGA, Ga. - The Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl celebrates 50 years of football on January 1, and as part of the golden anniversary, the bowl has commissioned a 30-foot steel peach statue to be placed near the site of the annual game.

The artwork which is currently being assembled in a warehouse in Dahlonega is the brainchild of local artist and noted sculptor, Gregory Johnson who says the statue will have an interactive quality to it, allowing people to see their reflection in the mirror-like surface of the peach.

"We have led lighting that you can change to over a million colors" Johnson explained,  "So you've got a beautiful, modern structure that's mirror-finished, refractive, reflective, and what I think is a really beautiful design."

The statue is similar in concept to Chicago's stainless steel Cloud Gate sculpture which allows visitors to see themselves as well as the city skyline in the reflection.

The project is nearing completion as Johnson and his staff put the finishing touches on the assembly of the peach, which will be transported to an area between Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the World Congress Center. The work will be unveiled to the public sometime before the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game featuring Alabama and FSU on September 2nd.-until that time, the final design will remain a secret.

Johnson, who has designed hundreds of sculptures, is hoping this one will be an attraction as well.

"I would like to think it will be a destination point where people will really want to come see this."