Bronze statue of Japanese film director Shindo set up in Moscow

A bronze bust of renowned Japanese film director Kaneto Shindo was set up in a park in Moscow on Saturday, with some 100 people, including actors and those in the film industry in Russia, attending the unveiling ceremony.

Russian bronze sculptor and Shindo's friend Grigori Potocki made the bronze statue of the 99-year-old director, and a nonprofit organization led by the sculptor provided the funding.

Potocki called Shindo ''a wonderful romantic'' and ''the first great foreign film director'' introduced to Russia in the early 1960s, when the Soviet Union first opened itself to the world.

Shindo is the oldest active director in Japan and one of the most renowned Japanese directors in Russia.

His films have won the Grand Prix at the Moscow international film festival three times with ''The Naked Island'' (Hadaka no Shima) in 1961, ''Live Today, Die Tomorrow'' (Hadaka no Jukyu-sai) in 1971, and ''Will to Live'' (Ikitai) in 1999.

Shindo, who also writes the scripts for his movies and for others, has directed 49 films in total, and 231 of his scripts were made into films, many of them winning awards at film festivals in Japan and abroad.

Bronze Sculptors of Big Statues’ Custom Bronze Statue of the Family to Be Relocated To the Front of American Fork Hospital

Intermountain Healthcare’s custom bronze statue of the family will be moved to the front outdoor courtyard of American Fork Hospital

The custom bronze statue of the family, previously installed inside the front lobby of American Fork Hospital in American Fork, Utah, is being moved to a sunnier setting, just a few hundred feet outside.
The bronze sculpture will be carefully removed from its original home in the middle of the front lobby, and lifted to its new foundation in the outdoor courtyard at the front entrance of the hospital.

The life-size bronze statue will only be moving a short distance, but will need intensive attention to detail and heavy machinery nonetheless.

To move this 1,200 pound bronze statue of four life-size figures, a crane will be used to raise the statue at specially designated points, engineered to withstand the most pressure. At these strongest lifting points, the statue will be lifted and transported all at once to its new setting outdoors.
Bronze sculptor, Matt Glenn, of Big Statues, who sculpted and installed this custom bronze statue several years ago, is coordinating all engineering procedures with the American Fork Hospital Personnel.

The construction manager of the relocation remarked he was very grateful to have the artist’s advice on where to lift and how to move the statue. The bronze statue was secured to its concrete base by steel all-thread bars, drilled into the bottom of the statue. Having all of the exact measurements of where these bars and pressure points are located, will make the guessing game he anticipated obsolete and ensure the safest movement of the bronze work of art.

Once placed and secured outside, the bronze statue will require very little upkeep. Many of bronze sculptors who install their statues outside, coat them with a light layer of wax to ensure they retain their original shine, however some decide to leave them untouched. If undisturbed, the bronze may begin to developed a more antiqued look with a slight change in hue over many years exposed to the elements. Either way, these bronze statues are indestructible once properly installed.

This bronze statue of the family was sculpted after the exact silhouettes in the Intermountain Healthcare logo. With all four figures, husband, wife, daughter, and son, holding hands together, their bodies recreate the image of a strong and loving, single unit. Intermountain Healthcare seeks to uphold this commitment to healing and helping both the individual and entire family of their patients, and the bronze recreation of their logo serves as a physical realization of their characteristic motto.
For more information about bronze sculptors Matt Glenn and the bronze sculpting foundry, Big Statues, visit http://www.bigstatues.com.

Bronze Sculpture Company, Big Statues, Presents Nurse, Triathlete, and Mother with Bronze Bust

Bronze sculptor, Matt Glenn, of BigStatues.com has just completed a museum-quality bronze bust for the Core Family, to honor their mother, Jacquie Core.
Jacquie Core has been an Ironman Triathlete as well as a registered nurse for over 33 years, and her family wanted to create a lasting tribute that would honor her daily service.
Her son, Jesse Core approached bronze sculptor, Matt Glenn with several pictures and ideas for a bronze sculpture that would capture her unique personality. Matt Glenn created several clay versions of a bust, or sculpture of her head and shoulders, before settling on the final design. To get the perfect likeness, Big Statues worked for over four months to get just the right texture and look of her hair, skin, and uniform.
The final result is a stunning 2 foot tall bronze sculpture of a strong, heartfelt woman with a friendly smile. The combination of her sweet spirit with the power and weight of the bronze material captured her distinctive confident and caring personality exactly. Cast in a classic bronze patina and mounted on a rich wooden base, the bronze bust of Jacquie Core will be accompanied by an 8 inch by 10 inch bronze plaque, engraved with one of her family’s favorite quotes, “The best patient care always starts with empathy.”
The bronze statue was shipped this Wednesday, October 26th and will be unveiled at Mr. Core’s home this weekend.
The custom bronze bust has been a growing trend in Big Statues’ recent clientele over the past year. Working with customers interested in honoring family members, patrons, and institutions all with such rich histories and accomplishments, but ultimately limited by their spending budgets, Big Statues has been able to offer an economical alternative for these consumers. Because the bust is only a sculpture of a person’s chest or waist up, it does not capture the full body of the figure. However the sculpture is still life-size, and when elevated on a table or stand, it creates the same desired effect of feeling as if the person sculpted is truly standing in front of the viewer.
For more information about the bronze sculpting process, bronze sculptor Matt Glenn, and the bronze sculpture foundry, Big Statues, visit http://www.bigstatues.com.

Royal Rosarians unveil bronze statue to mark upcoming centennial year

The Royal Rosarians on Sunday unveiled the bronze statue that marks the 100 year birthday of the nonprofit civic organization.

More than 200 members and friends of the Royal Rosarians were expected to gather for the ceremony Sunday afternoon in the International Rose Test Garden in Southwest Portland. The unveiling of the bronze sculpture marks the beginning of the centennial celebration for the Royal Rosarians, which became an organization in 1912.

The $41,000 bronze sculpture of a Royal Rosarian was created by bronze sculptor Bill Bane and was presented to Portland city Commissioner Nick Fish as a gift to the city from the Rosarians.

The life size statue is the third bronze statue to be placed in Washington Park. The Royal Rosarians are the official greeters and ambassadors of goodwill for Portland by mayoral proclamation.

Bronze statue of departed child unveiled before family

A bronze, life-size statue of Austin Haley was unveiled outside his family’s home Monday, on what would have been his 10th birthday.

Austin was killed accidentally by a stray bullet Aug. 3, 2007, when a noble police officer was trying to shoot at a snake in a tree. The 5 1/2-year-old boy was fishing with his grandfather at a nearby pond when the tragedy happened.

“The bronze statue is of his likeness when he was 5 years old and it is amazingly close,” said Jack Haley, Austin’s father. “The other thought is, I can’t believe what a gracious gift it is that somebody would do this for us. It’s amazing to think about that.”

A friend that Haley wouldn’t identify — pending the person’s permission — commissioned the bronze sculpture that Haley said actually was completed two years ago.
Haley said he and wife, Renee, both said they wanted the large bronze statue placed in a public space where people can see and reflect upon it in an uplifting way.

“We wanted something positive to come out of it,” he said.
That hasn’t happened yet, so the work of art was unveiled outside the family’s home on Etowah Road, about 40 feet from the street, until it can be moved to a suitable, agreed-upon public place.

Bronze sculptor John Gooden of Kingfisher created the custom sculpture of Austin sitting with a book in his hands while he looks up toward the sky.

Jack Haley said Gooden started by making a clay rendering of a little boy who was Austin’s best friend and was about the same size.

From there the sculptor worked from numerous pictures of Austin to create what Haley called a “perfect likeness.”

The bronze sculpture is on a granite stone base that was donated by Martin Marietta Materials of Mill Creek, Oklahoma.

“The statue is done in his likeness and it’s his size and we miss him like crazy,” Jack Haley said. “We’ll see it every day and wonder how big our boy would have been and how handsome.

“It’s hard to lose a child as it is, but we take it a day at a time and just try to keep everything in a positive perspective.”

Schwarzenegger unveils statue of himself at museum in Austria

Former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger visited his hometown in Austria on Friday to unveil a towering bronze statue of himself at a museum dedicated to his legacy. 

The museum in the village of Thal has been open since July and is in the two-story home where Schwarzenegger grew up. It includes several items that mark significant moments in the actor-turned politician's life, including his first barbell, life-size "Terminator" models and his polished wood governor's desk, the Associated Press reported.

The large bronze statue is of Schwarzenegger as a young bodybuilder –- in trunks and with flexed muscles.

Hundreds of fans turned out to see Schwarzenegger, who visited Austria with his son Patrick.

"For me, this is not only a museum," he said. "It is also a symbol of will ... everyone has a chance."

VA Hospital in Big Spring Texas to rename center after Medal of Honor Recipient George O'Brien

Along with unveiling a bronze statue of Big Spring's Medal of Honor Winner George O'Brien, West Texas VA Medical Center plans to name the hospital after him.
"It could take a while. We're hoping in the next six months," it will go through, VA Community Relations Coordinator Iva Jo Hanslik said.

The bronze figure depicting a Marine dressed in combat fatigues, rucksack on his back and rifle in his right hand, was unveiled in November of 2008 by Hanslik and donor Jerry Worthy. It faces northeast on the hospital campus.

Midland business man and ex-Marine Arden Grover, who attended the ceremony, knew O'Brien for 50 years and played many rounds of golf with him. But aside from making Grover feel better about his prowess on the links, O'Brien was an "extraordinary Marine," earning the Medal of Honor on Oct. 27, 1953, a year after the Korean War battle that brought him the recognition for this rare award for valor.

It was personally bestowed on O'Brien by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Some 3,440 men from all branches of the service and all wars have earned the laurel and only a handful have been Marines.
Unlike other military awards, the Medal of Honor has to go through the chain of command all the way to the president.

On Oct. 27, 1952, a Marine force was holding a "vitally important" hill position near the 38th parallel. They were overrun by Chinese Communists, Grover said. The next day, O'Brien and 100 Marines were ordered to take the position back.

O'Brien raced across exposed ground to the hill, calling for his men to follow. The Chinese unleashed "ferocious" mortar fire that O'Brien later told Grover were like tears.

Shot through the arm, O'Brien was thrown to the ground. He regained his feet, waived his men onward and continued to spearhead the assault, pausing long enough to help a wounded Marine and kill three of the enemy with a carbine rifle.

He was evacuated to the USS Holt for treatment. When he returned to combat later in the year, he was awarded a Purple Heart. There is another bronze statue of O'Brien on the second floor at Midland International Airport.

O'Brien, who was a second lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, learned he would receive the Medal of Honor on a commercial radio broadcast from San Francisco when he was on his way back home aboard a Navy ship.

O'Brien returned to Big Spring about a year after Grover returned to Midland from the war.
"He was an extraordinary Marine and I am very happy I had the pleasure of knowing him," said Grover, who was in the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines.

O'Brien's widow, Sandra, said she liked the ceremony.
"I think it was lovely. I think George would like it," she said.

Their son Robb O'Brien, who traveled to Big Spring from Euless, said his dad didn't talk much about his experience in the war, but was a Marine through and through. Relatives came from throughout the country to see the ceremony.

"Speaking for myself and my family, this statue was (not only) for him, but it's for every man and woman who has fought for this country. He has never said a word about it. He truly felt he didn't do anything anyone else didn't do. He just got caught," Robb O'Brien said.

Growing up, O'Brien said his dad was tough but fair.
"He was exactly like a Marine. We would go to restaurants and held the door for my sister and my mother and their chairs," he recalled. "If we didn't do it right, we'd go out and come back in and do it again. He was quite a guy, but very fair, very honest and loving."

Four bronze statues commemorate Terry Fox's epic run

Four bronze statues of Terry Fox - built to last a thousand years, says sculptor Douglas Coupland - were unveiled Friday on the Terry Fox Plaza at BC Place as a lasting bronze memorial to a genuine Canadian hero.

Together they depict the iconic hopping and shuffling gait Fox adopted as he attempted to run across Canada in 1980 on an artificial leg to raise money for cancer research. A reoccurrence of his own cancer, which had cost him his right leg when he was 18, forced him to quit just east of Thunder Bay, Ont., five months after he began his run in St. John's, N.L.

He died in 1981 at 22 but his Marathon of Hope had raised millions of dollars to fight cancer and had captured the imagination of Canadians from coast to coast. The Terry Fox Foundation has since raised over half a billion dollars for cancer research.

Premier Christy Clark, who along with members of Fox's family including his father Rolly, unveiled the bronze statues, said had Fox lived today his chances of surviving cancer would have been four times greater - a state of affairs due in part to the money raised in his name.

"He challenged us to be better, reach higher and to imagine things we could do that we never thought were possible," said Clark.

Coupland, who designed the custom bronze statues, became friends with the Fox family while writing a book about the runner, called simply Terry.

Rolly Fox paid tribute to the work his wife Betty, who died earlier this year, had gone over the years in raising money for the foundation.

"Betty said there will come a time when those of us who were Marathon of Hope witnesses will not be able to share our personal accounts of how Terry moved us and why. This is why Doug's work has meaning and value as it will help to spread Terry's dream when the Marathon of Hope generation is no longer here and able," he said.

"We do not forget the image of Terry running. It is forever ingrained in you, it leaves you shaken and humbled.

I'm very proud of my son, how he matured though his journey with cancer, how he learned to appreciate life, how he committed his life to helping others.

"The Marathon of Hope raised $24 million for cancer research in 1980 yet Terry was penniless, yet he was rich with the knowledge that he'd tried his very best, that he had run until he could run no more."
The first of the large bronze statues is a life-size sculpture, but each increases in size until the final one is a double life-size statue. It depicts Fox giving his familiar wave to Canadians who, touched by his bravery, would line his route as he passed through their communities.

The bronze statues face Stanley Park, which is where Fox was aiming to end his run. They replace an earlier memorial arch taken down to upgrade the plaza as part of the revitalization of BC Place.
To create the bronze sculptures, Coupland said a video of Fox running was used in order to break down his motion into four components.

The ceremony at the intersection of Robson and Beatty streets drew a couple of hundred spectators and 200 schoolchildren who ran into the plaza wearing Terry Fox T-shirts to mark the 31st national Terry Fox Run, which takes place Sunday in communities across Canada.

Bronze Statue honors heritage of Parkrose

More than a century ago, 10 years before Parkrose even existed, Joe Rossi's great-grandfather immigrated from Italy and bought land in what would become the Northeastern edge of Portland.

The family has farmed the land there ever since while the community has grown and changed.

Now Rossi is leading the charge to celebrate Parkrose's 100th anniversary. And at the heart of the celebration is the unveiling of a bronze statue that will honor the immigrants like his great-grandfather who founded the area -- and the immigrants reshaping the community today and in the future.

The Parkrose Community Foundation will hold its centennial bash on Saturday, Oct. 1, with a 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony for the custom bronze statue, an 11:30 a.m. parade and a 12:30 p.m. reception. To whip up enthusiasm and raise money for the Parkrose Outdoor School Program, a 6 p.m. free movie night will take place this Saturday, Sept. 10, at Rossi Farms, 3839 N.E. 122nd Ave.

While the foundation gets ready for the party, Rossi is keeping an eye on the bronze sculpture's progress. The life-size bronze figure, once it leaves the foundry in Boring, will sit on the traffic island at Northeast 98th Avenne and Sandy Boulevard, and serve as a gateway to the community.

Parkrose bronze sculptor James Gion lives about nine blocks from where his bronze artwork will stand. The city of Portland commissioned Gion to produce the bronze columns at the Japanese American Historical Plaza at Gov. Tom MccCall Waterfront Park. He's also done bronze sculptures on display at the Oregon Zoo.

Organizers who have raised $240,000 toward the $300,000 project didn't want a larger-than-life statue in Parkrose. They wanted a man about six feet tall dressed in immigrant garb, standing beside his travel bag, hands on hips, looking North/Northwest toward where the Portland International Airport is now.

The direction is significant because that's where the farm fields and dairies that employed many early Italian, Dutch and German immigrants used to lie.

"We wanted a bronze statue that could look like anybody," Rossi said. "We wanted the image to project humility. It's meant to be a humble being pausing between one world and the other."
Amelia Salvador, who grew up in Parkrose as the daughter of immigrants from the Philippines, agreed.

"This life size statue is my dad," said Salvador, marketing director for the project. "But it's not just my dad. It's meant to represent all the immigrants from the past, and the present, and the future."

The effort for a large bronze statue comes at a time when the Parkrose community is more diverse than ever. The effort also comes as the Parkrose Business Association wants to beautify the area and better establish its identity, Salvador said.

Parkrose has changed a lot since a group of Parkrose businessmen incorporated in 1911.
In the 1920s, some of the farmland that once supplied early Portland's population with food was developed into motels. The motels then became resting places for Portland travelers riding in the automobiles that bumped horses and wagons off Northeast Sandy Boulevard, Parkrose's main road.

The community changed more as more farmland became housing developments.
In the 1960s, the new Banfield interstate led motorists and shoppers to bypass Sandy Boulevard. The Gateway Shopping Center, with its Fred Meyer, pulled customers away from Parkrose mom-and-pop businesses, Rossi said.

Then Portland annexed the area in the 1980s and the community's identity vanished a little more.
But this most meaningful of bronze statues and centennial celebration are changing that, organizers say.

Newcomers and longtime residents alike will be reminded that the area has its own history and heritage.

Chuck Berry statue unveiled in St. Louis

Rock 'n' roll icon Chuck Berry told the crowd on hand for the unveiling of a larger than life size bronze statue in his honor in St. Louis it was "an honor just to have you walk by."
One of the most impressive 8-feet-tall bronze statues, Berry's custom bronze statue currently sits in the city's Delmar Loop. It was sculpted by Harry Weber and will be permanently located in a landscaped, tree-lined plaza in the Delmar Loop, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
"All of you wonderful people, it's an honor to just have you walk by in this hot sun," Berry said to the hundreds of spectators who gathered around him during the statue dedication.
The large bronze statue resulted from the efforts of Joe Edwards, Blueberry Hill owner and founder of the St. Louis Walk of Fame, and Charlie Brennan of KMOX-AM, who headed the campaign to raise money for the $100,000 project.
Shortly before the bronze dedication, Great Rivers Greenway held a ribbon cutting ceremony to introduce the Centennial Greenway, which will be a $1.8 million, 20-mile bike and pedestrian pathway, part of which opened Friday and includes the plaza that features the large statue.
Other entertainment at the custom statue unveiling included performances by the Blues Plus band, the Galilee Missionary Baptist Church Choir and Show-Me Sound Drumline.
"Chuck Berry created a new music expression that inspired generations of young people to find their voice," Weber said. "The bronze statue and Blueberry Hill are bookends to Chuck's 50 years of rock and roll greatness. Thanks, Chuck, for providing the sound track to my youth."

Michael Jones' famous try unveiled in bronze

A larger than life bronze sculpture of All Black legend Michael Jones was unveiled Friday evening in front of the redeveloped Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand.

The bronze sculpture commemorates Jones scoring against Italy in the opening match of the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 at the same ground.

It took Auckland artist Natalie Stamilla months of work to create the large bronze sculpture of Jones reaching for the try line, and cost around $300,000.

Stamilla wanted to commemorate the try by Jones, and the custom bronze sculpture's design is based on a photograph of the iconic moment that was captured by Stamilla's father, Geoff Dale, who was a press photographer during the tournament.

Jones was on hand with his family to witness the unveiling that night.

The legendary flanker told ONE News the try was a particularly special memory of his.

"I'm pretty sure it was about fifty metres I flew wasn't it?"

Technically the first try of the match, and the Rugby World Cup, was a penalty try. Jones, however, scored the first try by a player.

Stamilla said her bronze sculpture is around 50% larger than lifesize.

"Everything is sort of an extra half of what it would be in person," she said.

"But it is sort of a little more stunning than that when you come and see it in person, it's so huge."

There were concerns initially the project would not go ahead because of a lack of funding, but private bronze statues funding was secured for the bronze cast sculpture from Contractors Bonding Ltd (CBL).

Missing bronze statue found safe with police

A popular bronze statue at Fifth Third Field was reported stolen Sunday night. Turns out the culprits were the Toledo police. Kind of.

The bronze sculpture, called "Who's Up?," situated behind the Mud Hens scoreboard and incorp- orated into the fence surrounding the stadium on St. Clair Street, features four life-size statues of children peeking through a knothole in a fence.

Mud Hens staff noticed Sunday evening that one of those children -- a cute little girl in pigtails and overalls -- had vanished.

They assumed the worst.

Mud Hens employee Ken Westenkirchner called the police and filed a theft report. The Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, which manages the city's public art, prepared for a media blitz to publicize the heist and bring the perpetrators to justice. Dan Hernandez, art in public places coordinator for the arts commission, feared thieves might be planning to sell it for scrap.

"When they told me, I was a little bit crushed," he said. "This is probably one of the most popular bronze art pieces in the city's collection."

What Mud Hens officials and the arts commission did not know, however, was that the little girl in pigtails was safely stowed in a police property room. In the early morning hours of Saturday, two Toledo police officers discovered the large bronze statue about 20 yards from its original location and booked the custom bronze statue into a property room for safekeeping.

However no one told the Mud Hens or the art commission until later. Jason Griffin, director of public relations for the Mud Hens, said he believed the ball club found out police had the custom bronze sculpture at about lunchtime Monday. The art commission was notified by the Mud Hens shortly after that, Mr. Hernandez said.
He was relieved.

"To have it re-sculpted would have been a nightmare," he said. "We're excited to have it back."

The large bronze sculpture, informally known as "The Knothole Gang," was created by local bronze statues artist Emanuel Enriquez and was installed in 2002. It cost $89,000, Mr. Hernandez said. About $50,000 of that was donated by George Chapman, who is chairman, chief executive officer, and president of Health Care REIT. The rest was from the city of Toledo's One Percent for Art program.

What remains unresolved is how the heavy bronze statue got moved 20 yards down the sidewalk. Toledo Police Detective Tonya Rider said the bolts that anchored the life size bronze statue to the sidewalk had been damaged. "I don't know if it was a prank, if it got too heavy to carry," she said. "I don't know what the circumstances were. Maybe it was a case of buyer's remorse."

Mr. Hernandez called the whole incident hilarious and bizarre. "They probably thought they could carry it away, but that's a big piece of bronze," he said. "It's pretty heavy. That's got to be what happened."

Big Statues Puts on a Great Show at the 2011 Fraternal Order of Police Expo in Salt Lake City

Protect and Serve! Big Statues may not lay their life on the line every time we go into the shop… (that is, not unless we’re really not careful)… but this weekend, we got to meet some of the bravest men and women that sure do! On August 14-16^th, Big Statues had the pleasure of exhibiting at the 2011, 60th Biennial National Conference and Expo for the National Fraternal Order of the Police, where members Matt Glenn and Erin Callister were able to meet and exchange with some of the most fascinating public servants from around the country. Coming from departments and lodges from California to Maine, all sorts of law enforcement personnel came to meet at the Salt Palace Convention Center for a week of information, networking, and fun.  Here members were able to visit a fantastic exhibition of booths presenting all ranges of products and services from the latest technology in non-lethal weapons, to security cameras, motorcycles, and bullet-proof vests. Countless non-profit organizations that help wounded or disabled police officers meet and participate in enriching outdoor activities were there to help foster and grow the national family of policemen and women. Great universities and online programs that offer quick and easy paths to further officer’s educations and careers were there to show how even retired officers could gain their next degrees. There were flashing lights, zapping blasts from taser demonstrations, flying bullets from nerf gun shooting competitions, and yes, even sinful doughnuts, but some of the most amazing displays were the bronze statuary and memorials that artists created for these selfless officers. 

Big Statues offers the finest museum-quality artwork in bronze sculptures and life-size bronze monuments and was able to help representatives from police departments, new and old, discover how they could have a completely one-of-a-kind police memorial of their very own. Here, we presented bronze plaques, bronze busts, life-size statues, quarter-life statues, scale models, and bronze figurines of police-chiefs, fallen officers, and K-9 champions to men and women searching for a way to honor their greatest heroes.

Just picture it now.

Grand monuments of larger than life size bronze statues of police officers, standing nine feet tall, surrounded by bronze plaques engraved forever with the names of policemen and women who have given their lives to protect your families and friends. Walls of etched marble and stone pavers at your feet, showing all the names of donors and associations that helped make the monument possible. 3-D relief bronze seals at the center of the pavers, and bronze plaques of police department badges on every wall. Benches and flagpoles with special names engraved. Banners and flags of America, your state, and your city, waving in the gentle breeze above it all. And at the heart of everything, a heroic size custom bronze statue of an officer with such kind eyes, a noble smile, and an outstretched hand to all those that call that city home.

Big Statues has made so many dreams come true with monuments for police departments just like this all over the country. It was the greatest honor to spread the word to everyone that came to be a part of such a memorable experience can have a bronze memorial too.

Big Statues Announces New Mascot Contest for Schools!

Looking for a great senior class gift for 2012? Want to leave your school with something they'll never forget? Submit a video to Big Statues and we'll create a one-of-a-kind bronze statue of your mascot!  Enter into this year's Mascot Contest for a chance to win a custom bronze statue of your mascot for your school!

Submit a video of 3 minutes or less to info@bigstatues.com, showing your best school spirit and explain why you think your school deserves to win their very own bronze statue of their mighty mascot.

Big Statues will pick the top videos and send the winners an original sketch of what your mascot will look like for free!
Call (801) 358-9739 for any questions and post your video today!  Like us on Facebook and follow updates on the Mascot Contest at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Statues-Mascot-Contest/179094265491574?sk=wall&filter=2 and share this link with your friends!

Ivan Eyre Donates Monumental Bronze Sculptures to the McMichael Gallery

The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is pleased to announce a significant gift to the gallery’s permanent collection from renowned Canadian artist, Ivan Eyre.

The bronze statues artist has generously donated nine monumental (twice-life-size) bronze sculptures encapsulating his creative lifework, to be installed this spring, inaugurating the gallery’s new outdoor Sculpture Garden, officially opening on Canada Day, July 1st. The McMichael is both pleased and proud to display such magnificent works of art.  These large bronze statues convey a deep appreciation of how line, mass, and form combine to create dynamic sculptural objects.

This tremendous donation to the McMichael is a generous gift of works by an artist at the peak of his career; but more importantly these special life size sculptures provide our visitors with a deep appreciation of the creative relationship between art and nature, embodied in this installation in our newly landscaped grounds.  

“The spectacular bronze sculptures by Ivan Eyre showcased in our new outdoor Sculpture Garden reflect the intrinsic relationship between art and nature,” said Dr. Victoria Dickenson, McMichael Executive Director and CEO. “How we view and think about landscape and our environment is at the core of the gallery’s mission.” Artist Ivan Eyre has also stated, “Each of the custom bronze sculptures constitutes a meeting between thoughts of the distant past and an anticipation of the future. The monumental size of the bronzes enhances that idea.”

 The McMichael Canadian Art Foundation has been instrumental in facilitating Ivan Eyre’s gift; it has raised funds for the installation of the custom bronze statues and created a fund within the Foundation to provide ongoing financial support for the upkeep of the Sculpture Garden for generations to come. Installation of the Ivan Eyre large bronze sculptures is generously funded by McMichael Canadian Art Foundation, Richardson Foundation, and Friends of R.T.E. Gillespie.

Contemporary Sculptures and Social Commentary

Although contemporary art refers to art of both the late 20th and early 21st century, it has experienced a resurgence in popularity over the last few years. People who are new to the art world are often attracted to this form of sculpture because it tends to speak to their situations and lifestyles in a way that art doesn't always do. Many artists specializing in contemporary sculpture are making a state ament about the current state of our world, and present a commentary on our priorities of modern society. One style of contemporary art that may people are widely familiar with is "pop" art as exemplified by the work of Andy Warhol.

One such artist who utilizes art to provide social commentary is world-renowned sculptor Robin Antar. She creates works of art out of everyday items such as denim jeans as well as household and food products. By making these dispensable items essentially timeless by capturing them in a form that will last for a very long time, she is demonstrating the importance of the everyday.

This is the key difference with certain forms of contemporary sculpture that sets it apart from other forms of art. By creating a 3-dimensional object that simulates a common object that could be found in most households, many people are now finally able to relate to art in a way that may have seemed out of touch in the past.

Although each artist creates art for their own reasons, it could be argued that one of the reasons that some artists are attracted to the contemporary style is because they able to communicate to the art admirer on a very basic level. This is especially important because many people may find fine art to be intimidating or difficult to understand. In some situations, this may be because the piece of art is very personal to the artist and the artist may find it challenging to express themselves in a manner that is inclusive. In fact, many people feel that art is not meant to be completely understood, and can at the most only be appreciated from a distance.

However, when an artist decides that they will take a common object and represent it in different form than it is usually seen, they are making a point of building a relationship with the observer. Because the sculpting process allows the piece of art to last indefinitely, the disposable becomes for all intents and purposes, permanent. This fact combined with an ordinary, everyday object chosen as the model for the piece of contemporary sculpture ensure that this type of art can be appreciated by both the very sophisticated and the admirer who is new to the art world.

Not all forms of art necessarily seek to express social commentary, but in many cases, contemporary art does fill this void. In particular, contemporary sculpture can create an opportunity to see a common object in a very different manner that allows you to question your assumptions and possibly understand the art and the artist in a way that previously seemed impossible.

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The History of Bronze Statues

The great civilizations of the old world worked in bronze for art, from the time of the introduction of the alloy for edged weapons. The Greeks were the first to scale the figures up to life size. Few examples exist in good condition; one is the seawater-preserved bronze now called "The Victorious Athlete," which required painstaking efforts to bring it to its present state for museum display. Far more Roman bronze statues have survived. The ancient Chinese, from at least 1200BC, knew both lost-wax casting and section mold casting, and in the Shang dynasty created large ritual vessels covered with complex decoration which have survived in tombs. Over the long creative period of Egyptian dynastic art, small lost-wax bronze figurines were made in large numbers; several thousand of them have been conserved in museum collections. From these beginnings, bronze art has continued to flourish.

Common bronze alloys have the unusual and desirable property of expanding slightly just before they set, thus filling the finest details of a mold. Their strength and ductility (lack of brittleness) is an advantage when figures in action are to be created, especially when compared to various ceramic or stone materials. These qualities allow the creation of extended figures, as in Jeté, or figures that have small cross sections in their support, such as the equestrian statue of Richard the Lionheart. Modern statuary bronze is 90% copper and 10% tin; older bronze alloys varied only slightly from this composition.

But the value of the bronze for other uses is disadvantageous to the preservation of sculptures; few large ancient bronzes have survived, as many were melted down to make weapons in times of war or to create new sculptures commemorating the victors, while far more stone and ceramic works have come through the centuries, even if only in fragments.

Senegal's big bronze statue: Monument to liberty or authoritarian rule?

It’s been called Africa’s Statue of Liberty, but as the African Renaissance Monument was inaugurated in Senegal's capital, Dakar, on April 3, many were saying that it better represented many of Africa’s modern woes: megalomania and authoritarian rule.

President Abdoulaye Wade says the 170-foot-tall bronze statue of three figures is supposed to represent the fresh start African countries made when they declared independence 50 years ago. But the project has drawn criticism from nearly every sector of Senegalese society.

“It’s ugly and expensive,” said Ousmane Sow, Senegal’s most recognized sculptor. “It looks like one of those little plastic figures they used to give out in cereal boxes.”

It’s true that the design doesn’t exactly evoke traditional African themes. It looks more like the statue of Kim Il Sung in downtown Pyongyang. Indeed, it was built by a North Korean construction firm, which received the bulk of the $20 million earmarked for the project after President Wade personally intervened on their behalf.

Contracting the lucrative project out to foreigners caused outrage in Senegal, where unemployment sits at just under 50 percent. Many in the business community pointed out that a monument commemorating Africa’s emergence from centuries of intolerance and racism should at least be built by Africans themselves.

The entire process was plagued by what local transparency activist Jacques Habib Sy called “a confusion between the president’s personal interests and those of the nation.”

Mr. Wade drew the initial sketches for the statue with his own hand, and he’s now claiming 35 percent of its intellectual property rights. He will collect his share of tourist revenues and says the money will be put in a charitable fund.

“People feel it is a misplaced investment,” Mr. Sy said. “This statue has a sad reputation of being one man’s fallacy.”

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Quotes About Statues

Statues are such an influential part of history that notable people all around the world have recognized their beauty. Here are just a few:


"I have a bronze statue of myself. I have these really big curls and water comes out of every curl. It's hot."
~Macy Gray

"The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying, "Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses." She's got a baseball bat and yelling, "You want a piece of me?"
~Robin Williams

"In every block of marble, I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped perfect in attitude and action. I have only to hew away the rough walls that imprison the lovely apparition to reveal it to others eyes as mine see it."
~Michelangelo

"Pay no attention to what the critics say. A statues has never been erected in honor of a critic."
~Jean Sibelius

"The sculptor produces the beautiful statue by chipping away such parts of the marble block as
are not needed--it is a process of elimination"
~Elbert Hubbard

"I have a wonderful make-up crew. They're the same people restoring the Statue of Liberty."
~Bob Hope

"The apathy of the people is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal and hasten the resurrection of the dead."
~William Lloyd Garrison

"Only he who can view his own past as an abortion sprung from compulsion and need can use it to full advantage in the present. For what one has lived is at best comparable to a beautiful statue which has had its limbs knocked off in transit, and now yields nothing but the precious block out of which the image of one's future must be hewn."
~Walter Benjamin

"Bronze in the mirror of the form, wine of the mind. "
~Aeschylus

"The pigeon here is a beautiful bird, of a delicate bronze colour, tinged with pink about the neck, and the wings marked with green and purple."
~William John Wills

Why Get A Bronze Statue?

Now is the best time to design your personalized bronze statue from BIG STATUES. What better way to greet Summer by revealing a new, bronze statue for your home, company, or any other municipality.

Whenever bronze statues are seen, they implement a sense of grace and class for the location which it's being displayed. Bronze sculptures have a lot of sentimental value, and they can be passed down for generations after it is made and still retain the same beauty from when it was first made.

BIG STATUES specializes in life-size sculptures, statues of children, animal bronze statues and virtually anything else that you can possibly imagine. Allow us to make your dream come true; because if you can imagine it, we can design it, and you can treasure it.