A World Of Hope

Project History

The project location is in an existing therapy garden at the Fairview Multiple Sclerosis Achievement Center (MSAC).  The location itself is a place where individuals can go who have multiple sclerosis (MS) to receive physical therapy, counseling, and participate in group activities as well as other services.

The MSAC contacted me to design and build a custom sculpture for their garden area.  They desired a piece that represented the center and its members.  The MSAC had a limited budget set aside through donation to assist in compensation for a garden sculpture.  I decided to donate my time to design and build the sculpture.

Project Description

The sculpture was designed and created incorporating brass, copper, silver, ceramic, stone, air and water.  The piece was designed to represent as many elements as possible, much like the MSAC.

During my visits with the members of the MSAC I found that one of the highlights of the center is the creative arts department focusing on ceramics.  While in the design process, I felt it would be best to incorporate ceramics into the finished sculpture, and the ceramics incorporated should be completed by the members.  I contacted Mary Provost who forms the greenware (non fired clay) for the MSAC, and together we designed the initial leaves for the sculpture.  The greenware ceramics were delivered to the MSAC members. and they could finish them however they chose.  The ceramic leaves are expected to weather and deteriorate with time and be replaced by the MSAC members.

The center of the sculpture is a copper representation of the Sylvie Award.  Sylvie Awards are the awards given out as recognition by the Minnesota Multiple Sclerosis Society to individuals and groups who give in significant ways to the MS community.  The Sylvie Awards are ceramic luminaries glazed and fired by MSAC members.

I requested the MSAC members create the name for the sculpture, and they chose ‘A World of Hope’.  The members felt it was a representation of the MSAC vision statement ‘We are a haven of hope and joy for those living with multiple sclerosis’.

 Brass and copper were brazed, soldered and welded creating a flexible and durable main body of the sculpture.  The center sphere is the fountain.  The stone is a 350-pound piece of iron range slate from northern Minnesota.  The ceramic leaves are adhered with epoxy adhesive to the copper stems.