Walter Gretzky – Lord Mayor of Brantford Tribute Bust the Project
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Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant – Public Art Project Proposal Walter Gretzky – Lord Mayor of Brantford Tribute Bust Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant is a public regional art gallery in Brantford, Ontario that provides the region with six annual art exhibitions, over 40 events per year, a variety of art classes, workshops and camps for both adults and children, and a Permanent Collection with over 600 artworks. Glenhyrst is dedicated to engaging our local and regional communities with art and culture. As such, we propose a public art project that combines Brantford’s love of hockey while honouring our recently passed local hero, Walter Gretzky. Our focus on providing the community with public art in recent years fulfills our mandate to reframe the way that art and culture is accessed and encountered throughout the city, further expanding our responsibility as a public art gallery. The Project Glenhyrst was approached last year by the City of Brantford to facilitate the Call to Artists for the Walter Gretzky Portrait for the newly named Walter Gretzky Municipal Golf Course (previously the Northridge Municipal Golf Course). During that facilitation process, we took notice of one of the entries: a local sculptor named Robert Dey, who submitted a clay cast (to be bronzed) of Walter Gretzky as his submission. The submission was not chosen by the Jurors for the Portrait Call for Artists, but after the passing of Mr. Gretzky, we feel that creating a bust is a tremendous opportunity to honour him as Brantford’s only Lord Mayor. We have approached the artist and he is excited about the prospect of honouring Mr. Gretzky in this way. See Appendix A for details of his work and experience. We realize that Mr. Gretzky has been memorialized in many ways over the years—street names, school names, golf courses etc. Since his passing, we have seen an amazing outpouring of grief and personal stories from Brantford and the surrounding area, but also from around the Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant – Public Art Project Proposal globe. He was a person who made an impact on everyone he met, a person who idolized his community, even more than the sport that made he and his son famous! We feel that this tribute will be an opportunity to engage the arts with sport in our community, but also to engage the corporate community with an opportunity to fund the project. In fact, we are hoping that the entire project can be funded by corporate sponsors. Once the work is complete, Glenhyrst would like to gift the piece to the City of Brantford to add to its growing collection of public art. We also propose that the bust be placed in a prominent, accessible location at the new City Hall facility downtown. The programming that may accompany this project in conjunction with other public art in the downtown core has tremendous potential. For example, public art tours on-foot or by bike are possible, which not only encourages an active lifestyle but also moves the public outside and into parks, our various neighbourhoods, and recreational areas. There is also potential for talks at the various art installation sites that consider the continuing role of public art, the importance of Glenhyrst’s (and Brantford’s) cultural history, and the connection of the artwork to the land on which it stands. We also cannot underestimate the function of social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat in expanding and disseminating images of Brantford’s cultural history and public art collection. To this extent, we intend to create and promote a distinct hash-tag that will accompany the artwork’s information and description as a way to promote the artist, the artwork, Glenhyrst, and the City of Brantford. The hash-tag will also bring together a community of art enthusiasts while educating them about the various artists and artworks connected to Brantford. Overall Project Budget Glenhyrst will be approaching local corporate organizations to fund the entire cost of this project. EXPENSES Artists fees (see cost breakdown in Appendix B) $ 10,000 Label and stand with Plexi-cover $ 2000 Administration costs and marketing $ 3000 Total Project Costs: $ 15,000 Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant – Public Art Project Proposal Appendix A ROBERT DEY – SCULPTOR 14 Farrugie St. Paris, ON N3L 0A8. 519 442 7965 [email protected] www.robertdey.com Artist Statement: Description of Approach, Fabrication, Installation and Maintenance Statement (as submitted for the Walter Gretzky Portrait Call for Artists). I am a Canadian born sculptor who has been creating and exhibiting my work since graduating from McMaster University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours). My work focuses on depicting the human figure in bronze. My modelling technique uses a natural looking detailed realism with an emphasis on life-like movement. My work is in private collections across Canada, the United States and Europe. My current focus has been working on life-size sculptures and commissions. In 2012, I created a life-size bronze sculpture of Canadian golf course architect Stanley Thompson. The sculpture was commissioned by the Stanley Thompson – Highlands Links Historical Society who donated it to Parks Canada and is installed at the Highlands Links golf course on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. In 2017 I completed a large commission for the Galt Museum and Archives in Lethbridge, Alberta, titled ‘Monument to the Galts’. The sculpture consists of two life-size figures of Alexander and Elliott Galt, the founding fathers of Lethbridge, is cast in bronze and is installed in front of the Galt Museum and Archives. For both the Stanley Thompson and the Galt`s projects, I was solely responsible for the modelling, mold making and creation of the wax copy. Once at the foundry I am involved in all aspects of the casting of the bronze to the finishing of the sculpture. The Monument to the Galt’s commission was awarded through a Canada wide public competition. The project took 12 months to complete once it was awarded. I worked very closely with the organizing committee and city officials to manage all stages of the project. I used Lethbridge contractors to complete the engineering drawings, create a foundation and assist in the installation. I worked with the city to acquire permits and develop timelines for the installation. The bronze fabrication took place in Ontario and was shipped to Lethbridge once completed. I met all of the deadlines and provided a high quality monument on time and within the original budget. I have created numerous small scale bronze commissions and portrait busts. Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant – Public Art Project Proposal I was very excited when I saw the call for Artists to create a Walter Gretzky portrait for the newly renamed Walter Gretzky Municipal Golf Course in Brantford, Ontario. I am an avid hockey player who lives in and grew up in Brant County where I have followed and admired what Walter has done for not only Wayne’s hockey career but the city of Brantford and all minor sports. I even created a life-size portrait bust of Walter earlier this year when I was home during the first lockdown of 2020. Using the images provided for this project I would create a detailed life-size portrait bust of Walter Gretzky in modelling clay. Once the portrait model has been approved I will create a silicon rubber mold of the model and finally a hollow wax copy which would be sent to the foundry for casting. Upon completion of the bronze casting I will create a waxed patina to finish the portrait. I will custom build a sculpture stand that will work nicely with the interior design of the club house. The portrait can be permanently mounted to the sculpture stand for safety. Bronze is an extremely durable medium that will withstand any amount of handling it receives from the public. The only maintenance required will be an occasional coat of wax, every couple years and light buffing with a cloth. The schedule for this project would be as follows: • 3 to 4 weeks to model the portrait in clay. The sculpture would need approval from the committee at this time before the mold is created. • 1 week to create rubber mold and wax copy • 3 to 4 weeks at the foundry to complete the bronze casting. The sculpture base will be created during this time. • 1 week to add the patina, mount and deliver complete work ARTIST’S PROFESSIONAL CV: ROBERT DEY – Sculptor 14 Farrugie St. Paris, ON N3L 0A8. 519 442 7965, Cell: 519 209 1895 [email protected] www.robertdey.com Education 1992-1996 McMaster University, Graduated with Honours B.A. in Fine Arts. Elected to the Sculptor’s Society of Canada in 2003. Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant – Public Art Project Proposal Gallery Exhibitions include: Nathaniel Hughson Gallery, Hamliton, Ontario Art Gallery of Peel, Brampton, Ontario Arcadia Gallery, Toronto, Ontario John B. Aird Gallery, Toronto, Ontario Sculptors Society of Canada, Toronto, Ontario Visual Arts Centre of Clarington, Bowmanville, Ontario Arts and Treasures, Paris, Ontario Art Gallery of Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario Kor Gallery, Kitchener, Ontario The Mill Pond Gallery, Richmond Hill, Ontario Icon Arts, Hamilton, Ontario The Gallery, Ancaster, Ontario Gallery on the Bay, Hamiton, Ontario McMaster Museum of Art, Hamilton, Ontario Fine Art Shows: InsideArt Expo, Toronto, Ontario Toronto Outdoor Art Expo, Toronto, Ontario Junction Arts Festival, Toronto, Ontario Art in the Park, Oakville, Ontario Art Works, Kitchener, Ontario Public Art Commissions Monument to the Galt`s, Commissioned by the Galt Museum and Archives and installed in front of the Galt Museum in Lethbridge, Alberta Stanley Thompson Monument, Commissioned by the Highlands Links/Stanley Thompson Historical Society and installed at the Highlands Links Golf Course in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.