Society of Animal Artists Works at Benson Sculpture Gardens

Marking the holes

While recently visiting friends and fellow member of the Society of Animal Artists, Diane Mason and husband Bob in Colorado,  I  had the opportunity to see first hand the process of installing a sculpture into a public park.  When we arrived at the park, the cement pad had previously been poured and allowed to completely set up.  Then they hoisted the very heavy sculpture up with thick straps attached to a small crane and lowered it down long enough to mark the holes for the bolts on the base.  After liftling the sculpture back up, they commenced drilling holes with the BIGGEST drillbit I personally have ever seen, and I was surprised at how quickly it did the job!

Using the BIG drillbit

Once they had the holes drilled, they slowly lowered the sculpture while carefully eyeing it and making sure everything lined up properly.  Then the holes were slowly filled with a special epoxy, before carefully lowering the bronze back down and the protruding bolts into place.  

Adding the epoxy and getting everything ready for the final setting

And voilà . . . it seemed like they had finished just mere minutes after starting, and there stood Diane's sculpture "Over-worked and Under-paid" looking very statley in its new home!  Located in Loveland, CO, Benson Sculpture Park is a beautiful city park which wraps around a couple of small lakes, and takes you through grassy areas and flower gardens, as you meander along the varius paved walkways.  Close to thirty SAA artists, past and present, have work on display in this beautiful park, so if you're ever in the area, I recomend a visit to check out the numerous sculptures there representing so many of our talented SAA sculptors!

Diane proudly stands by "Over-worked and Under-paid"

Here's a list of our currently active SAA members who have work in the park  . . .

Gerald Balciar

Tim Cherry

Martin Gates

Daniel Glanz

Sandy Graves

Laurel Peterson Gregory

Tony Hochstetler

Kim Kori

Ronald W. Lowery

Cammire Lundeen

Diane Mason

Walter Matia

Parker McDonald

George McMoingle

Leo Osborne

Dan Ostermiller

Louise Peterson

Carrie Quade

Don Rambadt

Rosetta

Sherry Sander

David Turner

Kent Ulberg

Until next time . . .

Rachelle Siegrist for the SAA