Herky Artwork Parades Throughout the Community

Herky on Parade is currently the area’s largest public art installation. One hundred Herky the Hawk statues were selected out of three hundred, all by local artists, including our very own Conrad Hellman. The Herky statues were displayed all across Johnson County, Iowa, for the community to visit. Urban Acres sponsored and collaborated with Conrad to bring Herky’s Urban Heartland to life.

“Illustration is not something I’m typically comfortable doing, but it was the best solution to Urban Acres’ request for a community-focused design, originally used for tote bags,” explained Conrad. Adapting the original design to Herky’s body took some consideration. As a primarily digital artist, Conrad was up to the challenge of reinventing the design with paint. After deciding on a wrapped-around design, there was a period of experimentation to see what features fit the best. “We had to see where things fit, where I could wrap the roads around each other, and even how certain elements look on the legs and arms,” described Conrad.

Herky’s Urban Heartland was displayed on the west side of Ranshaw Way Parklet in North Liberty along the bike trail during the summer and cumulated at the 15th Annual FRYFest on August 30. It’s now on display at Urban Acres headquarters in Coralville, showing the spirit and community they serve.