Mark Adams - Kearney, NE

Rivkah Addy - Kearney, NE

Molly Anderson - Minden, NE

Bob Coonts - Ft. Collins, CO

John Fronczak - Kearney, NE

Roberto Gutierrez - Kearney, NE

Greg Holdren - Friend, NE

Jennifer Homan - Kearney, NE

Cecilia Richardson and Kelli Jo Risk - Kearney, NE

Kim Meister - Kearney, NE

Brad Norton - Kearney, NE

Martha Pettigrew - Kearney, NE

Mary Ruff - Kearney, NE

Jan Smolik - Alma, NE

Mark Adams, a native of central Nebraska, has studied art at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.  His specialties include portraits done in graphite, or oil.  Adams has also participated in “Horses on Parade” in Rochester, NY, and “Wild Cat Madness” in Lexington, KY.  He has been involved in many other public art projects, including the original Fender Stratocaster sculpture for the Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH.

“Buffalo Crane”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – USA Outdoor, LLC   

Location – Buffalo County Courthouse, 1512 Central Ave.

Rivkah Elspeth Addy is a native Nebraskan; she was born in Grand Island in 1986, and is a six year resident of Kearney. Rivkah is multi-talented in music as well as visual arts. Currently, Rivkah is a violist in the Kearney High orchestra, and she also enjoys piano, harmonica, and guitar. Rivkah is involved in the art program at Kearney High, and she loves to be able to experiment in all the varied art mediums; drawing and sketching are the formats to which she is most naturally drawn. Beginning in first grade, Rivkah was acknowledged for her artistic ability, and has henceforth struggled to believe that something she so naturally loves could also, possibly, be a vocation.

When the article explaining about and asking for art submission for Cranes on Parade, appeared in the Omaha World Herald, Rivkah was interested, but she was reticent about her ability to take on such a task. After she submitted her crane, she was sure she would not be sponsored. When asked how she felt Rivkah expressed her excitement, “I was really excited because I had been waiting a long time to get a call, and I was starting to think that I wasn’t going to get to do a crane at all, so I am very glad that I was chosen. When asked how she came up with the idea for using the artwork of Gustav Klimt for her crane she said, “ My idea for the crane came about while we were sitting around the kitchen table all talking at once about ideas for my crane. My older sister Jasmin, suggested “The Kiss” because it is colorful, and she likes it’s surreal qualities, and my mom laughed and said, ‘Yeah, Kiss of the Platte.’ I thought that it all fit the beauty of the Platte River, and that was cool, so I did it.”

When asked how she felt about such a complicated subject, Rivkah

Said, “I was nervous because it was kind of hard to get all the colors right, but I guess it turned out, and I really enjoyed it.

“Kiss of the Platte”
view a photo of the finished crane

Sponsors -  Jacobsen, Orr, Nelson, Wright & Lindstrom, P.C.,

Ron & Mary Scott, Doug & Marcie Holmes

Location -  Jacobsen, Orr, Nelson, Wright & Lindstrom, P.C.,  322 W. 39th St.

“Cranes On Parade” provided a very different way for textile artist Molly Anderson to approach her medium of choice - fabric.  Anderson’s award winning art quilts have been exhibited extensively throughout the Midwest.  Inspiration for the crane project came to her when she found some reproduction fabric of her favorite artist, Gustav Klimt.  About fifteen different Klimt reproduction fabrics were used, combining concentrated areas of pattern with large areas of decorative solids.  A random pattern of animal prints, which Anderson considers a versatile “neutral,” was in complement to the more organized Klimt patterns.  The fabric was applied decoupage style to the crane surface.  About five days of focused work completed the crane.  It became a conversation piece in the Anderson front room for several weeks.

“Klimt on Crane”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor - Horizon Designs, Inc.

Location – Museum of Nebraska Art,  2401 Central Ave.

Bob Coonts is the only “Cranes on Parade” artist who hails from Colorado.  He is best known for his work in the field of graphic design.  Coonts has served as affiliate faculty with the art department at Colorado State University  since 1971 and is currently teaching one course each semester.  He also is working to establish a name for himself in the fine arts field with his drawing, painting, sculpture and serigraph designs.  His work has won awards and has been included in exhibitions all over the world.  He participated in “The Trail of Painted Ponies” public art project in Santa Fe, NM in 2002.

“Spotted Crane”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – Anonymous

Location – Meadowlark Hills Golf Course,  3300 30th Ave.

The painting of his crane sculpture was “a completely new and unique” experience for artist John Fronczak.  Prior to this project, Fronczak’s experience with painting three-dimensional forms was confined to “furniture, walls, and trim.”  The crane sculpture was complicated, made up of contours which twisted, turned, and pulled away from each other.  At the same time, the design John came up with was itself complex.  In his abstract painting John loves to break the space up into faceted shapes, in different sizes; related yet variable.  Things reflected in a darkened store window, especially when objects inside the store are viewed through these reflections, often result in a similar illusion of fractional space.  John envisioned a colorful interplay of shapes, in a variety of sizes, and appearing to occupy different positions of space relative to each other.  He was hoping to diminish somewhat the three-dimensional form of the crane sculpture by causing viewers to focus more on the colorful, broken-up surface.  Each viewer will have to decide how successful he was.  At the very least, John hopes that his decorative patterns on the crane will give some visual pleasure.  For him, this project was “a challenge, but, fun also.”

“Fractional Crane”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – Baldwin Filters

Location – Kearney Community Theater,  83 Plaza Blvd.

Formerly of Columbia, Roberto Gutierrez now makes his home in Nebraska and Arizona.  Roberto is a sculptor of international repute, frequently depicting the human form in bronze, plaster, and stone.  His award-winning works are often monumental, intended for architectural applications.  His emotionally evocative sculptures have recently been exhibited locally at The Minden Opera House, and The Museum of Nebraska Art, and may be found in collections throughout the world.

“Fossil in Evolution”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsors – Kearney Bone & Joint Clinic, and Shopping Tripps

Location – 3015 Ave. A.

Greg Holdren paints signs and murals in his South-Central Nebraska neighborhood, including larger murals in Fairbury, Lincoln, Crete, Friend, Exeter, Grafton, Central City, and Grand Island.

Producing about 250 artists a year as K-12 Art Teacher in the small community of Friend, Greg is also parent to 6 beautiful children with his extremely patient wife, Maureen, who puts up with his filling the garage with sculptures-in-progress, the basement with paintings, and his constant rambles around the local countryside taking endless photographs.

“U Crane”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – Good Samaritan Health Systems

Location – Lobby, Good Samaritan Hospital, 31st & Central Ave.

Jennifer Homan attended Colorado State University, earning a BA with a painting concentration, and K-12 Teacher Certification.  After teaching in Loveland, she returned to Kearney, and is currently teaching part-time at Kearney Catholic, raising two daughters, and working as a professional artist from her home.  She enjoys working in pastels, and most of her subject matter consists of local landscape or portraiture.

Jennifer says she was “delighted to have the opportunity to see both of my crane designs come to life.  The original concepts were completely unrelated.  However, after I completed the 2D designs, I realized what a dynamic couple the cranes would make.  Looking back, I believe I subconsciously turned myself and my husband into cranes.  I actually had my husband put on his suit and model for me.  The male is very conservative and refined, while the female is more whimsical and free-spirited.  I believe they do a great job of balancing one another.”

“Because my studio is too small, I got to paint the cranes in my kitchen.  My one-year-old and three-year-old thought this was fabulous.  They named the cranes, made up stories about them, and assisted with various artistic decisions.  My three-year-old even helped paint the bases of both cranes.  I think both of my children enjoyed seeing the designs come to life more than I did.”

“Here is an interesting fact about the female crane . . . she has one brown eye and one blue eye.  My younger daughter was blessed with two different colored eyes, so I thought it might be fun for her to point out the ‘pretty’ crane with two different colored eyes.”

“Sunday Best”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – Century 21 Midlands

Location – 4407 2nd Ave.

“Business as Usual”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsors – Ben and Sara Homan, Ben and Patti Homan, Steve and Jeni Homan

Location – Edward Jones, 4016 6th Ave.

Cecilia Richardson, turned fourteen the evening of the unveiling of the finished crane sculptures at Rowe Sanctuary.  Her design for “Birds on the Horizon” was chosen from more than 70 submissions by students at Horizon Middle School, where she is also a student.  Cecilia lives with her mom, Jan, her dad, Max, and her brother, Will.  She enjoys reading, art, and hanging out with her family and friends.

She has taken art lessons from her private instructor, Kellie Jo Risk, for seven years.

Kellie Jo and Cecilia worked together at Kellie Jo’s studio to complete this crane.

Kellie Jo is an accomplished artist, art teacher, writer, and dancer.  She holds a Masters of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Idaho, and is currently teaching privately.  She is the mother of two sons, Zakery and Kazden.

“Birds on the Horizon”
view a photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – Eaton Corporation

Location – Horizon Middle School,  915 W. 35th St.

As an art educator and artist, Carolyn Jacobsen is continuously striving to enhance her goals for competence in creative work, scholarship, research and teaching. Her artwork consists of work in watercolor, acrylics and mixed media on paper, as well as canvas. Her work represents her everyday experiences and observations of favorite objects, places, shapes and textures.

Carolyn holds B.F.A. and M.A.Ed. degrees from the University of Nebraska - Kearney, with a K-12 Art Endorsement and Certification.

She has exhibited extensively in Nebraska, featured at the Governor's Residence, Minden Opera House, MONA's Prairie Lights Showcase, winning many awards for her work. Carolyn's artwork is included in the collections of MONA, the Department of Art and Art History at UNK, and Minden Public Schools, as well as many private collectors.

Carolyn is a member and past president of the Kearney Artist Guild, and a member of the Association of Nebraska Art Clubs.

“Migrating Crane”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – The Nature Conservancy

Location – Kearney Municipal Airport Terminal,  5145 Airport Road

A native of Nebraska, Pat Wiederspan Jones is best known for her watercolor landscapes, but she is also interested in handmade paper, handmade books, collage, mandalas and spiritual art, and jewelry design.  She holds a B.A. in Art Education from Hastings College, and a M.A.Ed. from the University of Nebraska at Kearney.  With a background of teaching art in the public schools and working in advertising, Jones is now serving as adjunct faculty at UNK.

Jones has exhibited her work throughout the state, including MONA, the Noyes Gallery in Lincoln, Creighton University, the Minden Opera House, Peru State College, the Columbus Art Center, Kearney’s Art in the Park, and the Walker Art Gallery at UNK.  She is a member of the Nebraska Women’s Caucus for Art, and the Kearney Artist Guild.

“A Season Under Heaven”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsors – Kearney Dawn and Kearney Noon Rotary Clubs

Location – West of City Library, 2nd Ave. & 21st St.

Celeste Schulte participated in “Cranes on Parade” as part of her Kearney High School 3-D Design class assignment.  Under the direction of art teacher Deb Babbitt, the class all contributed possible design ideas.  They then voted for the top three choices, which were entered.  Celeste’s design was chosen, and she then painted the crane sculpture herself. 

Celeste is a senior at Kearney High School, and plans to go on to study art after graduation.  She is the daughter of John and Marlene Schulte of Kearney.

 “Roots of Nebraska”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – Contemporary Obstetrics & Gynocology

Location – 101 West 24th St.

Kenwood Elementary School Students all had a hand in creating their crane, “Something for All.”  Designing and coordinating the effort of more than 200 students, art teacher Tim Hanson said of their crane, “We feel that our concept truly represents the school atmosphere at Kenwood.  The crane is covered in various art reproductions from master images that could be and are studied by the students at our school.  These images were cut and applied by students from kindergarten to fifth grade.  Some of these pictures show abstract works, while others are representative of things that are considered realistic.  The art work has a balance of these two elements to hold the interest of nearly anyone.”

“In places the images represent the majesty and grace of the crane as it has been sculpted, yet there is an air of whimsy and fun that all art should exhibit.”

“At the heart of our crane we see two little girls painted by the artist Mary Cassatt.  These represent the children at our school and the place that they occupy in our hearts as we guide them into the next stage of their lives.”

“Although the crane becomes a fairly busy image to behold visually, we hope that our viewers would remember that the crane can also dance and does this as part of its mating ritual.  It is not only a work of art, but also an artist of the dance in nature.  This spectacle reminds us of its connection to Nebraska which is home to us all.”

Kenwood Elementary School

Pat Zeimet, Principal

Tim Hanson, Art Teacher

“Something for All”
view a photo of the finished crane

Sponsors – Golden K Kiwanis, Kearney Artist Guild,
Tom and Sue Reiber, ReFind, Mary Ruff

Location – CRANE IS MISSING

Donna Knapp feels very connected to nature’s natural habitat.  “What a wondrous world of exotic creatures we share this planet with . . . and our sandhills crane is one of them.  Cranes and their many feathered friends fascinate me so.  ‘How much fun is it’ to embellish one with flowers, butterflies, and fish and bird friends.”

“My desire is to portray a spiritual intimacy in my art with an impressionistic rendering of the subject matter, and employing color, space, lines, and form to create a mood.”

Donna has received numerous awards for her paintings, and has exhibited widely throughout the region.  She is a member of the Kearney Artist Guild, and the Association of Nebraska Art Clubs.

“Nature’s Eloquence”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsors – Mr. Carl Spelts, Rowe Sanctuary

Location – 44450 Elm Island Rd., Gibbon, NE  68840

Cynthia Taylor Lightner is a member of the Kearney Artist Guild and the Association of Nebraska Art Clubs.  She earned her B.A. in Art Education from John B. Stetson University in DeLand, Florida and an MFA in Theatrical Costume Design from the Yale University Graduate School of Drama.  She holds a diploma in Professional Art from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and a diploma in Printing and Graphic Design from the Vocational-Technical School of Muskogee, Oklahoma.

Numerous years of teaching at the college, community college and high school levels, as well as commissions in sculpture and murals, help Cynthia inspire the potential in others.  Her expertise encompasses teaching art, drawing, painting, sculpture, and photography.  Cynthia Taylor Lightner is currently teaching as an adjunct instructor in the Department of Art and Art History at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Cynthia is married to Dr. Stan Lightner, who teaches in the Department of Industrial Technology at UNK.  She has one grown daughter, Gretchen, who is a professional actor in New York City.

“Corn Princess”
view a photo of the finished crane

Sponsors – Bob and Karen Park, Vintage Park Café & Bakery

Location – 2318 First Ave.

Artist, former cookbook art director, and now sales director for The Pampered Chef, Kim Meister reflects, “When I look back at the last 20 years of my life, my passion, aside from my family, seems to revolve around food and painting.  I remember in college when given the opportunity to do a 3-month study in watercolor, I chose an apple, an orange and a banana as my subjects.  When asked to create a fictitious company for an annual report, mine happened to be a chocolate company.  As I progressed in my career as an artist, I found myself an Art Director for a fundraising cookbook company.  Yes, once again, creating images of food and, this time, surrounded with recipes!

With this exposure, my fascination and skills with cooking really developed.  I started sharing my experiences through The Pampered Chef kitchen shows.  After several years, I left my position as an art director, to focus on my business as a kitchen consultant.  After all, cooking is an art!

The combination of these interests is what inspired my design, “Crane”berry and Apple Pie for the “Cranes On Parade” project.  As the image evolved from the thumbnail sketch to the finished product, it seemed only natural to also incorporate the recipe.  The recipe would enable the viewers to not only enjoy the visual experience of the crane, but also activate the senses of smell and taste, and the pure enjoyment that a warm, sweet, yet tart, fresh baked pie can bring.”

“Crane”berry and Apple Pie
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsors – Country Inn & Suites, Country Kitchen

Location – 115 2nd Ave.

Note :  Kim also found in her research that cranberries were originally named for the cranes, because they were so tart that only the cranes would eat them.  They were “crane”berries.

The crane “Abbie’s Dance” was created as a project of the MONA Winter Abstract Art Class.  Meeting for six weeks, under the instruction of Pat Jones (also a crane artist, and “Cranes on Parade” committee member), the class members arrived one afternoon with newspaper clippings about the crane public art project, and questions of “Could we do one?”  The enthusiasm in this class of sixteen women was irrepressible.  They voted to be their own sponsors, and within minutes the group was making plans for the following class period. 

Abstract art is best described as simplification, the reduction of a form to its basic elements.  We had been discussing Abstract Expressionism, and looking at the works of Mary Beth Fogarty in the MONA collection.  We also studied the more realistic cranes by John James Audubon, talked about Jackson Pollock, and viewed paintings of UNK Faculty member Mark Hartman. 

Then we began the whirlwind process of creating an abstract surface design on a somewhat realistic three dimensional form.  Within two and a half hours, these women had tissue-paper-collaged a hot pink background, discussed emotional associations of color, added variety with orange and violet areas of color, and then created an overall unified surface by squirting and throwing white, silver and black paint!  The process was exciting and fun, and the results were striking.  The group is very proud of their finished piece, and their participation in the creation of  “Abbie’s Dance.”

The artists enrolled in the class include:  Agnes Baker, Debbi Colvert, Jane Davolt, Louise Elliott, Carol Fettin, Kristin Gebhardt, Delora Hall, Judy Hammett, Sue Hankins, Rebecca Hardy, Marcie Holmes, Pat Sadler, Germelina Salumbides, Carol Schinkel, Julie Weir, and Joan Westberg.

“Abbie’s Dance”
view a photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – The MONA Winter Abstract Art Class

Location – Spillway Park/Trail,  University Drive

Dang Nimchanya was born in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  He attended a Catholic school where his father was a Math and English teacher.  After high school, he discovered his passion in the arts.  He received his BFA in Industrial Design emphasized in Ceramics from Rajamangala Institute of Technology, Chiang Mai, Thailand.  After graduation, he taught Arts at Montfort College, a Catholic school for boys for six years.  Ten years after receiving his first degree, he had an opportunity to continue his studies and received B.Sc. in Industrial Education (Ceramics) from King Mongkut Institute of Technology, Bangkok, Thailand.  Before coming to the USA, he was an Art professor at Rajamangala Institute of Technology, Chiang Mai, Thailand, and an Assistant to Ceramics Specialist from the United Nation at Chiang Mai University, Thailand.

He first came to Nebraska in 1987, and received a M.A. Ed. with an emphasis in Ceramics from the University of Nebraska at Kearney.  He currently is adjunct faculty in the Department of Art and Art History at UNK.  Before teaching his classes each semester, he always mentions to his students about his FRESH philosophy.  What does his FRESH mean? 

            F – Friendly, Friendship

            R – Respect

            E – Educated, Education

            S – Sincere

            H – Hope

In explaining his concept for his crane, “Balances,” Dang says, “The natural world has always been the driving force in my creation of art since I was young.  Nature is an endless source of my inspiration and fascination.  My abstract design forms act as metaphors for the delicate balances in nature – (Earth, Water, Wind, Fire) – and the interdependency of the living things.  Lines, shapes, black and white, colors are used to create the exterior and interior spaces including the protective and the vulnerable.  My artistic creation represents the body, organic, and man-made surfaces besides for the aquatic and terrestrial spheres.”

“Balances”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – McDermott & Miller

Location – 404 E. 25th St.

Brad Norton

Photographer for the Kearney Hub

“Kearney History Crane”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – The Kearney Hub

Location – 13 E. 22nd St.

Larry D. Peterson, “My professional career encompassed teaching for thirty-four years in the Art and Art History Department at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.  I was one of the founders of the Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA), and also initiated Kearney’s Art-in-the-Park and have directed the event for thirty-one years.  Drawing and painting have been my interests during my life.”

“Old Glory”, “The flag of the United States is the symbol of liberty and freedom.  It is perhaps more meaningful today in our complex and troubled world.  We should be proud of our flag and respect its meaning and history."

"The first flag with thirteen stars are placed on both sides of the back of the crane.  The red, white, and blue, and the stars and stripes reflects the pride and honor of our country."

"Our flag stands for power and peace and respect of our citizens.  God bless the United States of America.”

“Old Glory”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – R.W. Sorensen Family

Location – 2500 West Hwy. 30

Nationally recognized artist Martha Pettigrew was the creator of the original six foot tall sandhill crane sculpture used for  “Cranes on Parade.”  Working from her Kearney studio, she specializes in “sculpting the ordinary and making it monumental in its simplicity.”

(Click Here for more information on Martha Pettigrew)

“Flower Power”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsors – Kearney Floral, Cash-Wa Distributing

Location – Kearney Floral, 210 W. 21st St.

Arthur Pierce, Calligrapher, was born in Custer County, NE in 1915.  He moved to Lincoln County at the age of 5, and lived in a sod house on a homestead claim for several years.  He attended rural schools in Lincoln County, and high school at the then Nebraska School of Agriculture in Curtis.  One of his teachers was Frank B. Morrison.  He attended college in Kearney, then hitch-hiked to Chicago in 1939 to find work in the editorial department of a law publishing firm.  Pierce served in the U.S. Army from 1941-1945, serving 42 months in the southwest Pacific.  In 1947, he married his wife, Hazel, and they had 3 children.  He followed the sign-writing trade from about 1952 – 1980.  He was in the Nebraska Arts Council Artists-in-Schools program for several years.  He also worked as adjunct instructor in Calligraphy at Kearney State College for 4 years.

Art says the most exciting and challenging thing for him right now is completing a large project for permanent display at the new Iain Nicolsen Nature Center at Rowe Sanctuary.  He also is preparing for a one-person show at the Minden Opera House in June.

“As for experiences with crane artwork, etc., I’ve done lots of work about and including cranes.  Years ago when I had my sign business in Kearney, I designed and executed the old sign which still identifies the Rowe headquarters.  It was a donation which made me feel good, but I asked Ron Klataske not to let that be known because then everybody would expect a free sign.  (Ron Klataske is the man who, as National Audubon West Central Vice President, had the vision and determination to establish the sanctuary in the first place.)  It is a source of great pride to me that Ron has one of the best pieces of work I ever did, which shows, among other things, several cranes in raised gold leaf.  I’ve had a long association with Audubon which I hold in fond memory.  I made several pieces which were given as awards of one kind or another.  (I believe one went to a Russian, and another to a Pakistani, in connection with an international crane conference that ran concurrently with the Audubon River Conference in Kearney.)”

Notes:  Art was worried about how he could do calligraphy directly onto the surface of the crane, but was relieved and excited to try collaging materials onto the crane sculpture.

Many of the poems about cranes that Art has done, and at least one is on this crane, were written by his daughter, Anne McCollister.

“Crane Voices”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – Morris Press

Location – 3212 Hwy. 30 E.

Prewitt Fiberglass Animals, is rapidly becoming the leader in providing fiberglass creations.  Prewitt has already created numerous animal and other objects for Public Art Projects.  To date, some finished products have starred in "Pigs on Parade, Holland MI", "Horses on Parade, Rochester, NY", "Lighthouses on Parade, Portland, ME", "Herd About Buffalo, Buffalo, NY", "Guitar Mania, Cleveland, OH", and of course, "Cranes on Parade, Kearney, NE."

“Crane Illlusion”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – Prewitt Fiberglass

Location – American Legion Club, 913 Front St., Gibbon, NE

Mary Ruff describes her work as centering mainly around “creation of intuitive archetypal clay sculpture, and photography.  The senses, elements, and personal visual relationships create the connections between my art and life.  Life as art and art as life.  Primary influences include a Minimalist approach that attempts to simplify and reach an essence, my Cherokee and European ancestry, and elemental surface/materials that contribute to the whole.  These effects are achieved by accessing the intuitive mind, working with the immediacy of the moment by tapping into the essential, and allowing what is there to manifest.”

“I began work on my crane design on December 25, 2002.  Completion involved seven days of gently layering metallic leafing and visually witnessing her unfolding presence.  I call her Crane Lily, Platte River Messenger of the Valley.

As Kearney Dawn PRISM’s “Cranes on Parade” project reflects the involvement and creativity of a public art project in our community that benefits international and local charities and organizations, so Crane Lily’s prism-like surface has the potential to reflect the light of understanding, commitment and playfulness (like the sunlight playing on the water) into the spectrum of art education, humanitarian endeavors, and community involvement.

My thanks to Kearney Visitor’s Bureau for their sponsorship and enthusiasm for the “Cranes on Parade” project.  I appreciate the opportunity to be an artist in the project.

Sincerely,

Mary Ruff, Artist

CRANES ACROSS THE PLATTE
 

Sandhill Cranes wing their way across the Platte,

their labyrinth shifting to and fro, 

their flight a system of dots and dashes,

an Aerial Morse code.
 

Mirrored in the river – red rover, red rover –

one after another passes over
until the heaven’s are filled to the brim

with each bird’s breath, 

a ghost winging its way North.

                          - Mary Ruff

“Crane Lily, Platte River Messenger of the Valley”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – Kearney Visitor’s Bureau

Location – 1007 2nd Ave.

Carol Sanders, “I have worked in Art and related projects from the time I could hold a pencil.  Growing up in Kearney, there was very little instruction available (or encouragement.)  Later, however, when we settled in Virginia, I attended college (Nova) for 12 years, studying painting, drawing, design, architecture, illustration, and museum management, which earned me an internship at the famed Torpedo Factory Art Center.  During that time I also headed the Treasury Department’s Recreation Association which involved a lot of art and design work.

I have always worked independently during each military assignment, whether it be Germany, Japan – or Alabama (where I taught pottery-making at Ft. McClellan.)  I won 1st prize for oil painting (Southeast Atlantic Division) – one of the few competitions I could enter as we were stationed in remote areas, my husband being a Chemical Corps. Officer.

Once he retired from the Army and Treasury Dept., and we moved to Kearney from the Wash. D.C. area, I pursued my great interest again as a volunteer at MONA – and teaching art at Richard Young Hospital.  I also served as President of the Kearney Artist Guild for 2 years.  Most recently, I’ve worked in concrete (sculptural forms), paper, textiles and wearable art.  I frequently experiment in mediums new to me; thus I am un-credentialed, un-degreed, un-structured . . . and un-remunerated, but I greatly enjoy Kearney’s art community; and most especially the people I know therein.”

“The Promise”
view a photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – The Solid Rock

Location – 2010 Central Ave.

Deborah Sinclair is the mother of four sons.  A native Nebraskan, she was born and raised in Omaha and has lived in Kearney more than a decade with her husband, B. David, who is a professor at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

In recent years she has been a member of Artel, of the Bistro Art Group in Omaha, and of the Kearney Artist Guild.  In addition to her art work, she has been involved in women’s ministry with her church, Grace Fellowship, and the home education of her children.

Deborah is a graduate of UNK with a BFA in studio art.  Her studies also include Parsons School of Design, New York, and the Aegean Center for the Fine Arts in Greece and Italy.

“The subject that most interests me is the human figure.  My concern is less with the literal reproduction of a person’s physicality than with capturing the subject’s essential personhood, or spirit.  We are made in the image of God.  Creativity is the act of imitating the Creator.  Therefore, art must be aesthetic.”

“Quilted Crane”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – The Great Platte River Road Archway Monument

Location – The Great Platte River Road Archway Monument

“Craning to See”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – David and Catherine Kingsley for Park School

Location – Park School,  3000 7th Ave.

Jan Smolik, The music theme for this crane was a choice from several themes that came out of a ‘brainstorming’ session.  As an Art Teacher, Jan really feels that the ability to brainstorm is an important skill that ought to be learned.  As a music aficionado, jazz instruments were among her first ideas for images on the crane.

Jan claims music listening to be as high on her list of interests as art.  Just as she seeks time to be an artist and opportunities to travel and see great art, she enjoys jazz and rock and classical concerts.

To visualize music was the challenge.  “Once I started working, I saw the incorporation of metallic colors and the importance of an urban setting for jazz,” she said.

She comments, “Students who watched the crane develop were largely concerned that I would meet the deadline.”  But, as a teacher of Art, she continued to emphasize the historical content of community art projects comparing it to Michelangelo’s commission to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling.  Some students still noted the 24 years that it took him to complete it.  In the end, their teacher told them that, perhaps, art is never complete.  There is just a stopping point.

“Take Five”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – Yellow Van Cleaning Services

Location – UNK, Fine Arts Building

David Wiebe, The elegant, gorgeous bird is covered with recurring patterns (i.e. migrations). It stands in fields and rivers, with fish.  The continuous circles and swirls represent the eons the cranes have been here.

Written around the crane’s neck, in a language from India, it says “Great Crane.”

Up one leg, in that language, is David’s name and his daughter’s name, Kristen, who also painted the crane with her father.  Up the other leg, their names have been written in English, but rather disguised.

Grandchildren helped paint the fish on the base.
 

“Kaleidoscopic Crane”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsor – Kearney Orthopedic and Fracture Clinic

Location – 3500 Central Ave.

Gary Zaruba, “I couldn’t believe the number of people who wanted to know how many hours I spent working on the crane and a few had to add that I must have more time to use on such things than they do.  I didn’t respond to most of those comments, but I have never thought about creating art with a time clock.  I have no idea how many hours are represented in the crane, nor do I care to know.  Something I gained that they didn’t was the pleasure of creating the work.”

“Carousel Crane”
view photo of the finished crane

Sponsors – Task Lighting, Heartland-Hosting

Location – Task Lighting,  910 E. 25th St.