Gordon Lightfoot Forums - View Single Post - Lightfoot sculpture INFO-unveiling Orillia-VIDEOS-PICTURES-Frid.Oct.23,2015@1:00 pm

charlene · 02-25-2015, 11:13 PM

update: http://www.orilliapacket.com/2015/02...-folk-festival Each of the past three weeks, something big has happened that altered the makeup of this column. So, while going over the nominees for this year’s Orillia and District Arts Council (ODAC) Arts Awards is important, it will have to come second in the order.

In November, an item curiously appeared on Orillia council’s closed-session agenda regarding a monument in Tudhope Park. I thought it was odd that would be in closed session and asked Ray Merkley, director of parks, recreation and culture, about it. He told me it was in closed session because the donor wanted to remain anonymous, and that was all he would say.

The information I have did not leak out of closed session, where it still remains. Gordon Lightfoot mentioned it to me Christmas Eve.

At the Mariposa Folk Festival, a monument of Lightfoot will be unveiled. Pam Carter, president of the Mariposa Folk Foundation, is happy about it.

“I think it’s a huge tribute to a great Canadian icon and to have Mariposa involved in unveiling of the art project speaks volumes about the Mariposa Folk Festival, Mr. Lightfoot’s commitment to the festival and also to the community of Orillia. We’re thrilled to be part of the project,” she said.

The sculptor is Timothy P. Schmalz, of Kitchener. He’s notable for religious sculptures and has also done the Canadian Veterans’ Monument in Waterloo and the National Mining Monument in Sudbury.

I spoke to Schmalz about the monument, which will likely be unveiled the Sunday of the festival in July.

“The principal sculpture is a little bit over life-size representation of Gordon Lightfoot and he’s playing his guitar; from his guitar, all these leaves emerge and they form a massive maple leaf. On most of these maple leaves, you have these songs sculpted,” said Schmalz.

The whole project will appear in several places. The main, 13-foot-tall sculpture will be here, with smaller pieces destined for Detroit and Whitefish Bay, Mich., with two other locations in Toronto being negotiated. It’s an expensive project.

“It’s a massive project. It’s, like, a $500,000 start to the project and it’s just becoming greater and greater. It’s just so cool,” said Schmalz.

“I have a patron who basically believes that our treasures in this country are our musicians, are our artists like Lightfoot, these cultural icons who not only show us what it’s like to be Canadian, but show that to the rest of the world.”

02-25-2015, 11:13 PM	#5
charlene Moderator Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 16,001	Re: Lightfoot sculpture unveiling - July 1,2015 update: http://www.orilliapacket.com/2015/02...-folk-festival Each of the past three weeks, something big has happened that altered the makeup of this column. So, while going over the nominees for this year’s Orillia and District Arts Council (ODAC) Arts Awards is important, it will have to come second in the order. In November, an item curiously appeared on Orillia council’s closed-session agenda regarding a monument in Tudhope Park. I thought it was odd that would be in closed session and asked Ray Merkley, director of parks, recreation and culture, about it. He told me it was in closed session because the donor wanted to remain anonymous, and that was all he would say. The information I have did not leak out of closed session, where it still remains. Gordon Lightfoot mentioned it to me Christmas Eve. At the Mariposa Folk Festival, a monument of Lightfoot will be unveiled. Pam Carter, president of the Mariposa Folk Foundation, is happy about it. “I think it’s a huge tribute to a great Canadian icon and to have Mariposa involved in unveiling of the art project speaks volumes about the Mariposa Folk Festival, Mr. Lightfoot’s commitment to the festival and also to the community of Orillia. We’re thrilled to be part of the project,” she said. The sculptor is Timothy P. Schmalz, of Kitchener. He’s notable for religious sculptures and has also done the Canadian Veterans’ Monument in Waterloo and the National Mining Monument in Sudbury. I spoke to Schmalz about the monument, which will likely be unveiled the Sunday of the festival in July. “The principal sculpture is a little bit over life-size representation of Gordon Lightfoot and he’s playing his guitar; from his guitar, all these leaves emerge and they form a massive maple leaf. On most of these maple leaves, you have these songs sculpted,” said Schmalz. The whole project will appear in several places. The main, 13-foot-tall sculpture will be here, with smaller pieces destined for Detroit and Whitefish Bay, Mich., with two other locations in Toronto being negotiated. It’s an expensive project. “It’s a massive project. It’s, like, a $500,000 start to the project and it’s just becoming greater and greater. It’s just so cool,” said Schmalz. “I have a patron who basically believes that our treasures in this country are our musicians, are our artists like Lightfoot, these cultural icons who not only show us what it’s like to be Canadian, but show that to the rest of the world.”