Inspiration Plaza Little Rock

Inspiration Plaza by the National Sculptors' Guild, Denny Haskew, John Kinkade, Mark Leichliter

Update 6/27/2024: We were in Little Rock this week to place the bronze and stainless steel sculptures by @dennyhaskew and @markleichliter at Inspiration Plaza to cap off this project.

learn more about this project on our website https://www.nationalsculptorsguild.com/project-feed/inspiration-plaza-little-rock #LinkInBio

“Inspiration Plaza” is a multifaceted art placement and public space designed by John Kinkade for the Riverfront Park in Little Rock, Arkansas. Art Elements by Denny Haskew and Mark Leichliter, Site development by the Little Rock Parks & Recreation, commissioned through the Sculpture at the River Market.

At the center of a 16-foot circle of dark stone pavers is Denny Haskew’s “I Am You”, 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 is based on 3 foot basalt columns.

A buff-colored pathway curves out from the center to house four 7-foot tall basalt columns capped with stainless steel light diffusers designed and fabricated by Mark Leichliter. Each column has a single polished side facing the center of the walkway and engraved with a variety of inspirational verse, from classic Greek, to Bob Marley.

From the overall design one may see a bow-tie; our inspiration for the plaza came from a special human who has transformed the River Front Park, #IYKYK

The National Sculptors’ Guild believes this placement, central to the River Front Park, will draw and unite the community together and are proud to be part of it.

We are grateful for everyone involved in this placement, Dean Kumpuris, Robert Vogel, Sculpture at the River Market, John Kinkade, Denny Haskew, Mark Leichliter, Jackie Collins and the @lrparksrec crew, Coverall Stone, Tribble Stone Company, Co Waterjet Company, Art Castings of Colorado, Shippers’ Supply Custom Pack, Landstar Logistics #SculptureIsATeamSport

#NationalSculptorsGuild #JKdesignsInc #FineArtConsultation #HomeDecor #CorporateCollections #ArtInPublicPlaces #ArtistDriven #ClientMinded #ConnectingPeopleWithArt #Since1992

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Update 6/3/2024: It took all of the month of May to install the 8+ tons of stone pavers for Inspiration Plaza. It looks terrific. Can you see the bow-tie?? Our inspiration came from a special human who has transformed the River Front Park, #IYKYK

The columns will be engraved next, followed by the installation of the sculptures the end of June. We look forward to sharing those images!

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Update 4/17/2024: The National Sculptors’ Guild is on-site to oversee the installation of several elements for “Inspiration Plaza” a multifaceted art placement and public space designed by John Kinkade for Riverfront Park in Little Rock, Arkansas. It’s exciting to see over a years’ worth of work come together. 

And that’s a wrap for now… 8.5 tons of basalt from Coverall Stone Inc. is in place. Next up will be 8 tons of pavers from Tribble Stone followed by engraving and another crane date to place the bronze and stainless steel sculptures by Denny Haskew and Mark Leichliter. We can’t wait!

Deep thanks to Jackie Collins & the Little Rock Parks and Rec team!

“Inspiration Plaza” Designed by John Kinkade, Art Elements by Denny Haskew and Mark Leichliter, Site Development by the Little Rock Parks & Recreation, commissioned through the Sculpture at the River Market, special thanks to Colorado Waterjet Company, Art Castings of Colorado, Shippers' Supply Custom Pack, Landstar, Coverall Stone, and Tribble Stone Company

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Update 3/28/24: It may not look like much yet, but this is where public art starts, the foundation is where art meets site and becomes a beacon to gather. You can already see the design coming together. The stainless-steel braces, electrical conduit and concrete footing/pad are in and things are starting to taking shape in Little Rock. We're planning our trip to install the columns after this has properly cured! #GettingCloser

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Update 10/18/2023: ​We’ve loaded up this morning and have #SculptureOnTheMove to #LittleRock AR. This truck has 5 sculptures, 2 bases, and a bunch of stainless steel structures for installation and footings. But wait, there’s more; we’ll have another two truck loads lined up for one of these projects.

Special thanks to Denny Haskew, Mark Leichliter, Art Castings of Colorado, and Shippers' Supply Custom Pack for help with creating, packing and loading; and Landstar Trucking for getting our artwork to its new home where Sculpture at the River Market will receive it and Little Rock Parks & Recreation will help us install. #SculptureIsATeamSport

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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.

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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.