Phoenix Park is a bright, plein air oil painting that captures a sunlit historic scene in downtown Waycross, Georgia. This 12″ × 16″ work on gesso board features a Confederate soldier monument (often called the Phoenix Park Monument) standing tall against the bright blue sky, with the historic Phoenix Hotel visible in the background. The morning sunlight created strong contrast and deep shadows, highlighting the textures of the monument and surrounding trees.
Don painted this piece while preparing for his one-man exhibition at the Okefenokee Heritage Center in August 2026. The painting was completed in one focused 2-hour plein air session with minor studio adjustments afterward.
About Phoenix Park Phoenix Park is a small but significant public park in the heart of Waycross, located at Plant Avenue and Pendleton Street. It sits in front of the historic Phoenix Hotel (built circa 1890) and across from the old railroad depot. The park is best known for its tall granite monument, erected in 1910 by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The park serves as a quiet old downtown gathering space and a view vision into Waycross’s railroad and early 20th-century history.