Update 9/22/2023: All Summer, into Fall, we've been at work on this multifaceted placement, craning out the bronze sculpture from the NSG Sculpture Garden to the foundry, picking out the stone pavers at Tribble Stone, checking on the basalt columns in Seattle, making templates for the sculpture and the columns, reworking the structural stainless steel undercarriage of the sculpture to fit the new engineering requirements, creating structures for the stone. Strategizing on the logistics of material gathering, packing, loading, shipping and installation timing. It's complex, but we know this plaza will be striking in the end and cannot wait to see the lights that first evening by the river in Little Rock.

6/20/23: The National Sculptors' Guild were contracted by Sculpture at the River Market to create "Inspiration Plaza" designed by John Kinkade for Little Rock, Arkansas.

A 16-foot circle of dark stone pavers, at the center of the plaza will be the bronze sculpture "I Am You", by Denny Haskew. At 14-feet tall, this is the largest self supported cast bronze canopy to date. It is an uplifting piece about human connection. The inside portion of the drapery is covered in 22-kt gold leaf. The sculpture will be based on 3.5-foot basalt columns uplit by embedded light fixtures. 

A buff colored paver pathway will curve away from the center circle. These pavers will match the Dakota sandstone used near the site. On each end of the curved walkway will be four 7-foot tall basalt columns capped with stainless steel light diffusers that are patinaed gold designed and fabricated by Mark Leichliter. The caps will range in height from 24” to 32”. Each cap will be customized to fit the irregular basalt columns. The columns will be natural on all sides except for the side facing the center of the walkway which will be polished. The polished sides will be engraved with inspirational verse. One column will have two polished sides to have the name of the plaza, the date, the donor’s names and the artists/designer’s names engraved on. Each of the polished surfaces will be uplit by a light fixture that is embedded into the stone pavement.

The rest of the plaza will include 24” x 12” pavers that are natural on top and bottom, and sawn sides. Six trees will be planted in the two ellipse landscape areas. Six approx. 2-foot cube donor benches can optionally be added in a semi-circle lining the grass areas of the center plaza to allow a space to sit and contemplate the sculpture.

We believe this placement, central to the River Front Park, will draw and unite the community together and are proud to be part of it.

7/27/2016:
​Mark Leichliter and the National Sculptors' Guild is working on a new monument for the Little Rock neighborhood Chenal. 

"Overcome" depicts nine forms held together by lattice. They rise up and out of this bond to soar free. Each form is an arrow pointing skyward in continued aspiration for the greater good.

The sculpture will be fabricated by the artist in Stainless Steel and measure 18ft tall.

Installed today at Harding University, Searcy, AR

First Lady's Garden Fountain Sculpture by Mark Leichliter, National Sculptors' Guild

Harding University commissioned a stainless steel sculpture for their First Lady's Garden. The artwork is based off a logo design from the University.

NSG Public art installation #452

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 2004
photo credit: Jafe Parsons Photography

SEVEN SCULPTURES RECENTLY PLACED BY THE COLORADO BASED GROUP NATIONAL SCULPTORS’ GUILD IN LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS CLINTON PRESIDENTIAL CENTER ENTRY AND SIGNATURE SCULPTURE AT LITTLE ROCK NATIONAL AIRPORT LITTLE ROCK, AR – Six bronze sculptures by National Sculptors’ Guild members left the bronze casting foundries in Wyoming and Colorado November 5th strapped to a 40-foot flat-bed truck headed along the Arkansas River to Little Rock, AR. The artwork installed later that week and was dedicated Sunday, November 14th at 2 p.m. as a portion of the Formal Pedestrian Walk from the River Market Shops to the new Clinton Presidential Center at 3rd & Clinton Avenue.
An additional sculpture preceded the Clinton Entry artwork, installed at the National Airport in September, 2004. All sculptures are by National Sculptors’ Guild Members and were presented by the NSG Executive Director, John W. Kinkade to a panel. Since the dedication, the City of Little Rock immediately began discussions of future placements from the Colorado-based organization which specializes in placing monumental sculpture across the nation.
The sculptures were created by National Sculptors’ Guild members Jane DeDecker of Loveland, CO; Carol Gold of Fairfax, CA; and Sandy Scott of Lander, WY. The artworks were selected from the proposal presented by NSG Executive Director, John W. Kinkade. Kinkade chose to pull key elements from President Clinton’s speech “Bridge to the 21st Century” to organize the progression to the library. He proposed numerous individual concepts by 14 national sculptors reflecting each theme. The Little Rock committee chose the six final artworks.
The artwork speaks to Arkansas’ quality of life and thematic subject matter derived from President Clinton’s speech “Bridge to the 21st Century”. Sandy Scott’s “Eagle of the Rock” will be placed on Clinton Avenue and “River Market Pig” will be placed at the Farmer’s Market to provide the start of a pedestrian transition from River Market to the Clinton Presidential Center, subsequently, a sculpture will be placed every 200 yards, Jane DeDecker’s “Touch the Sky”, “Anglers” & “Harriet Tubman” and Carol Gold’s “Fiesta”. (Artist Resumes and a further explanation of sculpture and placements attached)
The library placement follows the recent installation of fellow National Sculptors’ Guild member, Mark Leichliter’s sculpture “Encircling the Future”. The artwork was one of the original proposed works for the Clinton Center but was instead selected as the signature sculpture for the Little Rock National Airport in Arkansas. Leichliter of Fort Collins, CO completed the 16-foot tall
powder-coated steel sculpture in August. "I created the piece last year as a smaller sculpture," Leichliter explained, "The National Sculptors' Guild proposed the piece to the City of Little Rock who considered it for the new Clinton Library before deciding that the sculpture would best serve to welcome visitors arriving at the Little Rock airport."
The National Sculptors' Guild is an association of its design team and nationally recognized sculptors chosen for their outstanding artistic abilities and varied style with the primary objective to conceive and seek out monumental placements for members' work. Columbine Galleries serves as headquarters and home to the NSG and its’ sculpture garden, featuring some of the nation's finest monumental sculptures. 2683 N. Taft Ave., Loveland, Colorado 80538.
For further information please visit our website, www.nationalsculptorsguild.com
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