Wild Geese Minis bring local tradition down to size

LEWISTOWN -- Robert Corkins had a goose in mind. It stood 1 foot tall, was intended for Goose Day events, and existed, so far, as a design he couldn’t find anyone to manufacture.

Corkins, president of the Henderson Hose Hook & Ladder Historical Society of Lewistown, reached out to Community Partnerships, the nonprofit responsible for the 5-foot fiberglass geese scattered throughout the Juniata River Valley.

“I am having no luck finding a place to make one,” Corkins wrote in his email.

His request helped move along an idea Community Partnerships had discussed for some time: smaller versions of the Wild Geese: Flock Together public art sculptures, made for people who might love the originals but lack the space or budget for one.

Now the organization is taking pre-orders for Wild Geese Minis, 12-inch reproductions of its familiar public art pieces. An unpainted miniature costs $185; a version decorated by a regional artist costs $400. Bulk orders are available by request.

Sam Price, executive director of Community Partnerships Resource Conservation and Development, said the popularity of the full-sized geese had prompted discussions about smaller versions. Corkins’ inquiry gave those conversations some urgency.

“The large ones are a significant investment,” Price said. “I think it’s an accessibility point for the project.”

For years, the larger geese have become part of the region’s landscape. Artists paint the 5-foot forms to reflect local institutions, history, and personalities. There’s “Navigator” at the Mifflin County Courthouse, and Jennifer Hartzler’s “Riverbed Featherhead” in Lewistown’s Monument Square. Dozens more stand in communities across Mifflin and Juniata counties.

The effort dates to 2018, when a community initiative looking for a mascot that reflected local identity brought the idea to Community Partnerships. The geese grew out of a tradition considerably older than the artwork: Goose Day, observed Sept. 29 in the Juniata River Valley, where eating goose is supposed to bring good fortune.

Price said the birds’ appearance was designed with children and durability in mind. A goose’s actual proportions, particularly its narrow neck, wouldn’t work as well for a sculpture exposed to the elements. The public art birds have thicker necks and an almost mischievous expression.

“They get lots of hugs out there,” Price said.

The miniatures will preserve that same thick-necked, mischievous appearance. Rather than develop an unrelated collectible, Community Partnerships returned to Cowpainters, the Chicago company that manufactured the large geese.

“You take it a little more seriously,” Price said of receiving Corkins’ request.

Owner and sculptor Brieanne Hauger, originally from Somerset County, helped create the original form with her team. Local art educators, including Jim Bright, also contributed to its development.

The 12-inch versions will be made from the original computer-aided design files, using lightweight rotocast resin rather than the fiberglass of the larger sculptures. The goal, Price said, is to reproduce the familiar bird on a scale suited to a desk, shelf, or community organization.

Making the smaller model feasible required paying for a prototype. That expense might have delayed the idea, but AAA Central Penn stepped forward as the project’s sponsor.

Price said Jennifer Pennepacker, a branch manager for AAA Central Penn, helped bring the company into the effort. The organization’s interest in becoming more involved with Goose Day coincided with the search for someone to finance the prototype.

“They said, ‘We’re in,'” Price recalled.

AAA Central Penn is expected to receive the first two miniatures.

“We’re able to actually do it, to turn it from an idea into reality because of their generous sponsorship,” Price said.

The project also creates another opportunity for local artists. Buyers who select a $400 edition can provide general ideas for a design, and an artist will interpret them on the smaller form. Price said the organization hopes to create opportunities for artists who haven’t had a chance to paint a full-sized goose.

“We have our Wild Geese roster, but we are also interested in opening that up,” Price said.

There’s room for a theme, Price explained, but not instructions as precise as putting 17 butterflies on the right wing.

The less expensive version arrives unpainted, leaving its new owner to decide what belongs on it. Price sees possibilities for schools, clubs, churches, and individuals who want to take part in the project without commissioning a 5-foot statue.

The geese aren’t ready for pickup yet. No finished 12-inch models existed when Price spoke, and the promotional picture showed the digital artwork used for production. He estimated manufacturing would take about 10 weeks, with additional time needed for hand-painted versions.

Unlike the full-sized sculptures, the miniatures could travel beyond the Juniata River Valley, mailed to former residents or anyone wanting a piece of the region’s unusual tradition.

“These are mailable, so that’s kind of nice about them,” Price said.

Price said there had been encouraging calls and social media interest, but it was too early to know how strong sales would be.

Community Partnerships have also experimented with an even smaller goose, although that is a separate undertaking. Working with Penn State’s OriginLabs, the nonprofit used photogrammetry and three-dimensional printing to reproduce Hartzler’s “Riverbed Featherhead” at roughly 1 inch tall. Price said the limited collectible may be offered in connection with donations closer to the holidays.

For the nonprofit, the new merchandise offers something beyond another way to celebrate a tradition. After manufacturing and artist costs, proceeds from mini sales will return to Community Partnerships programs, including activities at the LEAF kitchen and classroom facility in Lewistown.

Price said grants remain valuable, but the miniatures could provide another source of revenue for the nonprofit.

“It’s dangerous to have them be your only source of income,” he said.

He described the minis as a modest opportunity to generate support while bringing more people into a project they already recognize.

“It’s not a gigantic profit margin,” he said.

The idea, he emphasized, didn’t arrive as a sales plan drawn up in isolation. It came partly from people who wanted to participate and couldn’t find the right size of goose.

“It was driven by community,” Price said. “That’s the best kind of thing when you listen to the community and answer the needs.”

The five-foot geese have become familiar sights in the places where people work, visit, and gather. Their 1-foot counterparts, when production is complete, will be able to follow people home.