Glean 1 and Glean 2 by Tom Stancliffe

Glean 1

Glean 2

  

Spring is sooner recognized by plants than by men.  ~Chinese Proverb

During the arctic winter, we get used to the neutral colors of the grassless sod, the leafless branches of the trees and the grey of the snow mixing with the dirt and sand. Venturing out only when necessary, and even that we avoid at all cost due to the bitter cold wind, chilling to the bone. Then the weather gets a little warmer and being outside is bearable, and slowly becomes pleasant. Before we know it, small green shoots pop out of the blacken sod, brightly colored blossoms appear on the barren branches, and living creatures of all kinds suddenly appear. Spring has made its presence.

It is a time of growth, new beginnings and new life. It seems as if Mother Earth awoke from her hibernation and is ready to live and grow. The sun seems to shine brighter and warmer as if to welcome all the new life. Butterflies break through the cocoon, streaking their vibrant colors across the sky as they flutter from flower to flower. Birds return from faraway lands bringing their songs of joy that linger in the air from sunrise to sunset. Rabbits dart in and out of bushes playfully chasing one another.

Places that were barren just a week earlier are blooming in brilliance.  The gentle breeze blows through the tress. The magnolias send sweet perfume through the air. Petals float like feathers to the ground, lining the sidewalks as if a celebration has started. Indeed one has started. Spring is a celebration of life.

The population of humans seems to double as people leave the shelters that protected them during the harsh winter.    Dark layers of clothing disappear revealing brightly patterned clothing in its place. The loud calls and squeals of joy from the children, as they frolic in the park and in the field, fill the silence winter had acquired. Spring is brighter, louder, and happier.

This new feeling and celebration of life is seen in Tom Stancliffe’s Glean 1 and Glean 2 sculptures. They each show a seed sprouting revealing long, elegant stems. At the tips of the stems, colorful buds (Glean 1) and leaves (Glean 2) are seen. These brightly colored shapes contrast the cold grey of the metal, much like the bright green leaflets and colorful buds contrast the grey of winter.  These sculptures stand at the entrances of the Roy J. Carver Co-Laboratory reminding us that no matter how harsh or bleak the winter may be, spring is just around the corner waiting to bring new life and joy into the souls of all.

“O, wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind?”- Shelly

 -By Emily Van Nostrand

Woods, Meadows, and Fence by Gary Bowling

The landscape, drenched in gold from the setting sun, is the perfect picture of tranquility. The mysterious woods stand as a shelter from the viscid openness of the meadow. The meadow seems to expand and disappear from sight at the horizon.  Not a soul is around to hinder the peace and flawlessness of such a place. This is the type of escape people dream of, to break away from the loud noise of the city.

The city, full of racket and people running everywhere; it’s hard to find a place to quietly think. Solitude and privacy is hard to acquire in such a populated area, but not so in the meadow! Oh the meadow is the unspoiled silence. Truly silence is golden, like the sun. The only thing to hear is the soft breeze blowing over the land and the rustling of foliage as animals journey over their abode. You are left there with your thoughts, with your heart.

Such a place is rare, as cities and people impede on the land, taking the meadows for their own benefit, and cutting down the woods for their own uses.  Soon, it seems all the land would be one large settlement of mankind. The fence is just the beginning of mankind’s print on the land, hopefully it’s the last.

However, the love and the want for a little piece of “the olden days” will remain in the hearts of all. Searching to find the spot that seemingly is untouched by human’s selfishness. Where the plants and animals live like they should, in a clean and seemingly perfect setting. This is the land people dream about, poets write about, and artist paint. Nature is truly ideal. 

The folowing is a poem that I wrote that the painting inspired:

Oh please, let me get away from the city,

From the streets and people that are gritty,

To a place that is quiet and pretty.

Where the road ends and trails start.

Where the scent of flowers fill the air,

Away from the eyes of those who stare,

A place where I don’t have to have a care.

That place would have my heart.

The woods provide seekers shade,

As the sun warms up the glade.

The hectic stress begins to fade

As happiness starts to increase.

As the sun sets, it cast all in gold.

Its sight is too perfect to be told.

Its beauty just begins to unfold,

To those who seek peace.

-By Emily Van Nostrand

Crucible by Brower Hatcher

The development for environmentally safe measures and the green movement has taken over the minds of many concerned people in the world.  New ideas and methods for new energy, production processes, and recycling are being tested every day. Fears dwell that greenhouse gases and chemicals from farm run-offs and factories will continue to harm the Earth and all living organisms. The concern of safe disposal of objects like batteries, electronics, and even plastic bags and bottles weigh heavy on the minds of many.  

Brower Hatcher created a wonderful sculpture called Crucible located at the entrance of the Environmental Health & Safety Services Building.  It is a mixed media sculpture that shows the goal of the building. The base of the sculpture is a metal bowl shape representing a crucible. Above the metal shape, three separate geometric metal structures rise into the air. The outside structure has pieces of glass attached to it, representing the substance in the crucible. And the two inner structures represent fire. The Environmental Health & Safety Services Building takes focus on transforming harsh compound chemicals into safe molecules.  The crucible is used to heat up substances to melt, or alter, the substance in order to do a variety of things including chemical reactions and analysis, removing unwanted material or creating new compounds.  It is often used for metals, glass, and other like materials.

Crucibles have been used since the 15^th century.  Through the years, crucibles have created new alloys, and have made metals like silver and gold more durable to help the industrial revolution. Hopefully the use of one in present times can help find new ways to break down harmful substances that otherwise might infect the Earth or create new compounds that are safe for our health and the environment.  However, the word crucible has multiple definitions. 

Crucible also means "severe test" and "situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development" according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. We continue to test new ideas for the future, hoping to produce the best we can for ourselves and generations to come. we test new fuels for cars, new products made from recycled materials, natural energy sources, and inventions that save energy or are bio-degradable. Through this constant testing and concern for the Earth's condition we are going through a time of change and development.

We, as a community, are also going through a struggle to preserve the earth and reverse the damages we have already caused. We continue to hear about new studies that show how global warming is hurting life forms, like the polar bear, and could ultimately kill our earth. New ideas and methods to stop the spread of harmful chemicals into nature as well as the ability to break down chemicals to safely dispose of them is a high priority. Places like the Environmental Health & Safety Services Building right here on our campus, focuses on this very goal.

Also the movement to use re-usable water bottles has been a hot issue. It not only reduces the millions of plastic water bottles at landfills, which each take about 450 years to decompose according to Penn State University and the Ocean Conservancy, but it also contains no Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in many plastic products that new studies fear can cause breast or prostate cancer as well as other dangerous conditions.  If we use less of the disposable bottles and recycle the ones we do have, products like pens can be made out of the bottles; we can help reduce the waste that is accumulating on our planet.

These ideas are just a few that have been created to enrich our life and preserve and rebuild our planet for all who dwell in it. Companies whose motivation is to break down harmful chemicals, or invent new ones that will be more environmental friendly to take the place of material that is not (like Styrofoam which never decomposes), are a great drive in this movement. Crucible represents those initiatives.  In the future, I hope the goals of the green movement will continue to help us in our search for better production methods, disposal systems, and a healthier way of life. However, these goals can only be met when everyone on this planet takes responsibility for their own actions and do the steps in order to save the Earth.

-By Emily Van Nostrand

Conversations by Christian Petersen

At the beginning of every semester, swarms of college students rush in to their new living quarters on campus. Students from all over the world and from every walk of life are mingled together.  Activities and sister-brother floors are arranged for the students as they settle in to this new lifestyle. Close living spaces and group activities encourage people to talk and get to know one another. Small talk turns to conversations and conversations turn to bonding and relationships.

This special opportunity, that seems to only appear in college, is highlighted in Christian Petersen’s Conversations.  Nestled in the center of a residential area of campus, this sculpture is there for all the students to see and relate to. A long brick ledge is stretched in front of the entrance of Oak-Elm. In three separate sections of the low wall, limestone figures speak of the three types of relationships a college student makes during their time at college: friendships, romantic relationships, and a relationship with one’s self.

The three females at the far left speak of friendship. The girls seem to be hanging out like any college student would. You can imagine the girls are real. Leaning, sitting and lying on the low wall in the sun, as one reads out loud from a book.  They are talking and laughing with each other about the book or about the latest gossip. Each female figure has their own book, representing how each person brings what they know and feel to any friendship. Through conversations and spending time together, we learn about each other and teach others about ourselves in return. With these relationships, the college experience is enhanced and the friendships can last a lifetime.

Moving to the middle, these two figures tell romance. The male figure is without a shirt and the female figure is leaning quite close to him, almost leaning her head on his shoulders. That alone was a strong message back in the time the sculpture was made (1947-1955).The way the figures are turned and facing the other side of the wall shows that they want privacy for an intimate moment.  Many students come to college and meet someone that they connect with on the intimate level and possible start a long term relationship. These relationships are important because they allow us to grow and learn together, represented by the sculptures leaning over one book. This relationship teaches us to compromise and share our thoughts, feelings and lives with another person.  For some this relationship will lead toward marriage.

Lastly at the far right of the wall is a lone figure. She is facing into nothing, as she is thinking and contemplating her future. This sculpture is about the conversation we must have within ourselves. This is the time we have to figure out who we are and who we want to be, and ignore the pressures of what other people want us to be. This is the most important relationship, for you have to be there for yourself no matter what. This figure is holding a rose, not a book like the other figures. This small detail is emphasizing that the learning in this relationship is not external but internal; once it is figured out the person blooms into the person you truly are and are meant to be.  

-By Emily Van Nostrand

Forward by William King

Walking in unison, the twelve metal figures stride for an unknown destination.  Together, these anonymous figures are supporting each other as they move into the future.  Placed on the Iowa State University campus, this sculpture represents the relationships formed within the collegiate environment.  Friendly relationships between students or professional relationships among faculty, both are important to the success of ISU.  The artist, Bill King, intended these figures to be simplified and without individual characteristic as a technique to attract the attention of the viewer.  Since the figures have no race, gender, or specific appearance, all people are able to relate to them. 

If you look closely at the figures individually, each is positioned in a slightly different direction.  This begs the question, are the figures really walking together? My interpretation of this, slight difference in position, relates to the student body as a whole.   Each of us is unique and we all hope for something different when we first come to college.   However, as the semesters go by, we find that many of us have dreams and aspirations in common.   These commonalities are what create lifelong friendships. 

In my opinion, each figure is moving forward in their own life.  There is no leader or follower, each has their own goals.  However, while striving for personal success, everyone needs the support of their friends.  To me, the sculpture is addressing the importance of creating your own path, while understanding your need for friends.  With support, each of us can become better people, citizens, and students. 

- By Libby Grant

Shoulders of Giants by Nina Ward

As I sat registering for my last semester of classes at Iowa State, a slight fear began to surface inside of me.  Am I ready to graduate and move on? Have I learned all I need to find a successful job? In order to get a hold of my fear I began reflecting on my time at Iowa State, what I had learned and who had helped me get here.  The more I thought the more I felt my experience could be summed up visually by Shoulders of Giants, the sculpture that greets me daily in the library.

Shoulders of Giants, by Nina Ward, visually symbolizes the most important purpose of Iowa State University.  Two Percheron horses are sculpted side by side in harness.  One horse stands slightly larger than the other. This horse’s name is Doc, and he is helping the smaller horse, Charlie.  With a tilted head, Doc is showing Charlie how to walk in harness, but also protecting him by shielding his face.  The relationship between the two draft horses symbolizes the mentor relationship between faculty and students at the University.

As I contemplated the sculpture further, I realized the title also brings to mind the idea of mentoring and being helped through the growing process.  The more I thought about what it means to grow as a college student the majority of memories were unpleasant.  Growing intellectually and learning how to be a better person are not always easy lessons to get through.  Ward is sure to address these difficult experiences, as well.  Both horses are depicted in a rough, unfinished manner that communicates the fact that all people are still learning and striving to polish themselves into better individuals.   I can visually sense the malleability of the clay material Ward used to create this sculpture.  The handmade quality of this sculpture adds to the message that the University helps shape its students into successful individuals. 

In addition to the handmade quality, the material is used to represent difficult terrain.  The color, the lifelike wet sheen, and the almost sloppy aesthetic visually create what I would deem a challenging landscape.  Does this symbolize the difficult terrain that settlers faced when first plowing the Iowa Prairie or could it be a symbol for the struggles students must face to be successful?

I tend to believe Ward was striving for both interpretations.  The horses seem to be slowly rising from the sludge as a representation of individual growth.  However, she emphasizes the fact that no student can do it alone.  The guidance provided by the faculty is essential to the student’s success. 

-by Libby Grant

Left Sided Angel by Stephen De Staebler

Rising from the ash, this figure is disheveled and visually destroyed.  With only one wing, on its left side, how could this figure fly? How could it rise? Only with perseverance and dedication can this angel be standing tall in front of me.  But, could the angel be falling from grace rather than rising to meet the viewers gaze?  I tend to connect more to the first description, though both are common interpretations.  I view this sculpture as a human spirit rather than the more literal term angel.  This person’s spirit is tattered; it has been broken down just to the point before pure destruction.  Left Sided Angel represents, for me, the spirit of the people and students that cross its path.  All students have a moment, or two, in their college careers when they feel lost, disheveled, and broken down.  

Locating the sculpture at the threshold of the library allows all students to experience its message.  Not only does the location make the message accessible to students, but the anonymity of the figure helps too.  The figures face is expressionless and lacks definition.  Who is this spirit? Who does this represent?  It represents you.  It represents me.  This anonymity allows the viewer to fill in their own visual information and see the sculpture as an extension of themselves.  Visually, the lack of definition helps appeal to people from all walks of life. 

After spending a good amount of time with the sculpture I realized that the theme was not meant to be depressing.  As you scan the tall bronze figure it is easy to miss the strength that is emitted.  Focus on the left leg: in-tact, anatomically rendered, strong.  In my eyes, this strength, evident in the figures left leg, represents hope.  Hope that through intellectual growth I will rise up through difficult times and be stronger, more dedicated to my life and studies. 

As a student this sculpture speaks to me because I am in an important stage of growth, intellectually and emotionally.  Aren’t we all in a perpetual state of growth?  This is precisely why this sculpture is affective on Iowa State University’s campus.  The Left Sided Angel motivates students and university professionals alike.  Through appealing to our emotional side, this spirit stays in our hearts and minds long after we leave the library, the University, and as we move on with our lives.  The message will always be relevant.  Stand tall even when you feel you have nothing left to give.  Rise up when you have been broken down, for your foundation is still strong. 

-By Libby Grant