Photos: On the Doll's-Head Trail

Things to Do

Joel Slaton was adrift when he created a folk-art trail in Constitution Lakes Park. Now he’s found his purpose and a like-minded tribe of supporters. Check out some of the art on the Doll's-Head Trail.

July 19, 2014 Atlanta - Picture shows one of "found art" pieces at Dolls Head Trail on Saturday, July 19, 2014. Personal Journey on Joel Slaton, a carpenter who dealt with being underemployed about three years ago by wandering through on Constitution Lakes Park in Southwest DeKalb. He started picking up garbage that had been dumped off there for years and created a series of whimsical and creepy "found art" pieces, along a literally off-the-beaten path area he dubbed "Dolls Head Trail." The park itself has only existed for about five years -- it's in an industrial area, on the site of what was once an old brickworks plant and near the old prison farm. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Creepy or cool? Let the little ones decide on the Dolls Head Trail in southwest DeKalb County. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

July 29, 2014 Atlanta - Joel Slaton (left), who first started Doll's Head Trail, smiles as he talks to his artist friend Kyle Brooks, who has helped to create and maintain art pieces at Doll's Head Trail at Constitution Lakes Park near the intersection of South River Industrial Boulevard Road and Moreland Avenue on Friday, July 29, 2014. It's called Doll's Head Trail because of many "found art" pieces created with trash, many of it doll heads, that is left over after the South River floods. Personal Journey on Joel Slaton, a carpenter who dealt with being underemployed about three years ago by wandering through on Constitution Lakes Park in Southwest DeKalb. He started picking up garbage that had been dumped off there for years and created a series of whimsical and creepy "found art" pieces, along a literally off-the-beaten path area he dubbed "Doll's Head Trail." HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

July 29, 2014 Atlanta - One of "found art" pieces and also first clue to lead to Doll's Head Trail at Constitution Lakes Park near the intersection of South River Industrial Boulevard Road and Moreland Avenue on Friday, July 29, 2014. It's called Doll's Head Trail because of many "found art" pieces created with trash, many of it doll heads, that is left over after the South River floods. Personal Journey on Joel Slaton, a carpenter who dealt with being underemployed about three years ago by wandering through on Constitution Lakes Park in Southwest DeKalb. He started picking up garbage that had been dumped off there for years and created a series of whimsical and creepy "found art" pieces, along a literally off-the-beaten path area he dubbed "Doll's Head Trail." HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Restorationland is the area of southwest DeKalb County that Slaton and crew would like to clean up and breathe new life into.

July 29, 2014 Atlanta - Joel Slaton (right), who first started Doll's Head Trail, and his friends Joe Peery (left) and Kyle Brooks pose in front of the sign at old zoo burial ground about a mile away from Doll's Head Trail at Constitution Lakes Park on Friday, July 29, 2014. It's called Doll's Head Trail because of many "found art" pieces created with trash, many of it doll heads, that is left over after the South River floods. Personal Journey on Joel Slaton, a carpenter who dealt with being underemployed about three years ago by wandering through on Constitution Lakes Park in Southwest DeKalb. He started picking up garbage that had been dumped off there for years and created a series of whimsical and creepy "found art" pieces, along a literally off-the-beaten path area he dubbed "Doll's Head Trail." HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

July 29, 2014 Atlanta - Joel Slaton, who first started Doll's Head Trail, stands in front of the sign at old zoo burial ground about a mile away from Doll's Head Trail at Constitution Lakes Park on Friday, July 29, 2014. It's called Doll's Head Trail because of many "found art" pieces created with trash, many of it doll heads, that is left over after the South River floods. Personal Journey on Joel Slaton, a carpenter who dealt with being underemployed about three years ago by wandering through on Constitution Lakes Park in Southwest DeKalb. He started picking up garbage that had been dumped off there for years and created a series of whimsical and creepy "found art" pieces, along a literally off-the-beaten path area he dubbed "Doll's Head Trail." HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

July 29, 2014 Atlanta - Joel Slaton (left), who first started Doll's Head Trail, and his friends Joe Peery (center) and Kyle Brooks visit old zoo burial ground about a mile away from Doll's Head Trail at Constitution Lakes Park on Friday, July 29, 2014. It's called Doll's Head Trail because of many "found art" pieces created with trash, many of it doll heads, that is left over after the South River floods. Personal Journey on Joel Slaton, a carpenter who dealt with being underemployed about three years ago by wandering through on Constitution Lakes Park in Southwest DeKalb. He started picking up garbage that had been dumped off there for years and created a series of whimsical and creepy "found art" pieces, along a literally off-the-beaten path area he dubbed "Doll's Head Trail." HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

July 29, 2014 Atlanta - Joel Slaton (left), who first started Doll's Head Trail, and Joe Peery, who has helped to create and maintain art pieces, play with a doll part at Doll's Head Trail at Constitution Lakes Park near the intersection of South River Industrial Boulevard Road and Moreland Avenue on Friday, July 29, 2014. It's called Doll's Head Trail because of many "found art" pieces created with trash, many of it doll heads, that is left over after the South River floods. Personal Journey on Joel Slaton, a carpenter who dealt with being underemployed about three years ago by wandering through on Constitution Lakes Park in Southwest DeKalb. He started picking up garbage that had been dumped off there for years and created a series of whimsical and creepy "found art" pieces, along a literally off-the-beaten path area he dubbed "Doll's Head Trail." HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Joel Slaton, who first started Doll's-Head Trail, maintains one of "found art" pieces at on the trail at Constitution Lakes Park near the intersection of South River Industrial Boulevard Road and Moreland Avenue on Friday, July 29, 2014. It's called Doll's-Head Trail because of many of the pieces are created with trash, much of it doll heads, that gets deposited when the South River floods.

July 29, 2014 Atlanta - Joel Slaton, who first started Doll's Head Trail, maintains one of "found art" pieces at Doll's Head Trail at Constitution Lakes Park near the intersection of South River Industrial Boulevard Road and Moreland Avenue on Friday, July 29, 2014. It's called Doll's Head Trail because of many "found art" pieces created with trash, many of it doll heads, that is left over after the South River floods. Personal Journey on Joel Slaton, a carpenter who dealt with being underemployed about three years ago by wandering through on Constitution Lakes Park in Southwest DeKalb. He started picking up garbage that had been dumped off there for years and created a series of whimsical and creepy "found art" pieces, along a literally off-the-beaten path area he dubbed "Doll's Head Trail." HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

July 29, 2014 Atlanta - Joel Slaton (foreground), who first started Doll's Head Trail, maintains one of "found art" pieces as his friends Joe Peery (left) and Kyle Brooks check to maintain Doll's Head Trail at Constitution Lakes Park near the intersection of South River Industrial Boulevard Road and Moreland Avenue on Friday, July 29, 2014. It's called Doll's Head Trail because of many "found art" pieces created with trash, many of it doll heads, that is left over after the South River floods. Personal Journey on Joel Slaton, a carpenter who dealt with being underemployed about three years ago by wandering through on Constitution Lakes Park in Southwest DeKalb. He started picking up garbage that had been dumped off there for years and created a series of whimsical and creepy "found art" pieces, along a literally off-the-beaten path area he dubbed "Doll's Head Trail." HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

July 29, 2014 Atlanta - Joel Slaton (left), who first started Doll's Head Trail, talks to his friends Joe Peery (center) and Kyle Brooks as they check and maintain Doll's Head Trail at Constitution Lakes Park near the intersection of South River Industrial Boulevard Road and Moreland Avenue on Friday, July 29, 2014. It's called Doll's Head Trail because of many "found art" pieces created with trash, many of it doll heads, that is left over after the South River floods. Personal Journey on Joel Slaton, a carpenter who dealt with being underemployed about three years ago by wandering through on Constitution Lakes Park in Southwest DeKalb. He started picking up garbage that had been dumped off there for years and created a series of whimsical and creepy "found art" pieces, along a literally off-the-beaten path area he dubbed "Doll's Head Trail." HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

July 19, 2014 Atlanta - Joel Slaton shows off one of "found art" pieces at Dolls Head Trail on Saturday, July 19, 2014. Personal Journey on Joel Slaton, a carpenter who dealt with being underemployed about three years ago by wandering through on Constitution Lakes Park in Southwest DeKalb. He started picking up garbage that had been dumped off there for years and created a series of whimsical and creepy "found art" pieces, along a literally off-the-beaten path area he dubbed "Dolls Head Trail." The park itself has only existed for about five years -- it's in an industrial area, on the site of what was once an old brickworks plant and near the old prison farm. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

July 19, 2014 Atlanta - Dolls Head Trail starts with some instructions on Saturday, July 19, 2014. Personal Journey on Joel Slaton, a carpenter who dealt with being underemployed about three years ago by wandering through on Constitution Lakes Park in Southwest DeKalb. He started picking up garbage that had been dumped off there for years and created a series of whimsical and creepy "found art" pieces, along a literally off-the-beaten path area he dubbed "Dolls Head Trail." The park itself has only existed for about five years -- it's in an industrial area, on the site of what was once an old brickworks plant and near the old prison farm. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

July 19, 2014 Atlanta - A doll part is displayed on the way to Dolls Head Trail in Constitution Lakes Park on Saturday, July 19, 2014. Personal Journey on Joel Slaton, a carpenter who dealt with being underemployed about three years ago by wandering through on Constitution Lakes Park in Southwest DeKalb. He started picking up garbage that had been dumped off there for years and created a series of whimsical and creepy "found art" pieces, along a literally off-the-beaten path area he dubbed "Dolls Head Trail." The park itself has only existed for about five years -- it's in an industrial area, on the site of what was once an old brickworks plant and near the old prison farm. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

1/25

July 19, 2014 Atlanta - Picture shows one of "found art" pieces at Dolls Head Trail on Saturday, July 19, 2014. Personal Journey on Joel Slaton, a carpenter who dealt with being underemployed about three years ago by wandering through on Constitution Lakes Park in Southwest DeKalb. He started picking up garbage that had been dumped off there for years and created a series of whimsical and creepy "found art" pieces, along a literally off-the-beaten path area he dubbed "Dolls Head Trail." The park itself has only existed for about five years -- it's in an industrial area, on the site of what was once an old brickworks plant and near the old prison farm. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

Today's Gallery Headlines

Georgia students organize protests against ICE after Minnesota killings

Alerts

PHOTOS: Snellville's Brookwood High School students rally and march against ICE

PHOTOS: Scenes from icy winter storm in Metro Atlanta

PHOTOS: Georgia readies for incoming ice storm

PHOTOS: Metro Atlanta ICE protest join national effort

PHOTOS: The Weeknd electrifies the crowd at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz stadium

PHOTOS: Beyoncé fans arrive for 4-night Atlanta Cowboy Carter Tour stop

PHOTOS: Juneteenth Parade held in College Park

PHOTOS: Rapper Rick Ross holds 4th annual car show in Fayetteville