Marc Mellon: The sculptor behind the Bust of Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel & Ken Behring and the ICCUSA Celtic Ball Medals

ICCUSA award

hen sculptor Marc Mellon was commissioned He is Founding Chairman of the United States Holocaust As an old-school classicist with broad interests, Mellon’s Wto create the bust of philanthropist Kenneth E. Memorial Museum, and recently received their highest commissioned work spans a number of categories, Behring, the artist gladly took up the job and shipped award, The Inaugural United States Holocaust Memorial notably including: his modeling stand from Connecticut over to Museum Award. In order to honor Wiesel’s extraordinary „„ Portrait Busts „„ Sports Bronzes to work directly with Behring. The finished product vision and moral stature, which not only created was unveiled during a ceremony and now stands on the the Museum but inspired a worldwide movement of „„ Commemorative Statues „„ Dance Bronzes National Museum of American History’s second floor. Holocaust remembrance and education, the award has „„ Bronze Figurative „„ Family Group Bronzes Behring donated $80 million to the museum in 2000 now been named the United States Holocaust Memorial Fountains and consequently paved the way for major building Museum Elie Wiesel Award. „„ Major Annual Awards, renovations and some of the museum’s most popular „„ Portrait Reliefs including Sports Along with his wife Marion, the Wiesels have exhibits. Trophies and Foundation established the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity. „„ Bronze Medals Awards Ken Behring’s life is literally a Horatio Alger story; in fact, The Foundation’s mission, rooted in the memory of he is recipient of the Horatio Alger Award For Overcoming the Holocaust, is to combat indifference, intolerance Marc has also designed the medals for the ICCUSA Celtic Adversity to Achieve Success from the Horatio Alger and injustice through international dialogue and Ball Awards over 15 years now. For more information, Association of Distinguished Americans. Born to a youth-focused programs that promote acceptance, please visit www.marcmellon.com hardscrabble life, through hard work and vision he became understanding and equality. Elie Wiesel with portrait a successful car dealer, and then a successful developer Below: Bust of Kenneth E. Behring, with the Behring family, bust by Marc Mellon Marc Mellon is one of America’s foremost Danville California. Commissioned by the , in , California, and now in China. An avid classic National Museum of American History. Unveiled June, 2011. car collector, he established the Blackhawk Museum in representational sculptors, well known for his portrait Danville CA. Also in Danville is world headquarters for busts, commemorative statues, and other works in bronze the Wheelchair Foundation, which has gifted over 865,000 exploring the worlds of dance, sport, and family life. wheelchairs to the indigent, globally, since 2000. Individuals who have been recognized and honored with Mellon bronze portrait busts include Pope John Paul II, Ken’s philanthropy includes major gifts to the President George H.W. Bush, President Lee Teng-hui Smithsonian Institution, the American Museum of of Taiwan, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Elie Wiesel. Natural History, and the National Museum of American Athletes Michael Jordan, Mickey Mantle, Arthur Ashe, History, the naming of which now includes Kenneth E. Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Andre Agassi, and Danica Behring Center. He is also sponsor of the The Kenneth Patrick, are amongst the numerous athletes honored with E. Behring National History Day Contest. The contest Mellon sports bronzes. Dance world legends Ms. Agnes is named for Mr. Behring in recognition of his support de Mille and Ms. Cynthia Gregory have been recognized of NHD. His bust at the museum, which captures his with Mellon dance bronzes, as have entrepreneurial ebullient smile, recognizes him as Businessman, Patriot, visionaries Steve Wynn and Ted Turner. Mellon’s design and Philanthropist. for the obverse of the Official 2009 Presidential Inaugural Medal, featuring a portrait relief of Barack Obama, was Elie Wiesel is internationally recognized as a writer, chosen by the Presidential Inaugural Committee. In teacher, and human rights activist. Recipient of the October 2009 Mellon’s 8’ high bronze statue of George Nobel Prize for Peace in 1986, his other awards include Eastman was dedicated on the University of Rochester’s the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the U.S. Congress Eastman Quadrangle. Over the past 35 years Marc Congressional Gold Medal. The author of over fifty Mellon has created numerous commissioned works for books, his book Night, documenting his personal universities, medical centers, foundations, corporations, experience of the Nazi death camps, is required reading and private individuals across the United States. for students around the globe. Sculptor Marc Mellon with George Eastman Marc Mellon on ladder, Statue, University of Rochester sculpting the statue of George Eastman for the University of Rochester 2 23rd Annual American Celtic Ball 23rd Annual American Celtic Ball 3