Texas Sculptor's Lion Statue Installed at Kabul, Afghanistan Zoo

Kabul zoo director, Sher Aga Omar (in vest, on right), supervises the unloading of the crated "Marjan" statue onto its new pedestal.
Photographers for all three of these photos are unknown. TSOS thanks Bob Coffee, NC Zoo, and Kabul Zoo for providing these photos of "Marjan".

by Bob Coffee

A Texas sculptor's bronze likeness of "Marjan", the blind and battered African lion who became the symbol for the recovery of the Afghan people, has finally taken its place at the gate to the war-torn zoo that was the lion's home for so long.

The 400 pound statue, a gift created by TSOS member Bob Coffee, was received and set in place in May by Kabul city and zoo officials and dedicated during recent ceremonies at the zoo entrance.

The statue was Coffee's tribute to the valiant old lion whose story in the fall of 2001 brought world wide attention to the plight of Kabul's war-torn zoo and its animals. The lion, blinded and scarred by a Taliban grenade, fought for survival despite the near total devastation of his zoo home. Marjan became the rallying point for an international effort by zoos and animal lovers to restore the zoo and save its animals. Sadly, Marjan died in 2003 but not until over $500,000 was raised to restore his zoo home.

Local residents gather around the bronze statue of Marjan the lion at the entrance of the Kabul Zoo in Afghanistan. The statue was donated by Texas artist Bob Coffee through the North Carolina Zoological Society for the people of Afghanistan and the Kabul Zoo.

Coffee had the lion cast in 2003 and in the spring of 2004 he delivered it to the North Carolina Zoo - the gathering point for the Kabul Zoo contributions. Marjan¹s statue stayed on display at the NC Zoo for over a year until safe shipping to Afghanistan could be arranged.

Now a proud and permanent likeness of Marjan rests at the gates to the renewed Kabul Zoo - a symbol of strength and hope to the zoo and the Afghan people - and a fitting tribute to their much loved lion.

Sculptor Coffee is also an architect, a weekend longhorn rancher and is (in his words) up-and-coming as an artist. He sculpts subjects he knows best - wildlife, ranch and sporting themes and abstracted human figures. His work has been exhibited from coast to coast and is in galleries in Texas and New Mexico. During the month of August 2006, he and 3 other central Texas sculptors were invited to show their work in Saltillo, Mexico.

The bronze likeness of Marjan the lion, the animal that came to represent the plight of the war-torn nation of Afghanistan, now stands at the entrance of the Kabul Zoo.

SculptFest 2006 Recap

by Marla Ripperda

SculptFest 2006, TSOS's 15th Annual show was held at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum on Sunday, September 10th. Nelie Plourde, curator, reported 1,255 persons attended not including exhibiting artists and their attendants. Due to the small size of the show people were really able to see the sculptures and the demonstrations.

Exhibiting artists were:

• Bob Brooking
• Paul Effinger
• Terry Wilemon
• Adele Callea
• Scott Carter
• Cass Hook
• Mary Griffin
• Richard Hess
• Laura Sturtz
• Hank Waddell
• Chris Robbins
• Marla Ripperda

Chris Robbins, who is an art instructor at McNeil High School recruited six of his incredible art students to run the Children's Corner, which was very well organized and well attended.

BIG THANKS to all who volunteered, exhibited, demonstrated and especially thanks to the Umlauf for this including us as a part of their Austin Museum Day!

TSOS Member Fritz Ozuna Wins Best of Show at Kerr Arts & Cultural Center

By Fritz Ozuna

On Saturday, June 10th "Texas Tornada" by TSOS member Fritz Ozuna won Best of Show at the Kerr Arts & Cultural Center's 6th Annual Juried Membership Exhibit. Ozuna was "surprised with this honor, as I had almost skipped this show. In fact I was late with my entry and thought I had missed the judging."

"Texas Tornada" was built last year of mostly found parts of steel and iron left over from a flood that washed over the lower part of Ozuna's farm. The barbwire used as spirals are from fences that were torn down by the floods. The bright twisted sticks of neon bring life and color to the piece. Size: 16in. wide x 87in. tall."Texas Tornada" was beautifully displayed in the center of the huge main showroom at the newly remodeled KACC. The show was up until the end of July, 2006.

Ozuna was also honored to be Artist of the Month for July at the new Bank of the Hills in Comfort, TX. Several of his pieces were on display though the month of July, 2006. The venue with its rough hewn stone walls and panels of glass was ideal, giving the artworks¹ neon light many fine surfaces to play with.

TSOS Member Bobby Pearl Artist in Residence at Watershed Center

Artist Bobby Pearl works on a small "Reclining Figure" that she donated to Watershed. Sculpture in foreground: "Happy Feet at Watershed" by Bobby Pearl. Size: Each foot: 11"L x 5"W x 6"H; Date: June 30th, 2006. Clay was dug up from site at Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts. Photographer: D. Hayne Bayless.

By Bobby Pearl

I was one of the Artists in Residence at Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts in Newcastle, Maine, last June. I had sculpted in their brick factory for several years in the early 1980s. Last June was Watershed's 20th Anniversary and they invited me to return to the Watershed to join the celebration. It was a great honor and pleasure to do so. The ambiance was wonderful, the food healthy and delicious (and not cooked by me). The native clay (dug up right outside the factory) is the best I have ever used, and they now (twenty years later) have salt kilns, car kilns, electric kilns, gas kilns, raku and of course, the huge antique Bee Hive Kiln from brick factory days.

Any serious sculptor or potter would have a wonderful experience at Watershed. Being right on the coast with salt water rivers, the ocean, the boats, and equal numbers of lobsters and artists all around, what's not to like? While I was there I inquired about a session for a group from TSOS. They said they would be interested. If a group of six or eight sculptors and/or potters is interested let me know . But first, look at their website: www.watershedceramics.org, then get out your best slides and let me know if you would like to form a group for next summer.

Hill Country Art Space Project

by Larry McCormick

The Downtown Georgetown Association is studying the possibility of building attractive low cost live/work space for artisans. The plan would include a co-op gallery and demonstration space as well as living and work space. Decorative, and fine artists qualify. In order to examine the viability of such a project we are working with Artspace, a Minneapolis, Minnesota based not-for-profit developer. On Wednesday January 24th of 2007 a series of meetings will be held in Georgetown in conjunction with Artspace representatives to discuss project needs and feasibility.

If you wish to discuss any aspect of the project call Larry McCormick at 512 869 0939, or call Judy Ommen at 512 868 1277. Judy is the president of the Sun City Visual Arts Club and serves on the project steering committee.
Email re. this project: dga.mail@verizon.net

"Transit" by Ruth Baker

"Transit" by Ruth Baker. Limestone, 15.5" h x 14.5" w. Started in one of Kelly Borsheim¹s stone workshops. Photo by Ruth Baker.

Virtual 3D E-zine Returns

by Marilyn Fenn

The Virtual 3D E-zine made a comeback starting with the August 15, 2006 edition, and will be sent out on alternate Mondays to all current TSOS members with an email address. ( NOTE: The E-zine is NOT the same thing as the Yahoo group, TSOSmembers, which is still in use.)

The E-zine will include brief, time-sensitive items, such as calls to entry, show openings, classes and such.

If you have an item that you think belongs in the E-zine, submit your item by typing your information directly into an e-mail, and sending it to your webmaster at newwebmaster@tsos.org. Keep your info brief: include who, what, where, date, time and a brief description of event (100 words or less). If it's a call to entry, include deadlines, slide requirements, and any other requirements, but please also keep it brief. Deadline: 5 p.m. on Sunday prior to the next E-zine (next deadline will be Sunday, September 10th). Check this page for more detailed information on newsletter submission guidelines: http://tsos.org/newsletter_submission_guide.html .

Please note: the mailing list for the E-zine was created from the list of members who have TSOS User IDs on the website (created when your artist page was created). Should you have missed receiving your Virtual 3D and you think you may not have been subscribed, you may subscribe by sending an email to TSOS_E-zine-request@tsos.org with the word "subscribe" in the Subject field, like this:

To: TSOS_E-zine-request@tsos.org
Subject:: subscribe