Sculpture flies into Barclay Park

A 10-foot-tall bronze heron now roosts in the heart of town. The heron, installed in Barclay Park, is the newest addition to Sisters' public art collection. On Friday, the City of Sisters Public Works Department, along with Empire Stone Company, used a crane to lift the heavy rocks and sculpture into place. The sculpture was created by local artist Danae Bennett Miller and honors Elizabeth Dasch, a former resident of Black Butte Ranch and Sisters, who passed away in 2009.

For more than a year, Miller has worked to design the piece, create a wax model, have it cast in bronze, and select the right rocks for its base and bench. The sculpture, which lifts off from a basalt column, is created from 70 pieces of bronze welded together around a stainless-steel skeleton.

"I work in wax so it's the wax that makes the texture - it has the flowing energy of water," said Miller.

Miller, a longtime Central Oregon artist, has several large bronzes in public areas, including a larger-than-life horse traversing a rock trail in Bend's roundabout at Newport Avenue and 14th Street.

The majority of the cost was paid by donations from Elizabeth Dasch's family. Her three grown children donated $25,000 toward the sculpture to honor their mother, who was an artist accomplished in painting on enamel. She created the botanical watercolor design of the Mt. Hood lily which was used in the interior decoration of the Timberline Lodge WPA Project.

The heron project had broad community support. Additional funds were donated by Dasch's friends, The Roundhouse Foundation, and the City of Sisters. The sculpture now belongs to the city.

Sisters Public Art (SPA) coordinated with the city and the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce to bring this sculpture to the community. The committee works proactively to bring art to public spaces to showcase the community's artistic talents for both local residents and tourists. SPA committee members are Paul Alan Bennett and Susan Springer.

"We think that a vibrant arts community enhances the business community, too - it's one more reason for businesses to locate here and it adds to Sisters' appeal as a place to hold events which benefit our restaurants, lodging establishments and merchants," said Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Erin Borla.

In December, the community will hold a dedication celebration to honor all of the people involved in bringing this sculpture to Sisters.