27
Was this experience an inspiration? Probably, but one of the coolest aspects of Simpson’s art may be
that he used a large amount of old road signs in his creations. This makes the sculptures highly reflec-tive
at night — a perfect backdrop for some of the concerts the city hosts in the amphitheater inside the
park.
Taking advantage of the reflective nature of the whirligigs, the city is hosting a holiday drive-in laser
and music show on the first Friday and Saturday of December. Tickets for the Electric Light Fantasy
are $20 per carload and available by presale only.
It is easy to imagine that Simpson would approve of the integration of technology to showcase his
work. The point is reinforced by the fact his art was relatively obscure until the rise of the Internet,
which eventually led to him earning praise from high-profile outlets such as the “New York Times.”
Opposite: Vollis Simpson
began building whirli-gigs
on his farm after
retirement. Above: Thirty
of them now have been
restored and erected
in a park in downtown
Wilson.
www.wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com WBM