Welcome to our continuing display of Glenn's work. This page is another "potpourri" of a semi-random collection of figures, but there is a "theme" here: Kansas Figures.

We'll begin with the Kansas State song: "Home on the Range" (there are MULTIPLE verses, by the way):

Oh, Give me a home...where the Buffalo roam....and I'll show you a place where you'd better have a tree handy to climb. (smile).

The fence sign is probably too small to read, but it says: "Beware of Mad Bulls". It looks like our cottonwood Native American friend has decided to stay out of the "discussion" down below.

It is clear that there is a lot of "bull" here. These figures are life-size. The calf on the left is getting a little "parental assistance". He was probably getting some "bull" that he just couldn't bear any longer.

Note that in the background, you can see the figures from the previous photo (behind Glenn, of course).

Ultimately, the calf was separated from his parent - staying in Ray Fiedler's yard in Kingman, KS, while the buffalo/bear combination was bought by a collector who has them in his yard - north of Hutchinson, KS, along with one of the Native Americans-on-a-pony that we'll see later on this page.

At the right is another Totem Pole - in progress - in Glenn's hometown of Kingman, Kansas. This tall construction was a sycamore tree - until a storm blew the top of it right off and Glenn was brought in to turn a "stump" into a work of art. As I look at it, I keep marvelling at how big it is. You can see Glenn at work at the bottom and he's 8 feet tall(!!) (or perhaps somewhat less than that). As a "postscript", Mom tells me that she and Glenn noticed that a bird has pecked a hole near the left ear of the bird on top - and is using the totem for a nest as of about a year ago. "Home on the Range" - indeed!

Below, Glenn starts shaping out another Totem Pole. I don't know where this one ended up. Note his trusty mallet and chisel: No chainsaws for the artwork - even the early stages.

And here's Carry Nation - complete with her Bible and Hatchet. She is made of cottonwood and now resides in the Carry Nation home in Medicine Lodge, KS. She was historically credited with fighting intemperance, using her hatchet to chop up bars and demon liquor. An encyclopedia tells me that she was 6 feet tall and 175 pounds so she was physically intimidating even without her hatchet.

Look behind Carry - and you see a mural on the wall - which was also created by Glenn - turning a retaining wall into a canvas.

On our left is a generic cowgirl with her rope in hand. She is carved from cottonwood and her face and hands are the natural color of the underlying wood.

I promised Indian ponies earlier and here they are. They are made of concrete over mesh and carry on the "bareback" tradition.

 

This Indian never got named, but his horse is "Scorpion". Scorpion's head and body are all one piece of Sycamore. The legs are separate pieces of walnut that were attached. His rider was designed to ride him, but they are completely-separate pieces: Our Indian is capable of "dismounting" though he'll always be "bow-legged". They are in a museum.

Well. We sang on the way into this page, so we'll sing our way out. On the right is "Mule-skinner Bill" and "My Darling Clementine" along with Glenn and an ole houn' dog singing along.

This collection (minus Glenn) resides in the "Grassroots Arts Center" in Lucas, KS.

Bill is - amazingly - carved from a single trunk of cottonwood: Bill, his guitar, his hat, and the stump he stands on. The only "added wood" was the keys on the guitar. The houn' dog is a separate piece of cottonwood added to keep Bill on key.

DO Click here and go on to Page 8, please