Sketches to Sculptures - Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum

Sketches to Sculptures: Rendered Reality,
Sixty Years with Marshall M. Fredericks
February 12 to June 12, 2010
Teacher’s Guide
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum
Saginaw Valley State University
7400 Bay Rd.
University Center, MI 48710
www.marshallfredericks.org
(989) 964-7125
Sketches to Sculptures: Rendered Reality,
Sixty Years with Marshall M. Fredericks
The Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum curated a traveling exhibition as part of the Strategic Plan
2008-2010. Now with the archives available for research and the museum collection accessioned, this exhibition has become a reality. Co-curated by Melissa Ford, Archivist C.A. and Geoffe Haney, Registrar, the exhibition includes 36 drawings, 1 photograph and 33 sculptures. Each piece of sculpture has at least one drawing
that is paired with it. Some sculptures may have as many as 3 or 4 drawings exhibited with it. Drawings range
from small sketches from sketchbooks to larger presentation drawings in pastel, watercolor, crayon or pencil.
The exhibition centers on Fredericks' thinking and artistic process. Many of the drawings include
handwritten notes by Fredericks which articulate his ideas about particular sculptures. Several of the drawings depict alternate ideas for extant sculptures which were either rejected by Fredericks or the client and
provide a unique insight into the design process.
This traveling exhibition is available for rental after July 2010. For more information about renting this
exhibition contact Marilyn Wheaton, Director at (989) 964-7154.
Information on the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum
Location: The Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum is located on the campus of Saginaw Valley State
University in the Arbury Fine Arts Center, 7400 Bay Rd., University Center, MI 48710.
Contact Information:
Phone…………..… (989) 964-7125
Fax………………… (989) 964-7221
Email………………. [email protected]
Website………...… www.marshallfredericks.org
The Collection: The Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum Collection features a unique collection of hundreds of works that span the career of Marshall M. Fredericks (1908-1998), a traditional figurative public
sculptor, who remained active in his metro-Detroit studios until days before his death at age 90. He is known
nationally and internationally for his monumental figurative sculpture, public memorials, public fountains,
portraits, animals and whimsical animal figures.
Main Gallery
The Main Gallery features a unique collection of hundreds of works that span the career of Marshall M. Fredericks (1908‐1998), a traditional figurative sculptor, who remained active in his metro Detroit studios until
days before his death at 90. He is known nationally and internationally for his monumental figurative sculpture, public memorials, public fountains, portraits, animals and whimsical animal figures. The Main Gallery
includes about 200 works, mostly plaster models, which span a 70‐year career of sculpting. The museum
holdings include plaster models, cast and carved sculptures, medals, jewelry, miniatures, drawings, photos,
site models, molds, armatures, tools, machinery and archival materials. Main Gallery highlights include: Christ
on the Cross in Indian River, Michigan; the Fountain of Eternal Life in Cleveland, Ohio; The Expanding Universe Fountain at the State Department in Washington, D.C.; the Freedom of the Human Spirit in Flushing
Meadow Park, New York City; the Leaping Gazelle for The Levi Barbour Fountain at Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan; The Spirit of Detroit at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in Detroit; and The Ford Empire and Harlequin Reliefs at Ford Auditorium in Detroit.
The Sculptor’s Studio
The Sculptor’s Studio displays a permanent exhibit of objects and artifacts from Fredericks’ studio. After his
death in 1998, his entire collection of archives, artwork, studio tools, equipment and some personal items
became part of the museum’s collection. These items are arranged in a sequence that explains the casting
process. A large didactic panel on the lost‐wax and sand‐casting methods further explains the casting
2
process. Visitors also can view a kiosk of original images of Fredericks’ studio interior and exterior, the Sculpture Garden and an extended version of the video “The Magic of Marshall Fredericks: The Poet Lord Byron.”
The Sculptor’s Studio furthers the mission of the museum and fulfills Fredericks’ wish of educating visitors
about the process of fine art casting.
Temporary Exhibition Galleries
The Temporary Exhibition Galleries feature changing exhibitions of national, regional and international artists
and showcase works from the museum collection. Its first exhibition was Cranbrook Fundamentals, which
opened October 11, 2003, and closed March 20, 2004. Past exhibitions are listed below.


















Contemporary American Sculpture from the Collection of the Flint Institute of Arts (April 30,
2004 to April 30, 2005)
Prints by Sculptors: From the Collection of the Flint Institute of Arts (April 30 to August 28, 2004)
Visiting Scholar & Artist Series: Paul Rotterdam: Drawings (October 8, 2004, to January 22,
2005), in conjunction with the Dow Visiting Artist Series
The Preacher and His Congregation: From the Collection of the Flint Institute of Arts, Photographs by James Perry Walker (February 7 to March 19, 2005), in conjunction with Black History
Month
Marshall M. Fredericks, (1908‐1998), (April 15 to August 28, 2005)
The Armature Revealed: From the Collection of the Marshall Fredericks Sculpture Museum (June
10 to September 24, 2005)
Nature Transformed: Wood Art from the Bohlen Collection (October 14, 2005 to April 30, 2006)
Marshall M. Fredericks: Selected Works from the Collection (June 1 to January 19, 2007)
Cultural Reflections, Inuit Art from the Collections of the Dennos Museum Center (February 2 to
May 19, 2007)
Pewabic Pottery: Patronage, Private Residences, Public Buildings, Sacred Spaces, (June 1 to
September 29, 2007)
David Hostetler: Wood and Bronze Sculptures, October 12, 2007 to January 26, 2008
Street Sense: A 20 year retrospective of Tyree Guyton and the Heidelberg Project, (Feb. 8 to May
24, 2008)
Regional Biennial Juried Sculpture Exhibition, (June 13 to Sept. 20, 2008)
Tangents and Waves: The Art of David Barr and Diane Carr, (Oct. 3, 2008 to Jan. 31, 2009)
Thayer and Thayer, Paintings and Sculpture, (Feb. 7 to May 29, 2009)
The Softness of Iron: Welded Sculptures by Orna Ben-Ami, (June 12 to September 19, 2009)
Breaking the Mold: Contemporary Chinese and Japanese Ceramic Sculpture and Textile
Extensions: Quilts in a New Context, (October 2, 2009 to January 28, 2010)
Sketches to Sculptures: Rendered Reality, Sixty Years with Marshall M. Fredericks,
(February 12 to June 12, 2010)
See www.marshallfredericks.org to view photos and videos of past and current exhibitions.
Sculpture Garden
School groups can include a Sculpture Garden tour as part of their visit. There are approximately two dozen of
Fredericks’ sculptures on campus; most of them are close to the museum.
Admission: Admission to the Museum is free to walk-in visitors.
Tour Information: Museum tours can be scheduled by calling 989-964-7096. Arrangements for tours should
be made 4 weeks in advance.
3
Marshall M. Fredericks (1908‐1998)
Mr. Fredericks was born of Scandinavian heritage in Rock Island,
Illinois on January 31, 1908. His family moved to Florida for a short time
and then settled in Cleveland, Ohio, where he grew up. He graduated from
the Cleveland School of Art in 1930 and journeyed abroad on a fellowship
to study with Carl Milles (1875‐1955) in Sweden. After a few months he
studied at other academies and private studios in Germany and traveled
extensively in Denmark, France, Italy, and North Africa.
In 1932 Fredericks was invited by Carl Milles, who had since
moved to the United States, to join the staffs of Cranbrook Academy of Art
and Cranbrook and Kingswood Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
Fredericks taught sculpture and ceramics there until 1942 when he enlisted in the Air Force. In 1945 he was honorable discharged as a lieutenant colonel.
After World War II, the sculptor worked continuously on his numerous commissions for fountains, memorials, free‐standing sculptures,
reliefs, and portraits in bronze and other materials. Many of his works
have spiritual intensity, lighthearted humor and a warm and gentle humanist spirit like that found in Fredericks himself. A winner of many important awards, Mr. Fredericks has exhibited his work throughout the United
States and abroad. Many of his sculptures can be found in many national, public, and private collections.
He resided in Birmingham with his wife Rosalind Cooke until his death in April of 1998; they had five
children and eight grandchildren. He also held studios at 4113 North Woodward Avenue in Royal Oak and on
East Long Lake Road in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan until 1998. After his death the contents of his studios were
gifted to the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University.
Museum History
Mrs. Dorothy (Honey) Arbury had studied with Fredericks when she attended Kingswood School at the Cranbrook Educational Community in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, in the 1930s. She also knew him through her
uncle, Alden B. Dow, a prominent Midland architect with whom Fredericks worked on architectural sculpture
projects. Honey Arbury was on the founding Board of Control of Saginaw Valley College in 1963 and remained
active on that board and on the SVSU Foundation Board into the 1990s. Honey Arbury and her husband, Ned,
and Fredericks and his wife, Rosalind, generated the idea of a permanent exhibit of Fredericks' work adjacent
to SVSU’s then‐new facilities for its art, music and theater departments. SVSU and the Arburys worked together toward an agreement to have the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Gallery and Sculpture Garden built adjacent to the art department. The gallery opened to the public in the Arbury Fine Arts Center in May 1988. The
gallery became a museum in 1999. In October 2003, the $2.5 million Phase II expansion became a reality,
nearly doubling the museum’s size. The addition includes the Sculptor’s Studio, classroom, archives, a research reading room, two temporary exhibition galleries and a gift shop.
Marshall Fredericks as a Public Sculptor
Marshall Fredericks was known as a public sculptor so many of his artworks are located in the eyes of the
public. He sought commissions and produced artwork based on the needs and requests of the client. The
client often times coordinated closely with Fredericks on their commission. The client varied so his artwork
portrays many different themes.
Fredericks is referred to as a traditional figurative artist. This means he produces artwork that we can
easily recognize and understand. His style of sculpting is closely related to the Art Deco style which is characterized by stylizing, streamlining and simplification of form.
He worked on many commissions at the same time at his Royal Oak, Michigan studio. Many assistants he hired over the years helped him make armatures, molds, plaster models, and performed many other
tasks.
Why did Marshall Fredericks Make Art? Fredericks Credo best answers that question: “I love people, for I have
learned through many experiences, both happy and sad, how beautiful and wonderful they can be: Therefore I
want more than anything in the world to do sculpture which will have real meaning for other people, many
people, and might in some way encourage, inspire or give them happiness.”
4
The Exhibition:
Sketches to Sculptures: Rendered Reality, Sixty Years with Marshall M. Fredericks
The Sketches to Sculptures: Rendered Reality, Sixty Years with Marshall M. Fredericks exhibition
showcases the creative process of Fredericks both as designer and sculptor. From simple pencil sketches to
presentation drawings, the creative mind of Fredericks is on display as he transforms two-dimensional ideas
on paper into three-dimensional sculptures. While many of the drawings in this exhibition resemble the final
sculpture they would become, others only hint at elements of their outcome or point to a different outcome
entirely.
This exhibition is comprised of four genres that represent most of Fredericks’ work: architectural,
commemorative, spiritual and whimsical.
Architectural
Fredericks’ architectural sculptures helped define buildings and environments. Fredericks said in a 1980
interview with The Detroit News art critic Joy Colby: “How do you take that big box [Coleman A. Young Municipal Center in Detroit, Michigan] and make it meaningful to the millions of people who not only pass it every
day but go in it every day every year and who have business in it and who respect it as the seat of their government where all their whole environment is carried out. How do you tell people: this is a nice place, it’s a
secure place, it’s something you can respect and like and it is powerful and strong and has a good motive
behind it.…”
Commemorative
“I was very proud to have participated in World War II. I still don’t understand those who aren’t willing to defend their country and what it stands for,” Fredericks said in the 1980 interview with Joy Colby. Fredericks
sculpted numerous works that commemorate people, war, industry, and community. These works compel the
viewer to pause for a moment and reflect.
Spiritual
Fredericks created several religious sculptures for different denominations during his long career as a sculptor. Fredericks said of his 55 foot tall Christ on the Cross at Indian River, Michigan, “If you’re going to do one
why don’t you do one that will really bring people here, bring people up north and make people think a little
bit?” (Joy Colby interview, 1980) His many spiritual sculptures are some of the most memorable and monumental works created by Fredericks. Located at various sites throughout the country, these works of art continue to attract and move visitors from around the world.
Whimsical
Among the most beloved of all Fredericks’ sculptures are those with a whimsical nature, many of which are
animals. Fredericks’ animals speak to children (of all ages) and seem to reach out to them in friendship and
with compassion. “Fond of children, he created animal figures that look like enlarged children’s toys on
which children can play when they come with their parents to suburban shopping centers. This humorous and
playful element is prominent in his work,” wrote Edgar P. Richardson in the introductory essay to Marshall M.
Fredericks, Sculptor, 2003.
5
Artwork Selection from the Exhibition
For this teacher’s guide two artworks were selected from each genre.
Architectural:
Study for The Spirit of Detroit
Graphite on tracing paper
c. 1958
16 ½”h x 13 ¾”w
The Spirit of Detroit
Bronze
1958
12”h x 14 ¼”w x 4 ½”d
6
The Spirit of Detroit
Public Collections:
Coleman A. Young Municipal Building, Detroit, Michigan, bronze and gilt bronze, 1958
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, University Center, Michigan, quarter-scale, plaster, 1954-1958
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, University Center, Michigan, small-scale, bronze with gilt family and orb, cast
before 1964
The Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, Michigan, small-scale
Didactic label:
The erection of The Spirit of Detroit at the City-County Building (now Coleman A. Young Municipal Center) in 1958 marked the formal completion of the structure whose construction began in 1951. Located in
front of a white marble wall at the entrance to the building, the sculpture depicts the cultural and religious
spirit of the Detroit community. At the time, The Spirit of Detroit was said to be the largest sculpture cast in
Europe since the Renaissance period (1400 – 1600). It stands sixteen feet high and twenty-two feet across
from fingertip to fingertip.
On the Vermont marble wall behind the figure are the official seals of Wayne County, Michigan and
the City of Detroit. Engraved on the wall is a verse from II Corinthians: ”Now the Lord is that Spirit, and where
the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty.” Designed to continue the thought indicated in the inscription on the
wall, the sculpture is in the form of a kneeling man with outstretched arms. In his right hand he holds a father, mother and child representing family, which, according to Fredericks, is “probably the noblest human
relationship.” In his left hand, the figure bears a sphere with rays emanating from it signifying deity. Fredericks chose the sphere because it is an object complete in itself with no beginning and no end.
This sculpture took Fredericks four years to complete and meant a great deal to the sculptor, who
once remarked, “I pray only that this work in some small way inspire those who see it.” Fredericks appears to
have gotten his wish as the citizens of Detroit immediately embraced this giant figure as the city’s cultural
icon by giving it the affectionate nickname, “The Jolly Green Giant.” The sculpture is also frequently dressed
in local sporting teams’ jerseys during playoff action, and The Spirit of Detroit’s image appears as the central
element in the logos of the city’s departments and services.
Questions and Answers:
Who named this sculpture? Fredericks stated that the theme of the sculpture was based on a verse from the
Bible (2 Corinthians 3:17): “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” He
tried to express the spirit of man through the deity and the family. Over time people began to refer to it as
The Spirit of Detroit. (reference: MFSM Archives) This sculpture is located at the entrance to the Coleman A.
Young Municipal Center (City-County Building) in Detroit along with the Seal of Wayne County and Detroit
(rendition).
Define two and three-dimension. Two-dimension has length and width. Three-dimension has length width and
depth. For example Fredericks drawings are two-dimensional and his sculptures are three-dimensional.
Look at the drawing. What do you notice that is different about the drawing and sculpture? The drawing has
4 different sketches for The Spirit of Detroit. Each represents different ideas for this commission.
Do you think that Fredericks did many drawings or just one drawing before he made his sculpture? Yes, he
often produced many sketch studies before the sculpture was started.
Ask the students why it is good to do many sketch drawings rather than one. Have them respond. It is always
good to challenge yourself to think of many ideas and then look at them and select the best one. Many times
Fredericks worked with clients and they also made responses to his ideas. In some cases the sculpture design was done according to his clients’ wishes even if Fredericks did not agree.
Notice the difference in his legs from the drawing to the sculpture. Why do you think Fredericks changed the
one leg from being upward to both kneeling? Have students respond to this. By putting both legs in a kneeling
position the figure becomes more symmetrical and frontal.
What do you think the man, woman, and child represent? Family
What do you think the orb, rays and three bands represent? They represent a deity or a superior power. In
Christianity, the three bands represent the trinity.
The Spirit of Detroit Activity:
Have students research the Spirit of Detroit Sculpture. Ask them to design a small-scale sculpture for their
individual communities in 2-D and then in 3-D. Discuss themes and symbols appropriate to their communities and what they hope their work expresses. Use simple drawing materials and modeling compound to
sculpt it. If several students are from one community have them work in small groups.
7
Sketch for Freedom of the Human Spirit
Pencil on tracing paper
c. 1964
Freedom of the Human Spirit
Bronze
1964
27 ½”h x 11”w x 11”d
8
Freedom of the Human Spirit
Public Collections:
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, University Center, Michigan, plaster and fiberglass, 1964
Flushing Meadow-Corona Park, New York, bronze, 1964
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, University Center, Michigan, one-third scale model, plaster, 1964
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, University Center, Michigan, miniature, gold, 1985
Shain Park, Birmingham, Michigan, bronze, 1986
Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art, Midland, Michigan, small-scale
Mayor's Office, Ritto, Japan, small-scale
Mayor's Office, Toyota City, Japan, small-scale
Didactic Label:
The businessmen backers of the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair aspired to produce an economic
boom for the city that would rival the hugely successful New York World’s Fair of 1939-40 that brought more
than 44 million visitors to the city. Many of these planners, kids during the ’39-40 Fair, hoped that the experience would be as memorable for their children and families has it had been for them. Dedicated to “Man’s
Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe,” the Fair’s theme was “Peace through Understanding.”
The Fair’s Sculpture Committee requested that Marshall Fredericks submit a proposal for a sculpture
to be included at the event. Fredericks submitted several sketches and the Committee selected a sketch of
two figures with swans. Originally the figures in the sketch had wings, but the review panel requested that
Fredericks remove them in the final sculpture. According to the artist, the sculpture “depicts human figures
as if soaring in migratory flights with huge swans, an ancient symbol of eternal life.”
One of four major sculptures at the Fair, the sculpture stood in the Court of States at the entrance of
the U S Government Pavilion. This marked the second time Fredericks contributed a sculpture to a New York
World’s Fair, as he previously exhibited a fountain at the 1939 Fair. The Freedom of the Human Spirit still
stands at its original location in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queensborough.
In 1983, Fredericks donated the design for this sculpture to his adopted hometown of Birmingham,
Michigan in honor of the city’s fiftieth anniversary. Erected in Shain Park, the city financed the sculpture
through generous donations from over one thousand individuals and corporations. In 2009, the city of Birmingham renovated the park and relocated the sculpture to an area in the center of the park.
A small-scale casting of Freedom of the Human Spirit also serves as the annual Communications
Award for the International Center for the Disabled (ICD), an organization of which Fredericks was a longtime
benefactor. Notable recipients of this award include President George H.W. Bush, Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan
and Christopher Reeve.
Questions and Answers:
What is a World’s Fair? It’s an exposition that displays the newest advances in science, technology, arts, etc.
The first era of the World’s Fair could be called the era of 'industrialization' and covered, roughly, the period
from 1800 to 1950. In these days, world expositions were especially focused on trade and famous for the
display of technological inventions and advancements. World expositions were the platform where the state
of the art in science and technology from around the world was brought together. World’s Fairs also exhibit
artwork from many famous and well-known artists. Some famous artists include: Augustus Saint Gaudens,
Mary Cassatt, and Mary MacMonnies.
Name some years in which World’s Fairs were held in America and the cities in which they were held.
1893, Chicago; 1904 St. Louis; 1933 Chicago; 1939 and 1964 New York
Was this sculpture made for a World’s Fair? Yes, this sculpture was done for the 1964 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadow, Corona Park, NY.
How many sculptures did Marshall do for the World’s Fairs and what years? 1939 and 1964 World Fairs. He
did the Baboon Fountain for the 1939 and Freedom of the Human Spirit for the 1964 World Fairs.
What happens to the buildings, artwork and exhibitions after the World Fair? Many buildings and exhibitions
are temporary and are dismantled after the Fair.
Was Fredericks sculpture dismantled after the Fair? No, it is still located there. Today it is located near the
Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadow Corona Park, NY.
When Fredericks includes a man and woman in his sculpture what does that mean? He wants to recognize
both men and women so he represents both in his sculpture.
Swans appear in many of Fredericks Sculptures. What do they symbolize? Marshall Fredericks frequently
used the figure of a swan in his sculptures. Many cultures feature swans in their mythology and folklore.
9
Swans have come to symbolize fidelity and purity and are associated with music, poetry and divination. Fredericks often employed the swan as a symbol of resurrection and eternal life in his sculptures. Wings of the
Morning, Freedom of the Human Spirit, and Indian and Wilds Swans as well as several other works feature
swans.
On another note Fredericks played an integral role in a swan nesting project during the 1960s. As a
civic gesture to his hometown of Birmingham, Michigan, Fredericks presented two pairs of swans to the city.
This is the same time period that his sculpture was made.
Compare and contrast the drawing and sculpture. Have students discuss the differences and similarities.
Freedom of the Human Spirit Activities: Have students research and create an in-classroom World’s Fair of
their own. Assign student teams different themes and have them create small exhibitions for display.
10
Commemorative:
Sketch for Leaping Gazelle
Pencil on tracing paper
c. 1936
11 ½”h x 18”w
Leaping Gazelle
Bronze
1936
17 ¾”h x 6 ½” w x 4”d
11
Leaping Gazelle
Public collections:
Levi L. Barbour Memorial Fountain, Belle Isle Detroit, Michigan, bronze, 1936
Emigrants Monument, Stavanger, Norway, bronze, 1958
Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, bronze, 1972
Saginaw Valley State University Quadrangle, bronze, 1987
The Gardens, Palm Beach County, Florida, bronze, 1988
Dow Gardens, Midland, Michigan, bronze, 1994
Frederik Meijer Gardens, Grand Rapids, Michigan, bronze, 1995
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, Main Gallery, University Center, MI, plaster, 1936
Didactic label:
In 1936, Marshall Fredericks entered a national competition to design a memorial honoring Levi L. Barbour
for Belle Isle, an island park in Detroit, Michigan. Barbour, a prominent lawyer who had been instrumental in
the purchase of the island as a public park, bequeathed $20,000 to the city for the purpose of erecting some
permanent structure on Belle Isle as a “continual hint to [his] fellow citizens to devote themselves to the benefit and pleasure of the public.”
Open to all Detroit-area sculptors with approved credentials and others with a national reputation,
the competition received entries from twenty-six sculptors. Chosen by an unanimous vote, Fredericks’ winning
model featured a wounded or leaping antelope which “attempt[ed] to show the beauty in the excitement, or
even death, of nature,” according to the artist. Fredericks surrounded the central figure with four smaller figures: a weasel, hawk, squirrel and pheasant, all native to Belle Isle and representing both the predatory and
non-predatory aspects of nature.
Located in Belle Isle’s Rose Garden, the sculpture stands sixteen feet tall atop a granite pedestal. In
its final form, Fredericks altered his original concept but the overall intent remained the same. Instead of an
antelope, a wheeling bronze gazelle is the focal point of the fountain and the four smaller figures on the granite basin depict a hawk, grouse, rabbit and otter, representations of the island’s indigenous animals. At the
memorial’s dedication in 1937, Fredericks said the fountain “is meant to express beauty in nature and its
creation.”
Considered by Fredericks to be his “first break,” the Belle Isle Competition garnered Fredericks a
great deal of national attention and increased his public notoriety. With castings found throughout the United
States and Europe, the Leaping Gazelle remains one of Fredericks’ most popular sculptures.
Questions and Answers:
Why did Fredericks make this sculpture? Fredericks made this sculpture in 1936 as his entry in a
national competition for a fountain on Belle Isle in Detroit. He won this competition. The competition
was funded by the estate of Levi L. Barbour and placed on Belle Isle in memory of him.
Why did he choose to do a leaping gazelle? Fredericks said: “I used this gazelle which to me has always
been…sort of the perfection of the four-legged. …it’s just a marvelous expression of the animal kingdom, and
the lines of it are so beautiful and it just seemed to set itself up as a natural in that marvelous natural environment [of] Belle Isle.
Gazelles are not commonly found in Michigan. What other sculptures did he sculpt that are also part of the
Levi L. Barbour Fountain? He sculpted four animals in black granite to surround the gazelle on all four sides.
They are: hawk, grouse, rabbit, and otter. These animals are native to Belle Isle. He originally selected two
predatory animals (weasel and hawk) and two non-predatory animals (squirrel and pheasant) for the surrounding animals. Why do you think he changed his mind? Have students respond. Are two predatory and two
non-predatory animals still represented now? Yes.
Where are gazelles commonly found? Africa and Asia. Have students look at these continents on a map.
Why is this sculpture very special to Fredericks? It was the first time he received so much recognition for his
sculpture and it was his first major public commission. He became more widely known as a public sculptor
and received many commissions as a result of winning. This sculpture can be found on his grave at the
Greenwood Cemetery in Birmingham, Michigan. It is centrally placed in the museum’s Main Gallery, designed
by Fredericks.
Leaping Gazelle Activities:
Have students research the five animals: gazelle, grouse, hawk, rabbit, and otter. Discuss their natural habitat, description, and other information about them.
Research Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan and discuss its history. What other interesting things can be found
there?
12
Sketch for Cleveland War Memorial: Fountain of Eternal
Life
Pencil and ink on tracing paper
n.d.
12”h x 18 ½”w
Cleveland War Memorial
Bronze sketch model
c 1945
38”h x 9”w x 9”d
Cleveland War Memorial: Fountain of Eternal
Life
Cleveland, Ohio
46’h
13
Cleveland War Memorial: Peace Arising from the Flames of War
Public collections:
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, Main Gallery, University Center, Michigan, inch-to-foot scale model, plaster,
1945-64
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, Main Gallery, University Center, Michigan, quarter-scale model, plaster, 194564
Saginaw Valley State University, Founder's Hall, University Center, Michigan, (Peace Arising from the Flames of War and
sphere), quarter-scale, bronze,1997
Kirk in the Hills Presbyterian Church, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, (Peace Arising from the Flames of War and sphere), quarter-scale, bronze
Didactic label:
Located at the Civic Center Mall A, Cleveland, Ohio, the Fountain of Eternal Life, also known as the Cleveland
War Memorial, was commissioned by the City of Cleveland in 1945. Groundbreaking for the 46 foot tall fountain was begun in 1955 and it was dedicated on Memorial Day 1964, almost twenty years in the making. The
final sculpture is flanked by four monolithic granite carvings weighing approximately ten tons each. They depict the four great civilizations of the earth: Nordic, Eastern, Southern, and Western cultures. Centered within
is the 10 ½ foot sculptured and filigreed bronze sphere representing the Universe as man has imagined it
throughout history. Its over-all design contains symbols of Eternal Life, Spirit, and Dominion derived from ancient myths and legends. The monumental central figure, also in bronze, towers 43 feet above the basin.
The sculpture exhibited here is an early sketch model of the fountain’s central figure. Because of the nude
male and female figures, the design would later be rejected by the Gold Star Mothers, who also held up the
project’s completion. (Gold Stars Mothers, Inc. is an organization open to any woman who has lost a son or
daughter in a war; it was founded shortly after W.W. I).
Looking at the large drawing in the exhibition you see the sphere, but there is only a single male figure covered with flames up to his waist. The bronze sphere symbolizes the superstitions and legends of mankind,
with the figure of man rising from the flames and reaching for eternal peace. This shop drawing was created
by the vendor to illustrate the assembly of the central figure for the fountain.
In this exhibition the drawing for Man and the Expanding Universe illustrates the same figures as its central
theme. This too would be rejected by the General Services Administration for another design.
This early sketch model with the two nude figures for Fountain of Eternal Life would be proposed again for
other Fredericks’ commissions. In 1997, the nude figure design would be used for the sculpture Star Dream
located at the Barbara Hallman Plaza, Royal Oak, Michigan.
Questions and Answers:
What is a war memorial? A monument or sculpture that honors men and women who served, fought and died
in a war.
The drawing and the bronze sketch model are different from the final sculpture. Why? The clients for the memorial asked him to change his original design. Compare and contrast the drawing, bronze sketch and final
artwork. Have students share their thoughts on the similarities and differences.
What imagery do you see on the globe of the sculpture? Sun, Phoenix, Dragon, Swan, Baboon, Pegasus,
Crocodile/alligator, Lion, and Dolphin/porpoises. Have students research and discuss the meanings of these
images. Fredericks said that its over-all design contains symbols of eternal life, spirit, and dominion derived
from ancient myths and legends.
Can one symbol have different meanings for different cultures? Yes, symbols do have different meanings for
different cultures.
What different cultures do the “civilization” sculptures represent? Nordic, Southern, Eastern, and Western
cultures of the world.
How do you know that? Each culture has attributes of the civilizations they represent. Nordic has Thor with a
shark, Southern has African people with a mask, Western has Bacchus/Dionysus, and Eastern has
Buddha/Shiva, Ganesh and various other East Asian deities.
What do the flames represent? War. Why would he sculpt a man reaching upward? Fredericks stated: “This
figure expresses the main theme of the Fountain, namely, the spirit of mankind rising out of the encircling
flames of war, pestilence, and the destructive elements of life, reaching and ascending to a new
14
understanding of life. Man rising above death; reaching upward to his God and toward peace.” If Fredericks
made the sculpture reach downwards, what do you think that would mean? Have students discuss this. Have
students discuss the meanings of body gesture.
There are different sizes of this sculpture in the museum. Why would he do different sizes of this War
Memorial? Fredericks started his artwork in smaller scale sizes and slowly enlarged them to present to the
commissioning persons. If changes needed to be made he was able to do this easily before the final full-scale
model was complete.
If the ¼ scale model is 11 ½’ then how large is the full scale model? 46’
What dates did WWII occur? 1939 to 1945
What countries were involved? The aggressor countries were Germany, Italy, and Japan. Allied countries
included United Kingdom, France, United States, Soviet Union, and China.
What countries emerged as superpowers after WWII? The Soviet Union and United States.
What is a term we use for people that fought in a past war? Veterans.
What are some other wars that involved the US and what are their dates? Revolutionary War: 1775-83,
Spanish American War: 1898-1901, World War I: 1914-18, Korean War: 1950 to 53, Vietnam War: 1959-75,
and Gulf War: 1990-91.
How was Fredericks selected to do this sculpture? Cleveland, OH had a 40-year dream of establishing a
beautiful war memorial and fountain to memorialize Greater Cleveland’s war dead. Around 1945 the
Cleveland Press undertook a campaign to raise $100,000 in public contributions. The final contributions
raised were $104,000. Fredericks made scale models of his proposed design which were viewed informally
at the Cleveland School of Art by members of the City Planning Commission and the Commission’s Advisory
Committee on Fine Arts. Along with Fredericks, a field of fountain sculptors was thoroughly reviewed and
Lieutenant Colonel (US Air Force), Marshall Fredericks was chosen.
Did Fredericks serve in any wars? Which one? Yes, World War II. He was a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Air
Force.
Cleveland War Memorial Activities:
Have students do body gestures in front of the class and discuss what they mean.
Have students create their own war memorial. Start by researching the war(s) and then selecting symbols
that have meanings they want to convey. You can then create a 2-dimensional collage artwork by using actual
art and photographic images.
15
Spiritual:
Sketch for Black Elk: Homage to the Great
Spirit
Ink on paper
n.d.
8”h x 4 ¾”w
Black Elk: Homage to the Great Spirit
Bronze
1980
16 ½”h x 14 ½”w x 7”d
16
Black Elk: Homage to the Great Spirit
Public Collections:
Tower of the Four Winds, Black Elk Neihardt Park, Blair, Nebraska, small, bronze, 1980
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, University Center, Michigan, small-scale, plaster, 1980
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, University Center, Michigan, small scale, bronze, 1980
University of Nebraska Medical Center, McGoogan Library of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska, small scale, 1980
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, University Center, Michigan, quarter-scale, armature, circa 1980-1998
Sterling Bank and Trust, Southfield, Michigan, full-scale, bronze, 1998
Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center, Birmingham, Michigan, small-scale
Washington County Bank, Blair, Nebraska
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, University Center, Michigan, quarter-scale, plaster
Didactic Label:
This sculpture is a sketch model for a proposed fifteen-foot high monument that was to be placed on the eightyacre Black Elk-Neihardt Park west of Blair, Nebraska. Black Elk grasps the sacred peace pipe, which was given
to his ancestors to insure that they would multiply and be a good nation. He points it upward from his heart and
gazes skyward as he gives a prayer of thanks to the Great Spirit for the buffalo. The physical closeness of Black
Elk with the buffalo at his feet suggests the spiritual closeness the Sioux Indians feel with the buffalo. In the
Sioux Tribe’s rich history, its people are profoundly dependent on the buffalo and the hunt.
An early sketch portrays Black Elk kneeling, without the buffalo at his side, holding a peace pipe.
The original subject of the sculpture is Black Elk, the man. Black Elk (1866-1950) was an Ogallala Sioux medicine man and a spiritual leader for all North American Indians. Black Elk Speaks by John Neihardt (1881-1973)
is an account of Black Elk’s life and of the Ogallala Sioux, written after a series of interviews with Black Elk in
1931. It is revered by many North American Indians of the 20 th century.
Fredericks was personally inspired by the life of Black Elk and his writings and he had a lifelong interest in Native Americans and their cultures.
A limited edition of this sculpture was cast in this scale to raise money to build the “Tower of the Four Winds”
monument at Black Elk-Neihardt Park; unfortunately, the Black Elk-Neihardt Park project was never realized. A
full-scale bronze of Black Elk: Homage to the Great Spirit was cast in 1998 and is in a private collection.
Questions and Answers:
Who was Black Elk? Have students research the Ogallala Lakota people. The Ogallala Lakota see themselves as
part of the Lokota Sioux people. They are located in the regions of Nebraska, South Dakota and east of Wyoming. Some facts about Black Elk: He was a second cousin to Crazy Horse.
What did Black Elk experience in his life? He took part in the 1876 Battle at the Little Bighorn River and Wounded Knee. Research and discuss these historical events with students.
What is the origin of the peace pipe? According to John Niehardt’s book Black Elk Speaks, a sacred woman
appeared to two scouts. She informed one of them to go home and tell them she was coming and they needed
to build a big tepee for her in the center of the nation. And he did. When she came she brought and gave to the
chief a “pipe with a bison calf carved on one side to mean the earth that bears and feeds us and with twelve
eagle feathers hanging from the stem to mean the sky and the twelve moons, and these were tied with a grass
that never breaks.” (Black Elk Speaks)
This sculpture was created for the Tower of the 4 Winds near Blair, Nebraska. Where is Blair, Nebraska? Close
to the border of Iowa and Nebraska north of Lincoln, Nebraska. (Have students find it on a map.)
Why do we know so much information about Black Elk? John Niehardt, a poet and writer met Black Elk in
August of 1930 at his home near Manderson, Nebraska. Black Elk shared his life stories to educate people
about his life experiences. Black Elk and John Niehardt met over a period of about two years and Neihardt
wrote a book on this titled Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Ogallala Sioux.
Do you think Marshall Fredericks sculpture shows Black Elk offering a prayer of thanks for the buffalo? Yes,
Fredericks portrays Black Elk looking upward in a standing position holding the peace pipe with a buffalo seated
next to him on one side.
Is a buffalo and bison the same animal? Yes, The American Bison is a North American species commonly
known as the American Buffalo.
Do you often give thanks for the food, clothing, family and home you have? How do you give thanks? Have
students respond in their own ways.
Black Elk Activities: Have students discuss something good that they are thankful for. Then have them make a
small sculpture in modeling clay that shows their appreciation for it.
17
Saints and Sinners: Holy Mother and
Child
Bronze, cast 1976
1939
33”h
Sketch for Saints and Sinners
Pencil on yellow drawing paper
c. 1939
8 ¼”h x 5 ¼”w
Seven Saints and Sinners
Bronze, cast 1976
1939
33”h
18
Saints and Sinners
Public Collections:
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, University Center, Michigan, plaster originals, 1976
Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, bronze, 1976
Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art, Midland, Michigan, bronze, 1977
Northwood University, Midland, Michigan, small-scale, bronze, 1981
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, University Center, Michigan, small-scale, bronze
Alden B. Dow Home and Studio, Midland, Michigan, small-scale, bronze
Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan, small-scale
Didactic label:
In 1976, Fredericks enlarged these figures from the thirty-inch tall version that he had created in 1939 for
the Kresge Library at Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan. These seven figures are in the style of jamb
statues often found in the portals of Gothic cathedrals throughout Europe. Because these Gothic cathedral
figures were attached to columns, they were elongated with unnatural proportions; Fredericks' figures all
conform to this elongated form. They are amusingly balanced atop small orbs. Although they are similar in
style, each one is individualized and possesses distinguishing attributes.
Questions and Answers
Compare and contrast the drawing and the sculpture. Have students discuss their thoughts.
Did you notice that Fredericks did both drawings and wrote notes? Why do you think he did this? He was
thinking both visually and cognitively. You can see the phrase “Beauty and the Beast” written and then
crossed out. This is because he must have considered that theme and decided not to pursue it. There are
three figures in this drawing. One is a mother with child, and another is a single figure of a woman. Towards
the bottom is a figure laying on its back, possibly the beast.
Which of the three drawings best reflect the sculpture? The one on the left. However it isn’t exactly like it.
Does the drawing on the left and the sculpture have similarities or differences? Have students describe how
the drawing differs from the sculpture.
Why is this sculpture long and thin? The style is Gothic-style because in Gothic architecture the sculpture was
subordinate to the architecture. So if there was a tall thin space that needed a sculpture on a cathedral it was
made tall and thin to fit. The whole suite of Saints and Sinners resembles jamb statues on Gothic architecture.
This is one of a suite of 7 sculptures. The names of the other seven are: The Good Influence, Pious
Monk/Saint of the Church, Eve/Knowledge of Good and Evil, Temptation, Warrior Saint, and The Evil
Influence. Fredericks produced them in a 3 foot size and enlarged them to full-scale approximately 9 feet
high.
Saints and Sinners: Holy Mother and Child Activities
Have students research Gothic architecture. Take some photos of Gothic architecture in their community
(churches, residential homes, commercial buildings, etc.) and discuss them.
19
Whimsical:
Sketch for Lion and Monkey
Pencil on steno pad paper
c. 1957
9”h x 5 ¾”w
The Lion and Monkey
Bronze
1957
6 ½”h x 11”w x 5”d
20
Lion and Mouse
Public collections:
Eastland Shopping Center, Harper Woods, Michigan, limestone and bronze, 1957
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, Main gallery, University Center, Michigan, plaster, 1957
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, Sculpture Garden, University Center, Michigan, bronze, 1988
Didactic Label:
Fredericks sculpted The Lion and Monkey in 1957. He soon changed the sculpture to The Lion and
Mouse, thinking it would be easier for children to sit or slide on the lion’s knee, as The Lion and Mouse drawing, in the exhibition portrays.
The hand of the artist is clearly visible in the workmanship of this model, including Fredericks’ fingerprints which can be seen on the sculpture. The treatment of the lion’s mane, a series of pressed on spheres
of clay, gives him a more natural unkempt look rather than the ornate regal curls he would acquire in The
Lion and Mouse.
The Lion and Monkey does not remind us of Aesop’s (c. 620 - c. 560 B.C.E.) fable The Lion and
Mouse, but rather tells a different story. The monkey is relaxed and at ease with his back arched and his tail
resting on the lion’s leg; he might even be contemplating a nap. The lion too is relaxed, and lying on his back
in a pose of submission. There is no danger here, only a glimpse at a moment of serenity, balance and harmony.
Questions and Answers:
Who wrote the Lion and Mouse story? It is an Aesop Fable. He was a Greek 6th century B.C. E. (Before Common Era) writer of fables. A fable is a short narrative that usually teaches a moral lesson and often uses animals as the main characters.
What is the story of the Lion and Mouse? The life of a pleading mouse is spared, when he is caught by a lion.
The mouse eventually repays the lion by chewing a hole in a hunter’s net to free him. The other similar popular story has the mouse remove a thorn from the lion’s paw.
Does this lion resemble one that you would see in a zoo? Why? No. It is lying on his back similar to a human
lounging.
What are two words that are used to describe artwork that is recognizable but not true to life? Stylized and
abstract. Stylized means to represent or design according to style rather than according to nature. Abstract
means altering the view of the world we see and retaining only the essence of a thing or idea.
What is the moral of this story? That we must realize, that even the smallest of creatures can do very large
favors. We must respect each other despite differences in our beliefs, culture, and, in this case, size. Both
the mouse and the lion have importance and can greatly benefit from each other.
Why do you think Fredericks made this sculpture? He was commissioned to create a sculpture for a shopping
mall in the 1950s. Shopping malls were invented in Michigan. Mall owners sought artists to make sculpture
and artwork to beautify their malls.
Look at the drawing made by Fredericks and the finished sculpture. Have students discuss similarities or differences of the drawing and sculpture. Ask them why they think the image changed from the drawing to the
final sculpture. Have children express their thoughts. In many instances Fredericks original drawing and concept changes when the final sculpture is complete. There are many reasons. For example he worked for people that may have asked him to make changes. Sometimes an artist decides to make changes based on logistical reasons, aesthetic reasons, and simply because humans grow and develop make adjustments in their
everyday life and tasks. We problem solve and find the best solutions. In this case he eliminated the monkey
so it would be easier for children to sit or slide on the lion’s knee.
Lion and Mouse Activity:
Discuss fables and have the students read a few of them in class. Have students compose a short fable of
their own and illustrate them into a small booklet. Make copies for the entire class to share.
21
Study for The Boy and Bear
Pencil on tracing paper
c. 1954
9”h x 11 ¾”w
Sketch for The Boy and Bear
Pencil on tracing paper
c. 1954
6”h x 10 ¾”w
The Boy and Bear
Bronze
1954
11”h x 11”w x 5 ½”d
22
The Boy and the Bear
Public collections:
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, Main Gallery, University Center, Michigan, plaster, 1954
Northland Center, Southfield, Michigan, limestone and gilt bronze, 1954
Grosse Pointe Public Library, Grosse Pointe, Michigan, bronze, 1976
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, Main Gallery, University Center, Michigan, maquette, bronze, 1987
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum, Sculpture Garden, University Center, Michigan, bronze, 1988
Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, Grand Rapids, Michigan, bronze, 1995
Way Elementary School, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, small-scale
Didactic label:
The Boy and Bear was commissioned by Joseph L. Hudson for architect Victor Gruen’s Northland Shopping
Center in Southfield, Michigan; at the time, Northland was only the second open-air pedestrian shopping mall
in the United States. The bear is carved in limestone and the boy is cast in bronze and gold-plated. The Boy
and Bear is located just outside one of the entrances to Macy’s, formerly Hudson’s department store. Three
years after Fredericks started the sculpture, The Boy and Bear was dedicated in 1954. In a 1981 interview
with the Detroit News art critic Joy Colby, Fredericks said, “People don’t like to go shopping in just a cement
building, you know; they really don’t. If it has something that appeals to their eye and is more friendly and
warm and maybe has a little fun connected with it I think they enjoy it more.”
While there is no documented correlation between Rudyard Kipling’s boy (Mowgli) and bear (Baloo) in his famous novel The Jungle Book (1894) and Fredericks’ The Boy and Bear, most note great similarities.
Fredericks love for children is clearly at the heart of this sculpture. The bear’s enormous body compared to
the frail boy reminds the viewer of man’s special bond with animals. The bear with his massive head lowered,
ears upright, brow furrowed and gentle smile reaches out to the boy and each viewer in friendship, and appears to offer to lend an ear to listen. Fredericks had created a special relationship with The Boy and Bear,
but has also left open the possibility of relationships yet to come.
The Boy and Bear was later cast in bronze and donated to Saginaw Valley State University where it resides
today in the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum’s sculpture garden.
Questions and Answers:
What does this sculpture remind you of? The Jungle Book.
Who wrote the Jungle Book? Rudyard Kipling
When did Kipling write this story? 1894
Can you briefly describe the story of the Jungle Book? Have students summarize the story and names of the
boy and bear.
Fredericks said that his boy and bear sculpture has no relation to the Jungle Book story. Do you believe him?
Why? Have students discuss this.
Why did Fredericks make this sculpture? Fredericks was one of six artists commissioned to design sculpture
for Northland Shopping Center in Southfield, MI. It is obvious that Fredericks designed this sculpture with
children in mind. As with his other large animal sculptures, he gave the bear a benevolent quality so it would
not frighten children. This bear could be a child's best friend.
Ask students to compare and contrast the drawings and the bronze sculpture.
Can you read some of the notes that Fredericks has written on the sketch? What do you think they mean?
“Bear with child”: perhaps a title. “Clowns in bent formed metal-patinaed and painted”: perhaps referring to
another sculpture with clowns.
One drawing shows the Boy and Bear with a darkened image of a person behind it. He has drawn horizontal
lines from the Boy and Bear to the figure. Why did he do this? He was deciding on height proportions for the
Boy and Bear sculpture. For example the shoulder height of the figure aligned with the stomach area of the
boy on the bear.
Fredericks carved the bear in limestone and the boy was cast in bronze and gold-plated. Why did he use two
different media? So there was texture, color and medium contrast. Limestone is a white or light value matte
color with slight texture and the boy’s gold-plated bronze surface is gold color, shiny and reflective.
23
Fredericks Facts Fredericks’ daughter Roz served as the model for the boy.
The Boy and the Bear Activities
Briefly summarize the Jungle Book story to the class. Discuss the moral of the story with the class. They may
know the story well because of the movie. Have them create a story with a moral in a comic strip format. Ask
them to do drawings in different frames to indicate the different parts of the story. Suggest both animal and
human characters in their comic strip.
24
Glossary
ARMATURE: A skeleton-like framework used to support clay or plaster. An armature is often made of wood,
wire or metal.
ART: Objects or ideas created by humans that tell or show what we are thinking or feeling. Art may or may not
be beautiful. Art may or may not look like something we know or recognize. Art examples include painting,
sculpture, architecture, music, performance, dance and acting.
BRONZE: An alloy or mixture of metals made by combining copper (90 percent) with tin (10 percent) and
sometimes lead and zinc (usually in equal parts). Copper also can be mixed with silicon to make silicon
bronze.
CAST: A sculptural object made by pouring a fluid or molten material into a hollow form/mould and allowing
that material to harden.
CLAY: A malleable mud-like substance that can be either water-based or oil-based. Clay can be shaped or
formed and therefore often is used to make bricks, tile, pottery and sculpture.
GESTURE: Movement of body or hands to express a thought or idea without speaking.
GOLD-PLATE: To coat a metal with another metal. This process is often simply called plating. The base metal
is placed in a container of water in which it becomes an electrode, which is then gradually coated with
particles of another metal by electrolysis.
IN-THE-ROUND: A three-dimensional sculpture viewable from all angles.
LIMESTONE: Rock consisting mainly of calcium carbonate, often composed of the organic remains of sea
animals. It is used as building stone and as a source of lime. When crystallized by heat and pressure, it
becomes marble.
MAQUETTE: A small model of a sculpture.
MOLD: The negative form made from an original model.
MONUMENT: A structure (building or sculpture) erected as a memorial to a person or an event.
MUSEUM: A building or room for exhibiting artistic, historical or scientific objects.
PATINA: An oxidation process in which acidic solutions are applied with or without heat to a finished metal
cast surface in order to color the surface. Different acid solutions can produce a wide variety of colors.
PLASTER: A white, powdery mixture of lime and sand that forms a paste when combined with water. Plaster
hardens as it dries.
PRESENTATION MODEL: A small-scale model of a sculpture that’s made for presentation to a client.
PROPORTION: The Size relationships to parts of a whole, or between two or more items perceived as a unit. It
is also the size relationship between an object and its surroundings.
RELIEF: Figures or other shapes that project from a flat surface. The three types of reliefs are low (bas), high
and incised.
SCALE: Size in relation to some “normal” or constant size.
SCULPTURE: The art of carving or modeling figures. Sculpture methods include cutting from blocks of stone
or wood, casting in bronze or other material, making statues by welding or assembling, and modeling in clay
or wax.
SKETCH MODEL: A small-scale sculpture; not the final or finished one.
TEXTURE: The actual or visual feeling of a surface. Tree bark, animal fur, cement and sand are examples of
different textures.
TWO-DIMENSIONAL: Having length and width.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL: Having length, width and depth.
Websites, Books and Multimedia
Website: www.marshallfredericks.org
Monograph Book: Marshall M. Fredericks, Sculptor, Edited by Suzanne P. Fredericks, 2003, Wayne State
University Press, Detroit, Michigan
Videos: Celebrate the Spirit, The Magic of Marshall Fredericks: The Making of The Poet—Lord Byron (also in
DVD), Sculptor Marshall Fredericks: In His Own Words
Resources:
www.artlex.com
www.wikipedia.com
Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum Archives
Getlein, Mark, Living with Art, Ninth Edition, McGraw Hill Higher Education
25