About Gobble de Art
During the summer of 2006, the Gobble de Art public art project placed fabulously decorated Hokie Bird statues all around Blacksburg with the purpose of increasing awareness and interest in the community, while at the same time bringing attention to the visual arts. Since then, thousands of visitors have been drawn to Blacksburg to experience the artistic whimsy. The summer of the Hokie Bird was capped off by the Gobble Gala and Auction. While all the original painted statues have been sold, there are unpainted statues ready to be designed and available for purchase. Gobble de Art lives on through the two dozen or so birds that remain in public view, and the ongoing sale of complementing merchandise.
Making of the Birds
Each "New Flock" Gobble de Art bird is individually cast in bonded co-polymer resin and then hand-painted with meticulous detail in the true Virginia Tech colors. All sculptures are produced in limited quantities and stand 2-feet tall.
There are eight limited edition sculptures in our portfolio, six of which are available for purchase. Letter Sweater Hokie was the first Hokie Bird to debut, followed by Gridiron Gobbler. Both of these have been retired, but Cadet Hokie and Fore the Birds, our tribute to the great game of golf, are currently available for purchase. Following these birds, we introduced Lunch Pail Defense Hokie for football lovers. The colorful Hokie Pokie Dot joined the flock later with an artistic design that's truly "what it's all about." And then, the Executive Hokie was introduced to become the perfect addition to any home or office. Most recently, the Hokiestone Bird was brought into the New Flock family to pay homage to the beautiful Virginia Tech campus architecture.
The Blacksburg Partnership continues to promote Gobble de Art and the original vision to bring attention to Blacksburg and appreciation for the visual arts.
The Blacksburg Partnership Foundation is a non-profit, independent economic development organization focused on projects that attract visitors and retail prospects. Partnership projects include the development of property, revitalization of retail districts, special events, and community arts endeavors such as Gobble de Art and the Collaborative for the Arts. The Partnership is also known for two signature events that take place every year: Blacksburg Fork and Cork, a food, wine, and art extravaganza and Blacksburg Brew Do, a craft beer festival.