NATCHITOCHES – A sculpture inspired by the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and the movie “Steel Magnolias” was unveiled at the Susan Harling Robinson Memorial Park Feb. 12 as part of ongoing public art series coordinated by the Natchitoches Historic Development Commission and Cane River National Heritage Area in partnership with Northwestern State University’s School of Creative and Performing Arts.
The latest concept was created by Hannah Fulton, a Northwestern graduate and current assistant professor of art at Louisiana Christian University.
“It’s been roughly two years in the making,” said Fulton whose family and friends were in attendance, along with city and NSU representatives. “I saw that there was a design competition for painted flower sculptures and thought I’ll give it a shot. I had no idea whether I would be selected or which flower I would wind up with if my design was selected.”
Fulton earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic communications at NSU in 2016 and a Master of Fine Art with a concentration in drawing and painting at Louisiana Tech’s School of Design.
Susan Harling Robinson Memorial Park is located at the corner of Pine and Cypress streets. Harling Robinson, also an NSU alumna, was the inspiration behind the play “Steel Magnolias,” written by her brother Robert Harling, which was made into the 1989 comedy-drama filmed in Natchitoches.
NSU Professor of Art Corbin Covher has been involved with Art in Bloom since its beginning and introduced the idea of placing different types of flower sculptures that hold significant meaning to Natchitoches around the city. Already in place are a poinsettia next to the Santa House by Emily Dawson, who was an NSU art student when it was unveiled in 2022, and a zinnia near the waterfall in Beau Jardin by Kassi Picou of Natchitoches that was unveiled in November 2025. The latest is Fulton’s interpretation of a magnolia and the flower’s meaning in regards to “Steel Magnolias.”
“The prerequisite is that it obviously needs to be distinctly Louisiana,” she explained. “My first instinct originally was Mardi Gras colors for all flowers, but I made it subtle. Of course, the cone in the magnolia is yellow and the stem and leaves are green. What’s left is purple, which I would associate with NSU or royalty.
“Another major inspiration was the Catholic church, the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on Second Street. I just went to the Lesson in Carols program there last year. I really like stained glass windows and the black linework that frames shapes. I wanted the lines to have a bit more expressive quality and not so rigid.”
The next flowers in the Natchitoches in Bloom series are a tulip and Louisiana iris.