HomeMy WebLinkAboutDonated Sculpture - R. Thornley (Artist)REQUEST:
CITY OF PALM DESERT
COMMUNITY SERVICES
STAFF REPORT
CONSIDERATION OF AN OFFER FROM E.H. HEIMANN, JR., FOR
DONATION OF A SCULPTURE BY ARTIST ROBERT THORNLEY VALUED
AT $25,000
SUBMITTED BY: RICHARD L. TWEDT, PUBLIC ARTS MANAGER
DATE: FEBRUARY 10, 2005
CONTENTS: 1. COPY OF LETTER FROM E.H. HEIMANN, JR.
2. PHOTOGRAPH OF SCULPTURE WITH THE ARTIST
Recommendation:
By Minute Motion, accept the offer from Mr. E.H. Heimann, Jr., for donation of a sculpture by artist
Robert Thornley valued at $25,000.
Executive Summary:
At is meeting of January 19, 2005, the Art In Publi�l Places
to donate a Commission ulpture by artist Robert Thornley.
y
restrictions, to accept the offer from Mr. E.H. HennJr.,
It was suggested that a potential site for installation of the sculpture might be the new Visitor Information
Center.
Discussion:
. 2005, indicating his interest
Mayor Buford Crites received a letter from E.H. rule to the City of Palm Desert, California. Mayor Crites
eimann, Jr., dated January 3,
in donating the stone sculpture by RobertY
forwarded the request to the Art In Public Placesbeen valued at $25,000 bconsideration. licensed art apprai es � ion
unanimously voted to accept the artwork, which has
Sub itteal by:
and L. Twedt, Public Arts Manag r
Carlos L. Ortega,
Paul Gibson, Finance Director
Sheila R. Gilligan, A M/Com y ity Services
Robert Kohn, Director f Special Programs
January 3, 2005
The Honorable Buford Crites
Mayors Office
73510 Fred Waring Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92260
Dear Mayor Crites:
In a recent estate planning session with our financial advisor, it was suggested my wife
and I might consider donating part of our extensive art collection to your fine city so that
many people could experience the enjoyment as we have. After careful consideration,
and inasmuch as we have no immediate family members to consider and hold great
affection for the Coachella Valley, we are interested in donating a magnificent stone
sculpture to your fine city.
Enclosed is an information sheet on the artist and his work, along with a picture of the
statue under consideration. The stone used in this piece of art came from a portion of the
original Chicago Stock Exchange Building. It is approximately 15 feet tall and weighs
about 1500 pounds. We feel it would be an excellent addition to any public city building,
school, recreation center or park.
Its approximate value is $25,000 and is available for your inspection at our home here in
the desert. Please consider our offer and call us at 760-674-0900 for an appointment.
Yours truly,
E.H. Heimann, Jr.
Mission Ranch
72420 Tanglewood Lane
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
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ROBERT THORNLEY
is long past midnight in Cave
Creek, and Robert Thomley is
conversing with a large chunk of
limestone. Thomley, who has been sculpting rock
and wood for 20 years, likes to work late into the
night. And he never picks up a chisel until he gets
to know the rock he'll be carving. The sculpting
begins, he says, with the slow process of finding
the soul and rhythm in the limestone or alabaster
or marble.
"Stone and wood are the best teachers I've ever
had because they require patience," says Thornley.
"If you try to force your ideas onto the stone, the
stone will win."
It's that level of communion with his material
that allows Thornley to reveal inherent works of
art within the stone. "When I look at a rough
block of limestone or marble I can already see the
sculpture," he says. "It's just a matter of getting
rid of what's not supposed to be there."
The "getting -rid -of -process" takes anywhere
from two weeks to three months depending on the
size and scope of the
piece. It's a creative
process that is well -suited
to Thornley's open-air
studio and sculpture
garden in the magnificent
desert area north of
Scottsdale. Once he's
conversed with the stone and began sculpting in
earnest, Thornley will be covered in a fine layer of
rock dust for weeks. He prefers natural shape
stone to blocks because it's easier to find the
grain, color, density and shape.
Thornley is intimately involved with his sculp-
tures from start to finish. He's logged more than
600,000 miles on his red Chevy truck — his self
proclaimed "pride and joy" — criss-crossing the
USA to deliver finished pieces and acquire new
material. His completed pieces are displayed all
over the USA and around the world in Hong
Kong, Europe and Canada.
On the way home he'll stop any number of
places to get new blocks of stone that weigh as
much as 4.5 tons. Limestone normally comes from
Indiana, Texas and Oklahoma and New Mexico;
marble from Colorado or Nevada. Limestone from
Texas quarries lends itself to the gentle female
forms with its subdued color and congruous grai
For a more bold and formal statement, Thornley
prefers the golden -veined white marble from,
ironically, Marble, Colorado.
Thornley's artistic career spans 30 years as he
progressed from commercial sign painter to wood
relief carving and finally stone. His sculpting caret
officially began in 1978 when the First National
Bank in Casper, Wyoming commissioned him to
carve a pictorial relief in wood on their interior
walls. The carvings remain to this day.
All of Thomley's sculpture is tk-4 ir, detail.
His earliest wood carvings often depicted
Western themes and the strength of character it
Native American warriors and mountain men.
That same strength of character has been
invaluable in helping Thornley in his lifelong
battle with alcoholism. "I started drinking when
was 12," he says. "By the time I was 25 I realize
I was facing a life -and -death decision. I could
continue to drink and die or choose life and the
talent God has give,
me." Thornley h-
been sober now;
13 years. Add all LAr'
numbers up and it's
hard to believe
Thornley is 37-year
old, an age he gives
tongue-in-cheek but with no apologies.
Thornley has gained international acclaim ant
won numerous awards for his work including the
Best of Show award in the Beverly Hills Fine Art
Show. His works now reside in numerous
corporate collections. Finished pieces run from
$2,500 to $30,000 and up. He encourages visits
his studio and sculpture garden by saying, "Com
walk with me."
'Stelae 'and wool:r n e the best teitcliers I', e
ever' had, beradse i1tcy require Ipcltiellr:c....,
• If you try to forei2 your ideas out(
•tJlc' stone~. the Starr, will tc1-11.•'
Robert Thorn
Robert Thornley Studio • 6702 East Cave Creek Road • Cave Creek • 602-488-4377