"Life is short, art is long"

For the last 38 years Barb Austin-Hutchins has been teaching art at Montpelier High School. This year, after her long career dedicated to nurturing creativity in thousands of young minds, she will be graduating with the class of 2018. Barb contacted me this spring to lead a collaborative effort to create a work of public art that exemplifies the phrase, "life is short, art is long". As a Montpelier High School alumni, and someone who took art all through high school with Barb, I couldn't have been happier to offer my skills to a project with a sentiment that is central to my artistic practice of stone carving. 


We began brainstorming with a modest budget in mind, but after visiting me at Barre Sculpture Studios to see what existing stone inventory was available, we quickly found this could also be used as an opportunity to create something greater. We propose to create a monolithic sculpture featuring a classical carving of the great horned owl, known at MHS as the beloved school mascot, the Solon! 



The Solon would be perched high above the ground, looking out into the distance, emerging from a unique quarry remnant that stands 10 ft tall with two sawn faces and two rough split faces. The sculpture will be installed in the middle of the roundabout in front of MHS, with the owl carved into the split face of the monolith, facing outward. In a world that is always changing, students, future artists, and faculty will be greeted by an artwork that grounds them in the significance of coming to school each day. The location fits in with planned improvements by the grounds department for the roundabout, and is approved by the school, but we need your support to complete the project!




$12,000 may sound like a lot of money, but it's a modest budget for a sculpture of this scale. Your donations through this page will cover the cost of: 

-a full sized model of the great horned owl
-a silicone mold of the owl sculpture to be replicated in stone 
-stone
-carving (2 - 3 months work) 
-foundation and installation

The sculpture will be carved in granite, one of nature's most durable materials for outdoor sculpture, which needs little to no maintenance. The entire process is expected to take 2-3 months, and be ready for installation in the fall. 


Perhaps the best thing about this project is the chance to educate students who are interested in pursuing a career in the arts, and learning more about the craft of stone carving that is unique to central Vermont's history. Interested students can drop in to any point of the process to learn more about model making and mold making, stone carving, and public art. This page will also act as a resource for anyone interested in the aforementioned areas of sculpture, and process photos will be made available here over the duration of the project. 

We would appreciate your input on some details! What should the owl be perched on? Books? A laptop? Branches? What symbols for education would you choose? Is there anything else of importance you think should be represented? Currently I am working on the 1/4 scale model which will be on display at the MHS art show on May 23rd, so come by and check it out! 

I am so thankful for my time at Montpelier High School, and for Barb's enthusiasm and love for art which gave me the space to develop as a teenager, and later apply for art school. This sculpture will be dedicated to her, and all her years of hard work fostering creativity at MHS. If you ever had Barb as a teacher, or would like to contribute to a long lasting work of public art, please support this project however you can.

Like, share, give! Life is short, art is long!

Sean Hunter Williams 

P.S. If you are at all curious about my previous work, please feel free to visit my website at www.seanhunterwilliams.com