Sculpture

Family members of Bob Hope unveiled a bronze relief sculpture Tuesday at the airport that bears his name. Siblings Linda and Kelly Hope, along with Don Wiegand, the St. Louis-based sculptor who created the bas relief, uncovered the 425-pound sculpture to celebrate the life of comedian Bob Hope. Because her father traveled the world, Linda Hope said it was fitting to display his likeness at the entrance of his namesake airport. Still, his son, Kelly Hope, said the size and scale of the sculpture would likely have made his father pause.

A private fund-raiser hosted by the Armenian National Committee and the Glendale Police Memorial Committee drummed up $35,000 for the memorial project. The event, hosted in the home of ANC member Vahe Yeghiazarian, was attended by about 80 people, Glendale Police Officers Assn. President Mario Marchman said. Among the notable guests at the Sunday event was newly sworn Police Chief Randy Adams. Guests also had the chance to see the clay head cast for the sculpture being made by artist M.L. Snowden.

Judy Seckler Students under the direction of Pierre Odier, Hoover High department chairman of the visual and performing arts, are getter closer to the completion of their friendship pole sculpture. When finished at the end of the school year, it will stand 20 feet tall. The project began five years ago at the suggestion of the Native American Awareness team, a school club. The group came up with the concept to create a lasting homage to the multitude of cultures at the school.

Lauren Masters The Glendale Police Department finally has a memorial of its own. "Shield," a sculpture commemorating police officers' public service, will be unveiled at the new police headquarters at 10 a.m. Thursday, the seventh anniversary of Officer Charles Lazzaretto's death in the line of duty. Bronze plaques in memory of Lazzaretto and three other Glendale officers killed while on duty -- John Isaacson in 1992, Leslie O. Clem in 1926 and Charles Whitney Smith in 1915 -- will be placed at the sculpture's base.

Students at Crescenta Valley High School use clay, wire, wood and even pantyhose to build sculptures.Little clay pigs sat on the wings of student Aaron Lee's sculpture of an airplane. Aaron sculpted his airplane using polymer clay and put the finishes touches on his project by making a stand. The 17-year-old senior got the idea for the sculpture by listening to Pink Floyd's song "Pigs on the Wing." "Every time I hear the song, I get this image," Aaron said. "I feel like I can translate it into a sculpture."

Some letters have questioned the meaning of the sculpture Shield Protectite, which will be displayed at the new police headquarters. Personally, I like it, and I have no problem seeing the connection with the police department. It immediately reminds me of an ancient Greek sculpture, particularly one of Hercules struggling with the Hydra. This, to me, conveys two strong positive ideals associated with police work -- namely strength and the struggle against evil.

Ben Godar With a recent $150,000 grant from the City Council, organizers of the Glendale Police Memorial project say they can guarantee the sculpture will be finished on time. The council's donation moves the project's fund-raising committee within approximately $200,000 of its goal of about $600,000. Committee Chairman Sheldon Baker said the memorial will go up in May even if the goal has not been reached. "The statue will be in place May 1," he said firmly.

Darleene Barrientos The bronze sculpture that will go in the plaza of the new Glendale Police Headquarters had its head welded to its torso Friday, with Glendale Police officials, city and community representatives looking on. "It's the first of any piece that will be [welded]," sculptor M.L. Snowden said of the work, titled Shield Protectite. The completed sculpture, which will stand 12 feet tall, is made of 20 separate pieces that weigh about 75 to 100 pounds each.

Thank you Allen E. Brandstater for rendering your most thoughtful evaluation ("Police statue lacks meaning," April 27) of the police station sculpture. Some might say that a man of your noted conservative leanings may not exactly be on the cutting edge of artistic expression; but rest assured, there others who will applaud your courage for standing up for "real" art -- the kind of literal, concrete, feet-on-the-ground kind of art that we can really sink our collective teeth into.

Tim Willert GLENDALE -- The city's police memorial sculpture made its debut Sunday, and was greeted by applause and plenty of "oohs" and "aahs." Not the 12-foot bronze statue that will one day stand guard in front of the new Glendale Police Station, but a scale model version sculpted by M.L. Snowden. Snowden, who lives near Seal Beach, unveiled her creation during a private reception at Oakmont Country Club that featured her other works as well as tools once used by the legendary sculptor Rodin.

An unveiling of the first faith-based sculpture at Glendale Adventist Medical Center drew dozens of hospital officials and clergy members Wednesday afternoon. Jesus Christ sits as the focus of the bronze sculpture titled “Come Unto Me.” “He set the example of health ministry that we have dedicated ourselves to,” said Kevin Roberts, president of the hospital. Designed by Victor Issa, a 57-year-old artist based in Loveland, Colo., the entire scene, with children, women and dogs, took him more than four years to craft.

There is a fabulously interesting Greek word—poema—which means “to make”— with a cascade of nuances, which implies detailed workmanship, a masterpiece or the most special creation of the creator. It is the origin of our English word “poem,” but was used by ancient Greeks to ascribe special status to the work of sculptors, poets and painters with the ability to do more than just describe physiognomy, but who could imbue the spiritual thumbprint of their subjects. As a lifelong artist, octogenarian Artis Lane’s bronze and painted portraits conflate sculpture and personality in presidents, movie stars and cultural icons.

They have traveled from as far as Singapore, Canada, Germany and Kansas. For these travelers, Glendale can be the first California neighborhood they’ll experience; however, they are not here to see Glendale or even Los Angeles for that matter. They make the trek for Kaye Hartman, a Glendale resident who, at 36 years old, is making a name for herself in the cake world as a master sugar artist. They come to learn her technique. Hartman teaches cake decorating, baking and sculpting classes in her store at 308 S. Brand Blvd.

GLENDALE — Nearly 15 years ago, Glendale Firefighter Bill Jensen and five fellow firefighters were battling a massive blaze in Calabasas when the winds suddenly changed direction. Jenson was caught in the flames. He was burned on more than 70% of his body. Doctors gave him a 5% chance of survival. But Jensen fought through the pain and overcame his injuries. “I was unlucky enough to get injured that day, but lucky enough to be the one to walk these footsteps for the last 14 years,” Jensen said.

The juried winter art show at Silvana Gallery in Glendale comprises mostly paintings categorized as landscape, figurative, still life and contemporary, and some very nice sculpture entries, which are inventive and skillfully executed. The painting categories are a little bit weak as far as variety within, but each category has a couple of paintings that stand out because of the willingness of the artists to push the edge of average. Vahe Yeremyan's landscape entry titled "Dreamy Trees" is uniquely composed with a zoomed-in perspective of tree trunks and branches that form a veil through which the viewer sees a cold wintry sky. The cool atmosphere is offset by the warm browns and grays of the woods, and green of the residual foliage.

CITY HALL ? An interactive light sculpture could be coming to Central Avenue, under the public art proposal for the mixed-use development slated for the street?s intersection with California Avenue. The city?s Arts & Culture Commission voted unanimously to recommend that the City Council approve the art proposal for Legendary Tower Glendale, a proposed complex that includes 71 condominium units and nine ground-floor live-work units. The artwork is mandatory under the Downtown Specific Plan, which requires a public art component valued at 1% of the cost of any project with a price tag of at least $500,000 in the downtown area.

Family members of Bob Hope unveiled a bronze relief sculpture Tuesday at the airport that bears his name. Siblings Linda and Kelly Hope, along with Don Wiegand, the St. Louis-based sculptor who created the bas relief, uncovered the 425-pound sculpture to celebrate the life of comedian Bob Hope. Because her father traveled the world, Linda Hope said it was fitting to display his likeness at the entrance of his namesake airport. Still, his son, Kelly Hope, said the size and scale of the sculpture would likely have made his father pause.

It’s not every day that most of us visit a deceased loved one, but the fact that Forest Lawn Glendale has created a destination around that experience is quite intriguing. Equipped with replica statue of David, a labyrinth, America’s largest painting and many more “attractions,” it is what I’ve always considered the Disneyland of Death, so it is fitting that Michael Jackson will be buried in this Forest Lawn on Thursday. Forest Lawn, as a cultural artifact, has an interesting history; of a visionary man seeing his wildest dream come to life.

An exhibition of historical coins, bronze and marble sculptures and paintings has just opened at the Forest Lawn Museum in Glendale. The unifying element of these American and European artists’ works is that this eclectic mix is part of the Forest Lawn permanent collection, said Joan Adan, exhibit designer and curator. “It’s showcasing Forest Lawn’s fine art in its paintings, sculpture, and ancient and world coins,” she said. James Eaton, father of Forest Lawn founder Hubert Eaton, collected the items, Adan said.

Ken Goldman was only 13 the first time he picked up a 2-by-4 rasp, a very coarse type of wood, and filed it until it resembled an airplane. “I’ve been hooked since then,” said the 61-year-old La Crescenta resident, who is showing his wood sculptures and photography this month at Whites Art Framing & Restoration in Montrose. All of his sculptures are unique, and every single one tells a different story, store owner Miguel Perez said. “It’s best for people to come and see them and enjoy,” he said.