World’s
Largest Humpback Whale
Redwood Sculpture Comes
Onto Market To
Benefit
Two Nonprofit Organizations
Mt.
Shasta, CA—January 8, 2005: A life-size Humpback whale sculpture
carved from redwood—the largest redwood sculpture in the world—is
now coming on to the art market. Over the past nine years in 23
cities one million people experienced a profound closeness with
a unique full size Humpback whale and calf sculpture. The enormous
whale and calf are lifelike and combine the whales’ sleek beauty
and the organic richness of redwood into a meaningful ecological
statement of the interconnectedness of the biosphere. “The life
size whale sculpture is awesome to be near. It makes a bold statement
about the importance of preserving our natural resources for all
living beings,” says Stephanie Hoffman, a management consultant.
Sculpted by renowned wood sculptors Marcus Von Skepsgardh and Shane
Eagleton from a single salvaged redwood log, the “Humpback Whale
and Her Calf” is being made available for purchase by public businesses
or private individuals. The whale’s sale price is $175,000, based
upon a group sculpture appraisal from a senior member of the American
Society of Appraisers. The sculpture may be exhibited in both outdoor
and indoor spaces. Carved out of the same 41-foot redwood log were
two more life-size pieces: an African elephant bust and a Galapogas
tortoise. Von Skepsgardh named the grouping of redwood pieces “Whale
Forest Sculptures.” The ensemble is appraised at $243,120. The sculptures
are now being listed on Ebay.
The
“Humpback Whale and Her Calf” redwood sculpture includes an ocean
environment of redwood dolphins and other sea creatures beneath
the whale. The entire sculpture is mounted on a flatbed trailer
for easy transportation. The sculpture measures 33 feet long, 8
feet wide and 8 feet tall. The sale of this very rare sculpture
ensemble benefits two nonprofit organizations based near Mt. Shasta:
Protect All Life Foundation, an environmental group specializing
in recycled tree sourcing and the American Institute for Arts and
Communities, an arts and education nonprofit.
“When
you stand in her presence you feel the love she has for her young.
You can touch her majesty and sense the grandeur of this animal.
You can feel the exhilaration of being overwhelmed (and rightly
so) by her size compared to yours,” says Bill Truby, author and
business consultant. Since their creation, Marcus von Skepsgardh
has regularly made these sculptures available for use in artistic,
educational, and environmental events. While he feels an undeniable
affinity for these sculptures—as they have graced his residence
and working environment over the years—Marcus believes that these
sculptures carry a strong message and should therefore be available
for a larger public to appreciate and enjoy.
The
enormous whale is carved out of a single redwood log, an artistic
accomplishment that is very rare in the fine wood sculpture world.
The origin of the sculpture dates back to the discovery, in 1994,
of an old-growth redwood log on the property of a defunct sawmill
in Willets, California. The original log was 41 feet long and nine
feet in diameter. This log was obtained by the artists and transported
to a workspace in the San Francisco Bay Area, where it was carved
into the whale and the two other pieces. These two sculptures are
available for sale separately.
Protecting
the Whales: Because their feeding, mating and calving grounds are
close to shore and because they are slow swimmers, the Humpback
Whales were easy targets for early whalers. These whales have been
hunted to near extinction and only about 25,000 exist today.
The
“Humpback Whale and Her Calf” powerfully and artistically captures
the plight of all endangered species on the planet, and the very
tenuous bonds between humans, mammals, animals and the collective
biosphere. Marcus von Skepsgardh observes that the whale would be
perfect for museums, nonprofit institutions, educational institutions,
aquatic life and exhibit parks, sculpture parks, municipalities,
corporations and small businesses, and private collections. A brochure
on the sculpture is available.
Contact James Acker (707) 237-2656
or Joy von Skepsgardh (530) 459-5077
for further information on the purchase of the Humpback
Whale and Her Calf sculpture.
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