Billie Silvey
April 2008
An eclectic website about Women, Christianity, History,
Culture and the Arts--and anything else that comes to mind.
Culture and the Arts--and anything else that comes to mind.
SCULPTURE
I have always enjoyed sculpture. As a
child, I loved the statue of the Indian
holding a rabbit skin at the Panhandle
Plains Historical Society Museum in
Canyon. There was the statue of
Mary in the hospital where my Granny
was treated in Amarillo. And the
stone guitars on the roof of the
deserted house Frank and I used to
sneak into in Abilene.
child, I loved the statue of the Indian
holding a rabbit skin at the Panhandle
Plains Historical Society Museum in
Canyon. There was the statue of
Mary in the hospital where my Granny
was treated in Amarillo. And the
stone guitars on the roof of the
deserted house Frank and I used to
sneak into in Abilene.
Not long after we married, I carved a bas relief of
Frank's silhouette in a bar of soap. It looked surprisingly
like him, but not long after we married, he was a subject
I tended to study pretty closely.
It wasn’t until we moved to Los Angeles that I really
saw sculpture. I loved the Asian sculpture at the Los
Angeles County Museum of Art and the classical
sculpture at the Huntington Gallery and gardens in
Pasadena. And when our children were young, they
enjoyed sitting on the back of the giant sloth at the La
Brea Tarpits.
Now we live in the Palms district of Los Angeles, just
half a block from Culver City. Culver City has put a lot
of money into public art recently, and several interesting
sculptures are in easy walking distance of our house.
Much of it is connected to the city’s historic film
industry.
Frank's silhouette in a bar of soap. It looked surprisingly
like him, but not long after we married, he was a subject
I tended to study pretty closely.
It wasn’t until we moved to Los Angeles that I really
saw sculpture. I loved the Asian sculpture at the Los
Angeles County Museum of Art and the classical
sculpture at the Huntington Gallery and gardens in
Pasadena. And when our children were young, they
enjoyed sitting on the back of the giant sloth at the La
Brea Tarpits.
Now we live in the Palms district of Los Angeles, just
half a block from Culver City. Culver City has put a lot
of money into public art recently, and several interesting
sculptures are in easy walking distance of our house.
Much of it is connected to the city’s historic film
industry.
There’s the Filmland pool in
front of Veterans Auditorium, a
segment of glistening film looping
in and out of the water, and the
family, complete with dog, in
front of the Senior Center on
Overland Avenue.
front of Veterans Auditorium, a
segment of glistening film looping
in and out of the water, and the
family, complete with dog, in
front of the Senior Center on
Overland Avenue.
In the revitalized downtown
area, a whimsical statue of
the MGM lion stands in the
middle of waterspouts that
erupt sporadically, to the
delight of children.
area, a whimsical statue of
the MGM lion stands in the
middle of waterspouts that
erupt sporadically, to the
delight of children.
One of my favorites is the statue of
Harry Culver sitting on a bench in front
of the old Culver Hotel. He’s
reading a paper as his wife, holding
their baby, glances over his shoulder.
Occasionally, a homeless person joins
him on his bench.
Other articles in this issue include a
history of sculpture, an interview with
sculptor Arthur Williams, and an article
on religious sculpture.
Harry Culver sitting on a bench in front
of the old Culver Hotel. He’s
reading a paper as his wife, holding
their baby, glances over his shoulder.
Occasionally, a homeless person joins
him on his bench.
Other articles in this issue include a
history of sculpture, an interview with
sculptor Arthur Williams, and an article
on religious sculpture.
What statues have you enjoyed? Write me about your
experiences with sculpture at b.silvey@sbcglobal.net.
experiences with sculpture at b.silvey@sbcglobal.net.