Fourteen pieces of art purchased and installed.
First phase of Wagon Train monument announced.
Bank purchases several pieces of art.
Dedicated at second location.
Monumental projects updated.
Boody Fine Arts is proud to announce the installation of fourteen pieces of art in the Midwest BankCentre of O'Fallon, Missouri. BFA has been fortunate to work with Midwest BankCentre for several years and this is the third facility in which we have completely assembled an art collection for them. The O'Fallon location is the anchor bank of a 1,200-acre multi-use housing, business, and recreation New Town Development named WingHaven.
The selected artwork ranges from transitional landscapes to contemporary abstracts. The collection also varies in size, from small 3' x 2' black and white photography, to the main lobby focal point, commissioned 5' x 9' acrylic canvas triptych by Diane Cone Boody.
Work is underway on the first phase of First National Bank's newest downtown Sculpture Park located between 14th and 15th Streets on Capital Avenue, according to Bruce Lauritzen, Chairman of First National Bank.
"The first phase, scheduled to be completed over the next year and a half, consists of two pioneer families with their covered wagons departing from Omaha on their way west. Each of the 29 individual pieces that make up the sculpture is 1.25 times life-size and will be cast in bronze, continuing the look and feel of First National's 'Spirit of Nebraska's Wilderness' sculpture at 16th and Dodge Streets," said Lauritzen.
Sculptors for the project are Ed Fraughton of South Jordan, Utah, and Blair Buswell of Highland, Utah. According to Brenda Dooley, FMA, RPA, president of First National Buildings, Inc., "Both artists are students of history and understand what a struggle, along with a sense of optimism, was felt as the families began their journey west."
Each wagon in the first phase is approximately 13-feet long. "The two wagons offer a contrast in early lifestyles, with one pulled by a team of Belgium draft horses and the other drawn by mules, commonly used by many families," said Dooley.
A milk cow, a dog, several children, three pioneer women and an adult male accompany Fraughton's horse-drawn wagon. A pioneer family also accompanies Buswell's mule-led wagon with three children and a wagon master on horseback. Individual characters range in height from just over three feet to seven and a half feet tall.
Boody Fine Arts considers it a privilege to contribute to this outstanding project by serving as the Art Consultant. Other contributors of note include the Landscape Architecture firm of JVR and Associates, designed and led by the late Jim Reeves. In addition, the HDR Landscape Architecture Firm has assisted with the site plans and the Hawkins Construction Company is creating the site to specifications. The design and construction of the site alone has required over three years of intensive effort.
Future phases of the wagon train monument will be completed over the next several years. Specific elements of these phases will be announced at a later date.
Enterprise Bank in Clayton, Missouri, has purchased several pieces of art from Boody Fine Arts for their Headquarters. Artist Rebecca Crowell highlights the collection with a 32" x 120" multi-panel canvas that greets guests as they walk into the reception entrance of Enterprise Bank's corporate offices. The installation varies from small limited edition prints to large original canvases. The style of the collection is an eclectic mix of earth-toned transitional landscapes to bright, primary-colored abstracts.
Pat Kennedy's second casting of his "Spirit of Discovery" was recently dedicated on the St. Charles, Missouri, riverfront. It was upon this location that Meriwether Lewis spent the winter gathering supplies just prior to the launch of the expedition.
The double life-size piece of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and Seadog, the Newfoundland canine that accompanied the explorers, is placed on a six-foot mound that will be landscaped with native plants. Rusty Saunders of Loomis Associates, located in Chesterfield, Missouri, provided the design for the landscaping.
The dedication coincided with the annual Lewis and Clark Days Festival held by the city of St. Charles. A period-inspired ceremony was attended by hundreds of re-enactors and enjoyed by several hundred visitors.
In attendance were Master of Ceremony - City of Saint Charles Councilman, Larry Muench; Mayor - City of Saint Charles, Patricia York; Missouri State Senator - Chuck Gross, an assistant to U.S. Senator - Kit Bond, an assistant to U.S. Representative - Todd Akin, Pat Kennedy, Steve Boody, and Leigh Taylor. After the dedication of the "Spirit of Discovery," the ceremony continued a couple hundred yards away to dedicate a new boathouse, which holds a replica keelboat identical to the one used by Lewis and Clark on their journey. On the bicentennial date in 2004, the vessel will be launched from this site and retrace the historic 1804 Expedition, The Corp of Discovery.
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