|
Craig Campbell’s “Abracadabra” is installed in its new home of Little Rock, Arkansas. Sculpture at the River Market commissioned this magical piece from us a year ago. And we just love how it turned out, right down to the colorful patina. This sculpture depicts an aspiring Magician whimsically practicing his tricks for the attentive audience of a dog, a mouse, and a stuffed bunny. My inspiration in creating Abracadabra is as a reminder that there is a power greater than us all and it is important to look for the “magic” in everything. #PublicArt #JustInstalled #CraigCampbell #NSG #NationalSculptorsGuild #Abracadabra #Arkansas #LittleRock #Bronze #Commission #Sculpture #Magic #Magician #MagicInArt #ArtistDriven #ClientMinded #SculptureIsATeamSport #CelebratingThirtyYears  Update 11/5/2021: The clay has been fine tuned and approved by the city. Can you spy all the hidden gems in the piece? He has included a snail, a frog, a mouse, dog and bunny. Maybe more... It will be a fun sculpture for people to discover all the tricks Craig had up his sleeve in the making of it. #PublicArt #WIP #CraigCampbell #NSG #NationalSculptorsGuild #Abracadabra #Arkansas #LittleRock #Bronze #Commission #Sculpture #Magic #Magician #MagicInArt #ArtistDriven #ClientMinded #SculptureIsATeamSport #WorkInProgressWednesday Update 9/15/21: Craig Campbell has been hard at work and the enlargement is nearly complete. Soon the magician and their assistants will head to the foundry to be transformed into bronze. Update 8/1/21: The maquette has formed, and Abracadabra is starting to come to life...  Update 6/1/21: Craig Campbell and the National Sculptors' Guild will be placing a new bronze in the Little Rock, Arkansas public art collection, "Abracadabra" will soon add a bit more magic to the area.
This sculpture depicts an aspiring Magician whimsically practicing his tricks for an attentive audience of his dog, a mouse, and a stuffed bunny. My inspiration in creating Abracadabra is as a reminder that there is a power greater than us all and it is important to look for the “magic” in everything. In this piece I set out to create a fun, approachable, engaging monument to the simple joys of life, and the belief that with friends, focus, practice, and perhaps a bit of magic we can overcome all difficulties. A smile can be contagious! Abracadabra is meant to spread a bit of happiness and hopefully share a smile with all who engage with it.
1 Comment
So pleased that three NSG members have had sculptures selected to add to the City of Loveland Art in Public Places' collection at Benson Sculpture Garden this year. One of the best sculpture gardens in the nation is in our backyard and is filled with lots of our artists’ work. And soon, there'll be more! If you haven’t seen it, come visit! Congratulations to Craig Campbell, Jack Hill and Joe Norman! #CraigCampbell #JoeNorman #JackHill #NSG #PublicArt #BensonPark #LovelandCO #NationalSculptorsGuild #Sculpture  Joe Norman's Monarch Girl (three views shown) Via @lovelandpublicart: In early February 2022, the Loveland Visual Arts Commission approved the gracious donation of the six new sculptures for the Benson Sculpture Gardens by the Loveland High Plains Arts Council (LHPAC). This year’s selection of artworks continues the legacy of sculpture contributions to the Loveland community. These sculptures will be installed in early summer, with a formal dedication during the second weekend in July. This year's selected pieces: 1. Abracadabra; Craig Campbell; Bronze – 84” x 60” x 48” 2. On a Roll; Jack Hill; Bronze – 84” x 48” x 28” 3. Hangin’ Around; Mark Hopkins; Bronze – 66” x 52” x 36” 4. Open Window; Ted Schaal; Bronze, Stainless Steel, 24K Gold –108” x 48” x 24” 5. Monarch Girl; Joe Norman; Stainless Steel – 72” 6. Power of Thought; Victor Issa; Bronze – 120” x 88” x 41”   We could not be more proud of National Sculptors' Guild member Craig Campbell who had the privilege and honor to sculpt the Maya Angelou quarter. She is the first black woman to be depicted on a US quarter.
The reverse (tails), designed by United States Mint Artistic Infusion Program Artist Emily Damstra and sculpted by United States Mint Medallic Artist Craig A. Campbell, depicts Maya Angelou with her arms uplifted. Behind her are a bird in flight and a rising sun, images inspired by her poetry and symbolic of the way she lived. A writer, poet, performer, social activist, and teacher, Angelou rose to international prominence as an author after the publication of her groundbreaking autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.” Angelou’s published works of verse, non-fiction, and fiction include more than 30 bestselling titles. Her remarkable career encompasses dance, theater, journalism, and social activism. The recipient of more than 30 honorary degrees, Angelou read “On the Pulse of Morning” at the 1992 inauguration of President Bill Clinton. Angelou’s reading marked the first time an African American woman wrote and presented a poem at a Presidential inauguration. In 2010, President Barack Obama awarded Angelou the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and she was the 2013 recipient of the Literarian Award, an honorary National Book Award for contributions to the literary community." The National Sculptors' Guild design team is so thrilled and honored to be finalists for Arkansas’ search for sculptors for its upcoming contribution to the National Statuary Hall. We have Jane DeDecker as a finalist for the Daisy Gatson Bates portrait, and Craig Campbell is a finalist for the Johnny Cash portrait. Both artists will be hard at work on the next phase of the process as we will be proposing concepts in the coming months. read the article by Rachel Herzog for more info: https://www.arkansasonline.com/.../finalists-named-in.../
 Daisy Lee Bates and Johnny Cash to be commemorated in the National Statuary Hall by one of three finalists each, including Jane DeDecker and Craig Campbell, Fingers crossed we get to honor these extraordinary individuals!  The National Sculptors' Guild Fellows have elected Craig Campbell as an Associate Member, His work is expressive and covers the gamut of subjects from strong and serious, to playful and imaginative; figurative or wildlife. We can't wait to see what new creations come from his studio and are eager to place some fantastic public art with Craig. Craig Campbell began sculpting more than 25 years ago and received his BFA in sculpture from Wichita State University. To further his goal to create figurative and representational work, he began a rigorous program of self-study in the areas of human and animal anatomy, movement, character, and proportion. He has created work for both commercial clients and fine art galleries, and his work has been commissioned by zoos and theme companies, toy companies, and the film industry, including work for The Hobbit, Elysium and Mad Max. He was a featured artist in the HISTORY channel’s “Monument Guys” TV series. learn more about Craig |
Check out our placements on Wescover, find art close to you.
JK Design/NSGJK Designs’ Principal, John Kinkade, founded the National Sculptors’ Guild in 1992 with a handful of sculptors who wished to find thoughtful public applications for their work. Representation has since grown to over 20 contracted sculptors and painters; plus an extended network of 200+ artists that our design team works with on a regular basis to meet each project's unique needs. click here for a list of our over 500 large-scale placements. Archives
July 2024
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
National Sculptors' Guild
Connecting People with Art Since 1992 Artist Driven, Client Minded ©1992-2024 |