Former Master Craftsman artist Chris Horne created the Ruby Diamond Auditorium owl, initially conceived as a carved wood sculpture. However, to address weight concerns, he used lightweight balsa wood for the wings, foam for the body, resin for the feathers and beak, and acrylics for the eyes. Horne airbrushed the sculpture to mimic the appearance of carved wood. Despite his challenges, the large-scale great horned owl was painted to resemble carved mahogany and now soars above the audience at Ruby Diamond. This project took three to four months to complete, allowing Horne to apply various skills and new techniques, including fiberglass molds and epoxy. It has become one of his favorite projects and is a permanent installation at Florida State University.