 The
bronze statues of the nation’s capital had competition
from colorfully decorated polyurethane sculptures of donkeys
and elephants—including an elephant painted by WCG members—during
the spring and summer of 2002. The DC Commission
on the Arts and Humanities selected the Washington Calligraphers
Guild's entry to be among the 100 donkey and 100 elephant statues
on
display in every part of the city until
October 2002.
The
WCG entry, titled Baby Elephant Walk,
takes viewers on a "walk" through many of Washington's
favorite neighborhoods and sites, whose names were lettered
in a variety of styles and colors by WCG members Linda Levine,
Marta Legeckis (in overalls), and Pat Blair (in plaid shirt).
The Guild received a $1,000 grant
to produce its elephant, which the calligraphers dubbed Elizabeth.
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Chief
Moose gets our Elephant!
The"Party
Animals" were auctioned off
at the end of October to benefit grant programs for
the arts and arts education in Washington.
The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities (Dorothy
McSweeney, chair) purchased the WCG elephant for $4,000.
On Nov. 26, 2002 Mrs. McSweeney presented it to Montgomery
County, MD Police Chief Charles Moose, who collects
elephants, in appreciation of his work in apprehending
two snipers who terrorized the region for three weeks
in October. Chief Moose is pictured at the microphone
in front of Police Headquarters in Rockville, MD; at
right is DC Mayor Anthony Williams and behind them is
Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan. The Guild members
who painted the elelphant attended the ceremony: (from
left) Marta Legeckis, Linda Levine and Pat Blair. The
elephant will be on permanent public display in Rockville.
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  During
the summer of 2002 Baby Elephant Walk was sponsored by Pepco,
the Potomac Electric Power Company, which displayed it in
front of its new headquarters at 701
Ninth Street NW (9th & G). Situated on an elevated
plaza across from the MLK Library, the National Museum of
American Art, Baby Elephant Walk enjoyed a lot of attention
from passersby.
The
DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities
has more information about the Party Animals and auction results
at www.partyanimalsdc.org.
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Each
of the "Party Animals" started as a gray plastic
statue measuring 4½-by-5-feet and weighing 200 pounds.
After
painting the blank sculpture blue, WCG members used paper
labels to aid layout and used brushes with acrylic and 1-Shot
sign paints to do the lettering — particularly challenging
on a large, curved surface. Finally, they sponged on "footprints"
and coated the sculpture with polyurethane for protection.
The
names of historic sites, landmarks and neighborhoods are lettered
jauntily around the elephant's surface. The design is an interplay
of various lettering styles, executed by brush in crisp tones
of white, lemon yellow, red and orange acrylic paint. Interwoven
in the background, in subtle tones of grey, are the names
of many of the District's neighborhoods. The letters all sit
atop a base of cobalt blue and violet. Plump, lime green elephant
footprints connect all the sites, inviting the viewer to follow
the "elephant walk" on this playful romp around
the city.
Below:
Working on the Washington Calligraphers Guild's Party Animal
are WCG past presidents Linda Levine (in sweater) and Marta
Legeckis.
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