OTTUMWA —
Four Midwest artists brought their sculptures to Ottumwa, with the hope that the sculptures and their messages will expose the community to the arts.
Kim Hellige, president of the Ottumwa Area Arts Council, said the area northwest of the Bridge View Center is perfect due to its high traffic volume from the intersection of the Market Street bridge and the trail system.
The council unveiled the four new 2012-13 Ottumwa Sculpture Trail pieces at an artist reception Saturday night.
“The purpose is to expose people to sculptural art,” Hellige said.
Steve Huffman, of Ottumwa, won the Best of Show award. Huffman recycles scrap metal to create his sculptures. This year, Huffman said he studied the location and tried to make a connection with the Des Moines River and the eagles that frequent the area.
“How the eagle approaches turbulence in its life, storms, it faces the wind and flies high up out of danger,” Huffman said. “We need to place ourselves, as humans, in a place where we’re observant and prepared for what happens in life.”
Huffman said he has tried to incorporate new elements into his work every year, including plants, rocks and chunks of glass.
“I’ve got to think what I’m doing next to top myself,” he said. “It’s not work; it’s play.”
Another artist, Skip Willits, of Camanche, has been welding for 40 years, after his father taught him how to weld when he was very young.
“These programs really help,” Willits said. “It’s an opportunity to show our art, and it gives communities a chance to show their interest in the arts.”
His piece, titled “Marker,” is part of a series of sculptures he has created for communities across the state.
Willits, who was born and raised on the Mississippi River, noted that the buoys mark the main channel, his inspiration for the series.
He has created several of the stainless steel pieces in the series so far, all pod-like, though no two are exactly the same.
While Willits said the concept for his work takes a long time to develop, once he gets started it’s almost like a production line in his studio.
Hilde DeBruyne said her piece, “Hope,” was inspired by a close friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“It’s a symbol of strength, of hope,” DeBruyne said. “It’s for people going through cancer and other difficult situations.”
This is DeBruyne’s second year participating in the sculpture trail, as her piece, “Circle of Life,” was still standing among the new pieces Saturday night.
She has been working with clay for more than 20 years, and recently began constructing larger pieces for organizations across the state.
This year’s sculpture trail also features its first out-of-state artist, Sharon Boynton, of Omaha, who created the piece “Red Eye.” Boynton was unable to attend the reception.
The pieces will be on display now through July, and are for sale. The public art initiative is sponsored by the council, John Deere Ottumwa Works and South Ottumwa Savings Bank.
Local News
Related Photos
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Four new sculptures have been added to the Ottumwa Sculpture Trail outside Bridge View Center. From left to right: “Pathway to Freedom,” by Steve Huffman, of Ottumwa; “Hope,” by Hilde DeBruyne, of Cumming; “Marker,” by Skip Willits, of Camanche; and “Red Eye,” by Sharon Boynton, of Omaha. Chelsea Davis/The Courier
Four new sculptural pieces grace Bridge View Center lawn
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