2021 Sculptures

Fountain

Mike Helbing
Limestone, Tennessee

Zach

“The sculpture is inspired by T51-T54 athletes. I incorporated all the mechanics and body into one form. That both the wheels and body are one in the same.”

Robert Friedrich
Jackson, MO

Transitions of Nature

“The wind will always blow and the birds will always sing. A hand forged iron sculpture.”

Clark Martinek
Mitchell, South Dakota

The Best Job in the World

“Some say your job is only good if you like your co-workers. And when your co-workers are a Saint Bernard, a Golden Retriever, a Chow Chow, a Miniature Schnauzer, and a Chihuahua, you may have just found the best job in the world. All the dogs are modeled after my family’s dogs, including my own Saint Bernard: Watson.”

Shelby Nower
Decatur, IN

Bravo

“Bravo is a bull with bravado and a steely gaze. Making a piece this size out of flatware is even more difficult than making something large because flatware is hard to bend and fit to small curves.”

Gary Hovey/ Jim Perrine
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Pose of Inspiration

“A classic yoga pose has inspired these lines of hand forged iron.”

Clark Martinek
Mitchell, South Dakota

Every Piece Has a Place

“You don’t have to be the same to connect.”

Alex Mendez
Decatur, Indiana

Orange Pop

“The abstract contemporary forms of Nathan Pierce’s public art installations are softly rooted in the notion of technology and communication, and the role that it plays in everyday life. His sculptures, no matter the surrounding landscape, offer a counterpoint to the viewer’s perception of place.”

Nathan Pierce
Cape Girardeau, Missouri

World Birds

“This is a fun sculpture that all ages will enjoy.

See if you can name all the birds on this piece,

kids really enjoy doing this.”

Judd Nelson
Wayzata, Minnesota

Through

“This sculpture embodies all of the different ways we attempt to battle it or just cope with mental illness. Each attempt may not be successful - However, through trial and error or a combination of these efforts you can get through it. If you struggle with depression: DO NOT GIVE UP. ”

Benjamin Pierce
Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Reel Thing

“A fisherman’s dream of walleye schooling in a column of water...In this underwater world, their shadowy shapes swim in and out, and several day’s catch are on the look-out for baitfish, a lure, or a darting jig. They’ve got a short attention span, but I can’t wait to land one in my pan!”

Lee Badger
Hedgesville, West Virginia

Cat With Attitude

“The inspiration for this sculpture was provided by all the stray neighborhood cats that would visit at night. This is a representation of how they react upon seeing us.”

Greg Summers
Fremont, IN

People's Choice

Growth and Ghosts

“While discovering our path into the future, we must fight against our tendencies to fall into our past.”

Matt Miller
Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Best of Show

Box of Flowers

“No matter what season it is our eyes enjoy the bright color of flowers so I gathered up some tall ones and put them in a box. No pruning or watering required.”

Jennifer Meyer
Lansing, IL

Flashdancer

“Certainly inspired by many dancers and previous artists, but this is my take on the mix of nature at large and the arts. Hand Carved from a walnut log using mallet and gouge technique. If you smiled when you first saw it; I win.”

Doc - Lawrence A. Wiedman, PhD
Huntington, Indiana

Autumn

“Colorful leaves and campfires are a couple of our favorite things that come with the change of seasons.”

Neil Wiffill/ Gregory Mendez
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Firefall

“The Sun’s fusion furnace sends us the sustenance that sustains our planet. We are all connected to this fall of fire and to each other. Made of steel with a vibrant “Fire” paint technique and cedar, done in the shou sugi-ban style from Japan.”

Craig Snyder
Plymouth, Minnesota

InspirationAward

A Book for Everyone

“A young boy sits on a stack of classic literature reading an adventure story. No matter who you are or what you like there is a book for you. Reading is an avenue to success.”

James Haire
Fort Collins, Colorado

Committee Choice

Beyond the Reflection

“In this piece, I show how we are often stuck in our own little world. The cage-like structure shows the fragility of our world. We often can’t see beyond what we know, feeling like we are looking at a reflection of what we see every day. But if we look deeper, we can see through those mirrors and view a whole new world.”

Dale Compton
Kasota, MN

Walking

“The sculpture is my interpretation using found objects of one of favorite artist Alberto Giacometti and his piece “Walking Man”

Robert Friedrich
Jackson, MO

The Lady

“This Lady is sculpted from a model using high fired stoneware clay.”

Helen Buescher
Decatur, Indiana

Tener Duende

“A Spanish term for a heightened state of emotion, expression, and authenticity.”

Gregory Mendez
Decatur, Indiana

Thinking About 8, ∞ & Happily Beyond!

“Thinking about 8, & Happily Beyond” has a single ‘edge’ and a single ‘surface’ but there is no place that it looks like it has “3” edges and surfaces, as have all of my previous twelve hundred-plus pieces. I thought I could not get it done, but ‘HERE’ it is!

Curtis Rose
Decatur, Indiana

Bubbletumpy

“Certainly inspired by many dancers and previous artists, but this is my take on the mix of nature at large and the arts. In case you are wondering, my then 3 yr old grand daughter named it when asked what she would call it. Hand Carved from a walnut log using mallet and gouge technique. If you smiled when you first saw it; I win.”