Sculpture on the Trail

Mark McHenry, Sculptor

Man in cap smiles, working with wooden beams outdoors. In the background, is a red brick building.

On the trail, history and nature are palpable – and now so is art. It can be touched and felt.


Mark McHenry, architect and sculptor, has gifted several sculptures to the Volland Foundation. Created over a lifetime and not specifically designed for this place, McHenry recognized they would feel at home here – and they do. The materials of iron, wood, stone, and found objects resonate with the Flint Hills and its culture. The architecture, engineering, and vision of each piece is complex and intriguing. They stir the imagination.


IMPLEMENT (for Richard Gillespie) can be seen from the front windows of the gallery. Look to the  west of the Ruin, close to the two trees along the mowed path leading to the Nature Trail entrance.


KAW HAVEN (for Lena Baxter) is next, placed close to the trail’s south entrance.


Suspended from a tree just before the first bend in the trail, you will discover

THE MIDDLETON,



and  ERLING STRAND is about midway through the trail.


When you  emerge from the trail in the draw, look for PALO ALTO 1972 swinging from a tree on a hill above the horse arena.


OBYSODOBI (in response to D.H.L.) hangs from the Giant cottonwood tree between the arena and Volland Road.

Download Mark's Sculpture Guide

IMPLEMENT (for Richard Gillespie) was placed in view of the Volland Store, beckoning visitors to discover others on the Nature Trail with the help of Ryan Jones, Director of Operations. Installed on Halloween 2022.

Abstract outdoor sculpture in a field. Brown and black metal structures against a backdrop of trees and dry grass.

KAW HAVEN (for Lena Baxter) is the first sculpture gifted by Mark McHenry. It points toward the entrance to the Nature Trail. Installed July 2022.

Man standing next to a rustic metal sculpture in a field, with trees in the background.

THE MIDDLETON took a village to suspend from just the right branch. Installed November 28, 2022.

Rusty metal sculpture resembling a cross in a wooded area, brown with a blue sky background.

ERLING STRAND, created from wood and iron artifacts of train tracks, fits handsomely into the context of Volland and its origins. This was McHenry's second gift of sculpture to The Volland Foundation. Received September 10, 2022.

PALO ALTO 1972 can be seen when emerging from the draw. This piece hangs from a tree on a hill above the Horse Arena, and it moves with the breeze. Installed October 30, 2023.

A tree stands in the middle of a grassy field in a park.

OBYSODOBI (in response to D.H.L.) was ten years in the making. It all started with a pine plank collected by his Dad. Received October 30, 2023.

Thank you, Mark McHenry, for the generous gift of your lifetime of work. We are most grateful.

Man stands next to large, fallen wooden structure in a forest.

Saturday morning, September 10, 2022. 9 am.


“The skies in the southwest are deep blue, portending rain. Mark McHenry, architect, artist, sculptor arrives as planned, bringing a second sculpture to install on the Nature Trail at Volland. With the prospect of rain, we move quickly to the Trail. Mark has an idea for a location of this piece. He considers the view from which hikers will first discover it, and the space and shape required for the size of the sculpture. We discuss the way the water flows over this location during a big rain event. The artist is undeterred. He accepts that the sculptures he is gifting to the Volland Foundation will be subject to the natural forces of the environment and will show the passage of time and weather. He likes that. The materials of his art are natural and belong in a natural environment.


We begin to carry the pieces of the sculpture, one by one, down the path into the woods, and I think of the people in ancient times who built the Pyramids and Mayan temples, by hand, piece by piece. Make no mistake – I have no illusions of Pyramids or Mayan temples at Volland. But carrying pieces of wood and stone by foot to a place where something of importance is to be built stirs thoughts of the past. The connection of land and hand and art is present and keenly felt.


As the installation begins, the engineering and problem-solving required of the artist to realize his vision become apparent. Pieces fit together perfectly, the holes are in the right place, balance is achieved through careful thought. Admirable. Brilliant.


Putting it together is a kind of performance art in itself. Rumbling thunder and spitting rain spur efficiency. Trains blast by and remind us of the larger world outside this niche in the woods. Finally, the piece is in place. Cottonwood limestone from Chase County, wood from a Kansas walnut tree, and a bit of Manila line make a strong statement that refers to land and industry, agriculture, and productivity. It feels right.


It is raining harder now – a baptism of sorts for this sculpture living in the woods. The artist is happy. We love it. And we are most grateful for this gift, Mr. McHenry. Thank you.” – The Volland Foundation