General Squier sculpture is in progress – The County Press – Thecountypress

DRYDEN The reality of a statue of Gen. George Owen Squier in Dryden Memorial Park is getting closer to happening. After the better part of a decade, the sculpture is undergoing the intricate process of being transferred from clay into bronze.

The effort to bring a statue of the general to the park in Dryden has been long, and interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but Dryden resident Darlene Johnson and a group of grass-roots supporters are closer to seeing their vision come to life. A variety of fundraisers have been held over the years, and sculptor Suzanne Johnson has been working in her Grand Blanc studio to build the six-foot-tall clay representation of Squier, from the metal armature that would hold the clay to the buttons on his uniform.

It was, to me, a very important project, said Johnson. When Im creating, Im really trying to intentionally think about who he was as a man, how generous he was with the land and local people and the facilities he provided, and all his career accomplishments. Its not just a sculpture of a person. I wanted to capture his personality, his generosity, and his accomplishments.

Johnsons process begins with the metal armature, and then she begins to form a skeleton and skull, going on to add the larger muscles, then the smaller ones, then the skin, before adding the clothing.

In his case, it was such a very specific uniform, she said.

After the clay version was completed, the 400- to 450-pound general was transported to the foundry. Currently, he is undergoing the process which includes the making of a rubber mold. From there, wax will be poured into the molds, and Johnson will work on that wax form to remove any seams and make adjustments that are needed. The wax form will be dipped in a porcelain slurry to create a shell, and then placed upright in a bed of sand. The wax will be heated to get it out of the mold, and the bronze will be poured in. After that, cleanup of the seams will occur, and the sculpture will be complete.

Johnson said she has put in some long days over the past years to create the general, and now that hes gone from her studio, she kind of misses his presence. It shouldnt be too long, in the big picture, before he can be seen in downtown Dryden.

I believe he will be finished this winter, maybe even in 2023, she said. But he wont be placed in his position until spring because its weather dependent.

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General Squier sculpture is in progress - The County Press - Thecountypress