Fall is in the air in Colorado - we've had a beautiful mild season and the trees and other foliage have been providing splashes of color throughout the National Sculptors' Guild sculpture garden.

Always fun to see how the change in seasons gives outdoor sculpture a different look. Like look how that peek of blue from Stephen Shachtman's sculpture plays off the bright red leaves! And Jane DeDecker's golden patina on Iris shines. The stone of Ted Fleming's stone carvings against vibrant oranges, and the bits of color raining over Darrell Davis' deer and other sculpture is all breath taking.

Always something new to see in the garden thanks to Mother Nature.

​#InTheGarden #FallColors #SculptureGarden #NSG #ArtAndFlowers #Sculpture #ColorfulColorado #Beauty

NSG Fellow, Jane DeDecker continues to amaze us with her recent monuments to women in Seneca Falls and now Estes Park. She is making history as she honors these historic figures, bringing to light the contributions of phenomenal women, sculpted by a phenomenal woman.

This link has some great pics of the artist and includes some connections to the subjects. https://www.eptrail.com/.../10/01/womens-monument-dedicated/
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By WENDY RIGBY | wrigby@eptrail.com | Estes Park Trail-Gazette
PUBLISHED: October 1, 2021 at 1:15 p.m. | UPDATED: October 4, 2021 at 10:57 a.m.

​On a chilly autumn afternoon, a large crowd gathered to participate in the dedication of the Estes Park Women’s Monument. The statues sit on a piece of land donated by the Town of Estes Park along the river walk. Twelve historical and current female leaders who have impacted the town’s rich heritage are honored in this newest public art installation.

“This was a widespread, grassroots effort,” said Ron Wilcocks, Chairman of the Estes Park Women’s Monument Committee. “Hundreds of people helped make it happen. The community came through in a big way.”

Speaking on behalf of the Estes Park Woman’s Club, Judy Schaffer commented, “These were not just ladies who sat around. They laid trails. They funded libraries. The supported the town as a community. They gave a legacy to the more contemporary women we are honoring.”

Members of the Town Board of Trustees were there, along with Mayor Wendy Koenig who is one of the 12 women honored in bronze sculpture.

​“This is a momentous occasion,” Koenig noted. “This monument makes visible the women who nurtured this community.”

Town Administrator Travis Machalek called the monument “long overdue.”
The centerpiece figure of the picture is Eleanor Hondius, an early female leader in Estes Park. Her son, 97-year-old Pieter Hondius who still lives in Estes Park, was on hand to see his mother honored in this lasting way.

“These were strong-minded, determined and focused women,” she said. “We owe a debt to these pioneers for what Estes Park is today.”

Noting that creating public sculptures is a “team sport,” DeDecker thanked all of the donors who collectively contributed more than $100,000 for the project. She also thanked the town employees who helped prepare the site and will keep it beautiful year round.

We are grieving the loss of a great friend, conservationist and human being. Kim Crumbo, a former Navy SEAL and retired National Park Service ranger, has been a close friend to National Sculptors' Guild sculptor Denny Haskew since high-school, and as a result became a dear friend to many more of us in the gallery and Guild.

His disappearance in Yellowstone last month has been difficult to face. Kim’s words shared to a fellow conservationist ring true to us, and we are certain they shall serve to inspire next generations to take care of the planet as Kim always hoped.

Please read this tribute by Camilla Fox,
https://rewilding.org/honoring-kim-crumbo/

And check out the following to learn more about Kim Crumbo and his efforts with Rewilding Institute…
https://rewilding.org/kim-crumbo/

Backstory:
“In mid-September, rangers began searching for 74-year-old Kim Crumbo of Ogden and his brother, 67-year-old Mark O’Neill of Chimacum, Washington, after the pair was reported missing. Crumbo and O’Neill, National Park Service retirees, had been on a four-night backcountry trip to Shoshone Lake.

Park crews found a vacant campsite with gear on the south side of Shoshone Lake. A canoe, paddle, personal floatation device, and other personal belongings were located on the east shore of the lake. During the morning of Monday, Sept. 20, Yellowstone officials say the body of O’Neill was found along the east shore of Shoshone Lake.

On Sept. 24, rangers announced the search for Crumbo was shifting from a rescue situation to a recovery. The change came after days of searching the Shoshone Lake shoreline by boat, swept trails in the area, and searched open waters by helicopter.

Wednesday, Yellowstone rangers confirmed the National Park Service’s Submerged Resources Center is using sonar equipment to detect clues in the water of where Crumbo may be. Park crews are also searching for Crumbo by foot and boat with help from the Grand Teton National Park’s interagency helicopter and dog teams from Western Montana Search Dogs. This comes after an autopsy determined O’Neill died of hypothermia.

According to rangers, search efforts for Crumbo will continue for the next several days as conditions warrant. The incident remains under investigation. If you were in the Shoshone Lake area between Sept. 12-19 and have any information that could help investigators piece together what happened, you are asked to contact Yellowstone rangers at 307-344-2428 or yell_tip@nps.gov”

#kimcrumbo #rewilding #rewildinginstitute #projectcoyote #wildlandsnetwork #wildarizona #yellowstonenationalpark #conservationist