Adventures on the East Coast

All of us at the studio are wondering how it’s already March, but with how busy last month was, it’s not surprising how quickly the month went by.  While we can rarely say that we’re ‘unbusy’, during February it seems we took ‘busy’ to a whole new level as we prepared for a massive delivery trip on the East Coast.  Over the years we’ve learned that logistics for a delivery can be a tricky business even when it for only one project, but when you’re planning a trip to make six deliveries, a whole new level preparation is required.

While the most obvious preparation for our trip was making sure all of the artwork to be delivered was completed on time and boxed for our departure, what turned out to be an even bigger challenge was figuring out how to fit everything into the truck.  When we rented our 26 foot truck, we figured it would be a tight fit, but it took several days and a computer generated model of the truck and its contents to determine exactly how each piece being shipped had be to placed.  Despite the extra planning required, the trip went very smoothly and we were happy to deliver each commission.

The first stop on the trip was Connecticut, where we visited St. Lawrence Cemetery in West Haven to deliver and install four massive reliefs.  These reliefs were created as replicas of the original ceramic reliefs had hung in the cemetery for over 40 years, but after decades of being battered by the harsh East Coast weather, they had deteriorated to the point that they were falling off the walls piece by piece.  After some investigation, we determined that it would be most advantageous to recreate the existing designs in sturdier, more weather resistant material – our signature exterior fiberglass with bronze finish.  The completed reliefs are a close resemblance to the originals, and since we paid special attention to securely attaching them to the wall, these new pieces should hopefully bring peace to those who visit the cemetery for many decades more.

 

The Deposition

Original ceramic relief (left) and new fiberglass relief (left)

Christ the King

Original ceramic relief (left) and new fiberglass relief (left) 

Immaculate Conception

Original ceramic relief (left) and new fiberglass relief (left) 

Our Lady of All Nations

Original ceramic relief (left) and new fiberglass relief (left)

Another very important stop we made in Connecticut was to St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Newtown.  Following the atrocities that occurred in their community, deeply affecting many families of St. Rose parish, our studio felt it was necessary to do whatever we could to help.  In our gallery we had a nearly life-size relief of Christ surrounded by children that had been waiting for a home, and following the tragedy, we could think of no better home than St. Rose.  Our team gifted the relief to the church and delivered it free of charge, hoping that this small gesture can help bring some peace to those who have lost so much.

The remainder of our deliveries took us across state lines into New York.  We had quite the adventure navigating the streets of New York City with our large truck, but despite a few mishaps trying to navigate around the low bridge of Brooklyn, we were able to make our two stops successfully.  The first, and largest delivery, was for Resurrection Cemetery in Staten Island.  After working for over a year, we had finally completed the series of twelve life-size fiberglass reliefs of saints, a Risen Christ and cross and chapel fitments for the cemetery’s newly constructed mausoleum.

From left to right:

St. Anne, St. Anthony of Padua, Blessed Mother

From left to right:

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Francis, Blessed John Paul II

 

From left to right:

St. Joseph, St. Michael Archangel, St. Mother Cabrini

 

From left to right:

St. Padre Pio, Sacred Heart of Christ, St. Therese

Risen Christ

 

Chapel Fitments

The second stop just outside the city was at St. James Catholic Church in Setauket.  Here we delivered a white fiberglass Pieta sculpture for their cemetery, where they had just installed a Christ on the Waters sculpture in the same finish from us last year.  It was exciting to be able to serve them again so soon and we hope they love their new sculpture as much as the first.

The final stops on our whirlwind journey out east were in upstate New York.  To Riverside Cemetery in Rochester, we delivered an exterior fiberglass sculpture of a boy releasing a dove to be displayed on top of their columbarium, and to St. Mary Catholic Church in Swormville, we delivered an 8’ sculpture of the Ascension of Christ.  After a long week and the truck now emptied, it was nice to at last look forward to nothing but the drive home.

 

Boy Releasing Dove

 

Ascension of Christ concept rendering

 If you have any questions or your faith community has a need for liturgical artwork, feel free to contact us at any time.  Or please visit our website at www.inspiredart.com.