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Custom Bronze Sculpting Foundry Honors Top Athletes of Brigham Young University with a Bronze Plaque

Bronze Sculptor, Matt Glenn, of Big Statues in Provo, Utah, unveils 4 x 9 foot wooden and bronze plaque to honor track and field athletes of BYU from the past ten years. The Curtis Pugsley Athlete of the Year Award will recognize top athletes annually.

Big Statues, a custom bronze sculpting company, unveiled The Curtis Pugsley Athlete of the Year Award on Friday, October 7, 2011, at the dedication ceremony of the Brigham Young University Track and Field Athletic Department.

The Curtis Pugsley Athlete of the Year Award, named after an exceptional track and field athlete of Brigham Young University, Curtis Pugsley, will annually recognize the most talented male and female track and field athletes of the university.

Curtis Pugsley was a multiple All-American and decathlon champion from 2000 to 2004, during his studies at BYU. Since that time, Curtis has suffered various health complications, including a malignant tumor that has caused him to amputate his leg. During his opening speech before the unveiling of the plaque, Curtis said that it was the perseverance and attitude of his time in track and field that made him stronger for every other challenge that has come in his life.

The 4 foot by 9 foot display was composed of a polished wooden base, adorned with bronze bordering, name plates, title plaques, and a central hand-sculpted medallion. This 3-D relief bronze medallion, measuring 23 inches tall by 33 inches wide, and featuring the BYU logo, 6 miniature figurines of athletes, the Olympic leaves, and a banner, was hand sculpted by artist Matt Glenn of Big Statues.

When Matt Glenn was first approached by the Head Track and Field Men’s Coach, Mark Robison, in January of 2011 about an idea for a bronze plaque that would honor the track and field athletes of BYU, he was delighted to learn of Robison’s close proximity.
After initial design meetings in person, where Matt Glenn and Big Statues’ graphic designer were able to meet with the donors and athletic administrative staff for the project, the parties concluded on an impressive nine foot long display that incorporated the total layout of each athlete’s name with a place for the featured biographies of the most recent award winners.

The finished design resulted in thirty name placards on the left and right sides of the BYU track and field medallion. On the night of the unveiling, at least twenty-one of those places were filled with the engraved placards of male and female athletes of the year from 1991 to 2011.
In the years to come, the remaining placards will be filled with each new athlete’s name until the time comes for the placards to begin cycling out. In this way, the plaque will become a timeless piece, honoring past and present in the many years to come.

Inside the indoor track at the Smithfield House of the BYU Provo Campus, hundreds of visitors, alumni, family, and friends from the past 50 years came to congratulate each athlete and to witness the unveiling of the display that would bring them all together.

Surrounded by rows upon rows of tables and easels displaying past team photos, newspaper articles, student artwork, and other related memorabilia, the atmosphere of the crowd before the unveiling event was that of momentous pride, nostalgia, and cheer. Young children and toddlers of athletes from the 1990’s, now grown and established in the community with families and careers of their own, ran around tables and stored track equipment, as their parents reminisced together.

After an opening speech by Curtis Pugsley, who shared moments of personal trial and how athletic dedication extends beyond the track to every other part of life, the award was finally revealed. Triumphant music accompanied the sweeping gestures of the blue cloths as Marc Robison removed the sheets to reveal a stunning bronze display under the lights of the auditorium.

One onlooker expressed his awe, stating “Look at this, this is magic! When the kids of athletes come here and see their fathers’ and mothers’ names up on that plaque. It’s about time they get the recognition they deserve…They’re really memorialized. This is going to create a legacy that will go on for years…”

This theme of legacy, memory, family, and honor was indeed carried throughout the entire night. After an original video was screened, compiling footage and photographs of each athlete in their respective events, each athlete was announced with their accomplishments, handed a framed action shot, and photographed in front of the plaque.

One athlete of the year and his son travelled all the way from Africa to be recognized and share in the night’s celebration. Another, Leonard Myles-Mills, reversed places for a moment to be honored with his peers, as he has since become assistant track coach. It was a truly touching moment when one award recipient’s young daughter jumped out of her seat and cheered for her father before his name was even finished being read aloud.

The ceremony closed with a touching photograph of all of the athletes of the year, holding framed portraits of their most celebrated events, standing together in front of the Curtis Pugsley Athlete of the Year award display.
For more information about Matt Glenn, Big Statues, and the custom bronze statue foundry, visit http://www.bigstatues.com.

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.

Shaq statue set for September 8th unveiling

A busy three days of activities on and off the LSU campus in conjunction with the first home football game of the 2011 season begins on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 8, when the bronze statue of LSU All-American and college and pro Player of the Year, Shaquille O'Neal, will be unveiled in front of the LSU men's basketball practice facility.

The outdoor portion of the ceremony which the general public is invited to, will begin at 6 p.m. in the L-Lot in front of the main practice facility doors. The facility is attached to the back of the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
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There will be VIP receptions and events before and after the bronze sculpture unveiling in the practice facility which are invitation only.

The 900-pound bronze statue is a life-size representation of a young "Shaq" dunking in his LSU basketball uniform.

The "iconic" O'Neal retired from the NBA after the 2011 season, spent with the Boston Celtics. He also played for the Orlando Magic (which drafted him No. 1 in 2002), the Los Angeles Lakers (where he won three championships), the Miami Heat (where he was also an NBA champ), the Phoenix Suns and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

He retired ranking fifth all-time in points scored in the NBA and fourth in postseason points scored. He is also the only LSU student athlete in any major sport to win a national player of the year award in college and an MVP award in the pros.

While here that weekend, O'Neal will host his annual fund-raising golf tournament at Carter Plantation on Friday to benefit the Shaquille O'Neal Life Skills Program at LSU. Entries for that tournament are still available through the LSU Life Skills Program office at 225-578-0385.

Also, on Friday, the latest class of the LSU Athletic Hall of Fame will be inducted that night in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. Entering the Hall that night will be Seimone Augustus, Skip Bertman, Wendell Davis, Suzette Lee, Carl Maddox and Lloyd Peever.

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.

Amway Corp. Co-Founder Jay Van Andel Honored in Bronze

Amway Corp. co-founder Jay Van Andel cast a large figure across West Michigan's landscape.

He founded an inter-national medical research institute, provided major funding for the city's public museum and with his partner, Rich DeVos, helped revive downtown with their redevelopment of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel.

A 7-foot bronze statue honoring his legacy was unveiled today on the plaza in front of Van Andel Arena, the 16-year-old sports and entertainment complex that also bears his name.

“The number of people who will see it there was a big part of it,” said Peter Secchia, whose family is funding and has endowed the series of bronze statues honoring the city's historical figures. Also, persons attending events at the arena are likely to be in an upbeat mood, he said.

“Jay Van Andel is of particular interest because he and Betty, his wife, provide the lead gift to the building of the arena, which is such an important attraction and gathering place for residents and city visitors,” said Steve Heacock, chairman of the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority.

Van Andel, who died in 2004 at age 80, also served as the chairman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1979-1980 and chaired the 1982 U.S.-Netherlands Bicentennial Commission. He also served as the founding chair of the Right Place economic development program.

The large bronze statue was sculpted by J. Brett Grill, the West Michigan artist who recently completed a bronze sculpture of former President Gerald R. Ford that is featured in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. A duplicate of the custom bronze sculpture was installed at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum last week.

Joe Becherer, chairman of the Community Legends project, said the Grill was a good choice for the Van Andel tribute.

“He has a gift for dealing with contemporary or near-contemporary figures,” said Becherer, curator of sculpture at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. “I think people are going to be extremely pleased with what they see on Wednesday. It's a really, really fine work.”

The bronze monument is the third in a series of downtown sculptures that will eventually honor 25 historic figures.

In 2008, the project unveiled a statue of Lucius Lyon, one of the city's earliest settlers. The 5-foot 6-inch statue at the corner of Monroe Avenue and Lyon Street is the only life-sized statue rendering. The remaining large statues will be 7-foot-tall and mounted on 3-foot bases.

In 2010, the project unveiled a custom bronze statue of Noahquageshik, or Chief Noonday, the Native American tribal chief who was instrumental in the settlement of Michigan. The 7-foot statue was placed on the campus of Grand Valley State University.
Future subjects will include the Most Rev. Frederick Baraga, an early Catholic missionary to Grand Rapids; Stanley Ketchel, a Polish-born boxer who grew up in Grand Rapids and began world middle-weight champion, Helen Claytor, a civil rights leader and first African-American to become national president of the YWCA and Lyman S. Parks, the first African-American mayor of Grand Rapids.

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.

Custom Bronze Statues of Filipino Leaders to be placed at Cebu City Hall

Bronze statues of Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. and Vicente Rama will soon be erected in front of the old Cebu City Hall building.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday said he already received a proposal for the nine-foot bronze statues which will be placed at the Plaza Sugbo grounds.

Custom bronze statues sculptor Juan Sajid Imao will handle the project. Each of the large bronze statues will cost P1.5 million each including the molding, sculpting, design and transportation from Manila to Cebu.

If Mayor Rama approves of the proposed design, it will be forwarded to the city engineering office for technical description and program of works and estimates and to the Philippine Tourism Authority for final approval.
Vicente Rama, who is called the Father of the City of Cebu, authored Act No. 58 creating the Cebu City Charter in 1937. He gained a reputation of being a formidable politician in 1916 when he was elected councilor and was then appointed by President Manuel Quezon as mayor of Cebu City in 1938. In November 1940, Rama won as Senator of the Republic of the Philippines up to 1949. His legacy lives as he is remembered in the annual celebration of the City’s Charter Day Anniversary every February 24.
Osmeña, known as the “Grand Old Man” of Cebu, began his 42-long career in public service in 1904. Don Sergio served as Cebu’s youngest governor at 25, and four years later became the speaker of the First Philippine Assembly. He assumed the presidency in August 1, 1944 when Quezon died. He was the fourth president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines.