idesign Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 I just got back from Virginia Beach for the Dedication of a Navy Monument which my company created. I work for an art foundry and the owner is the main artist who was commissioned to sculpt the figures. It was close to a 2 year project from conception to this dedication which was held Saturday. The bronze figures are are about 8' tall (life and a quarter) and celebrate the history of Naval Aviation. Just thought I'd share some of the pictures of the artwork....:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idesign Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 It looks like some of them got cut off, but you get the gist.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colt45 Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 Great work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 Love your work Lisa and Smithy have something similar in mind for me when the time comes to head to he great divan in the sky ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idesign Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 » Lisa and Smithy have something similar in mind for me when the time comes » to head to he great divan in the sky ;-) I'm sure they've got something planned...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van55 Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 I recognized the site as 25th street at the ocean front. Virginia Beach is my home. Here's a local news article on the Monument: Naval Aviation Monument Park Dedication This Weekend May 3, 2006 12:23 PM EDT The long-anticipated, $1.5-million Monument to Naval Aviation will be dedicated at a formal ceremony this weekend as members of the Hampton Roads Squadron of the Association of Naval Aviation dedicate Monument Park and present it as a gift to the City of Virginia Beach. The event is scheduled for noon, Saturday, May 6, at 25th Street and Atlantic Avenue at the oceanfront. The dedication coincides with the 95th anniversary of naval aviation and the 30th anniversary of the Association of Naval Aviation. Special remarks will be given by world-renowned sculptor Michael Maiden of Sandy, Ore., who created the bronze statues, as well as Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf, Capt. Dennis Free, Virginia Beach Police Department, and the keynote speaker, former Secretary of the Navy John F. Lehman, Jr. Lehman served in the U. S. Air Force Reserves for three years while studying at Cambridge University, then in 1968 joined the U. S. Navy as an ensign and later rose The idea for a monument to naval aviation was that of Virginia Beach Police Capt. Dennis Free, who was still a lieutenant with the department in 1997 when he first made the proposal. “Virginia Beach has a long, very rich history with naval aviation,” said Free, a member of the local police department since 1978. “I just thought it was time the citizens did something to thank the Navy. It was long overdue.” He took his idea to Mayor Oberndorf. “She thought it was a great idea – actually, the whole city helped,” Free said. Free said city officials advised him to take his proposal to the local naval aviation group. The members of the HRANA liked his idea so well they made him a member of the organization, even though Free has never served in the military, and put him in charge of fund raising. The primary source of the funds has been bingo. Free said he raised more than $750,000 by conducting bingo games almost every Friday night for close to eight years. The rest of the money came from donations by corporations and private individuals. The bronze and granite monuments are constructed on a 16,000-square-foot, city-owned plot at 25th Street and Atlantic Avenue. The memorial covers three eras of naval aviation. The first, from 1910, depicts the world’s first shipboard launch, which was made here in Hampton Roads by Eugene Ely from the U.S.S. Birmingham. The second represents World War II aviators preparing to man their planes. The third, from the Korean War to the present, illustrates modern aviators and flight deck personnel, a female pilot and two males. “It’s the first monument to a woman combat pilot,” Maiden said. “The reason is that women combat pilots didn't exist 20 years ago." A separate monument lists the names of all aircraft carriers and includes laser-etched granite storyboards that tell some of the most significant events in aviation history. The Virginia Beach architectural firm of Cox, Kliewer and Co. designed the overall plan of the monument site at no cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idesign Posted May 9, 2006 Author Share Posted May 9, 2006 » I recognized the site as 25th street at the ocean front. Virginia Beach is » my home. » I thought you were from VA Beach Van, but couldn't remember.....You'll have to go down there and check it out. I've got my name on the contributor wall on the Michael Maiden Studios plaque......Chadwick Scott :-P It was a very cool project to be part of. Saturday was beautiful there. Friday Morning I enjoyed a Juan Lopez #2 sitting on the 9th story deck, watching the sunrise. I had a very enjoyable time there..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 Very nice. There's nothing quite like bronze to immortalize someone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 Yes...Lisa's request to hold a copy on file of my life insurance contract was the first hint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havana.stogie Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 » » Lisa and Smithy have something similar in mind for me when the time » comes » » to head to he great divan in the sky ;-) » » I'm sure they've got something planned...... Cigar dinners at Croc's coming soon in the open deck at the end of the month.... hmmmm, once this weather cooperates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatshotbud Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Wow - Fantastic detail on the statues -- how do you get them to stand on one foot with out any visually noticable support? Are they just bolted down to the base really good? Thanks for sharing the work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaclub7 Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Very, very nice! Thanks for sharing with everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leftridge Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 » Love your work » » Lisa and Smithy have something similar in mind for me when the time comes » to head to he great divan in the sky ;-) I'm curous if Lisa will comment on your claim! Great Work! My dad and grandad were Navy men (which proves that not all squids are "funny") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skindiver Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 » » Love your work » » » » Lisa and Smithy have something similar in mind for me when the time » comes » » to head to he great divan in the sky ;-) » » I'm curous if Lisa will comment on your claim! » » » » Great Work! My dad and grandad were Navy men (which proves that not all » squids are "funny Great pictures and sentiments...............but wouldn't it be great if we could think about our own country in terms of less threatening ways? Or less activities of war and in more humanitarian sympathies Surely we could better expend our energies in that fashion. I spent 8 years of my life in the military, by no means am I unpatriotiotic in saying let us end every war that needs to be ended such as those we are currebtly involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiley Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 » Great pictures and sentiments...............but wouldn't it be great if we » could think about our own country in terms of less threatening ways? Or » less activities of war and in more humanitarian sympathies Surely we could » better expend our energies in that fashion. » » I spent 8 years of my life in the military, by no means am I » unpatriotiotic in saying let us end every war that needs to be ended such » as those we are currebtly involved. I'm not sure why you think a memorial is threatening. You need to get over your feelings about Iraq. Although I wish war and killing was never necessary, the hard truth is that some wars are unavoidable, unless you don't mind being a victim that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idesign Posted April 17, 2008 Author Share Posted April 17, 2008 Wow, these resurfaced, eh? Thanks for the compliments everybody, it was a fun project. We just installed a "Homecoming" scene in the park to finish out the site...... Now we're working with The Navy League on some new sculpture for the 10th and final Nimitz Class Bush Carrier (CVN-77). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackFriar Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Wow, that's some great artwork. It just amazes me what people can create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Maduro Posted April 18, 2008 Share Posted April 18, 2008 Wow. Truly amazing. I'm going to have to see it up close and personal sometime. Only about an hour and a half away from me. Very well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colt45 Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 » Lisa and Smithy have something similar in mind for me when the time comes » to head to he great divan in the sky ;-) There's talk that they're planning on sooner rather than later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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