Client: Client Dan Hayes, Quad City Times

Overview

An associate and foundry owner contacted me to take a sculpture project. The opportunity honored Karl Ungurean, one of the originators, runners in, and officiate of the Bix 7 race, sponsored by the Quad City Times in Davenport, Iowa. The client wanted an over life-size bronze figure for a small park which already displays several bronze images of other runners and organizers of Bix 7.

I presented a drawing of an elder Karl Ungurean standing, officiating a race while holding a stopwatch and a clip board. He is dressed in running clothes and shoes. The Ungurean family: his wife, son, and daughter and his associates provided dozens of photos from which to model the sculpture.

Karl was an immigrate to the United States as a young man after from Romania. He had a humble beginning in Davenport, eventually becoming an engineer for a large company. He loved to run and to volunteer for his community for anything related to running. Karl was one of the founders of the Cornbelt Running Club, and the Bix 7 race director. Karl ran 56 marathons and a 100 K race. He with his wife added five foster children to their three-sibling family

Goals

The commission assignment was to create a life-size, life-like portrayal of one of the most beloved Davenport, Iowa citizens, and Quad City running community. The man given tribute was well known for his public contributions to running events, as well as to his church and in his personal life. The sculpture is best placed publicly in a small park, on a pedestal, accompanying several other bronze figures of runners and race organizers already on display there.



The park is situated at the fork of the road where the Bix 7 race starts on one side and ends on the other.

Process

I prepared a two-dimensional drawing according to the suggested composition.

I asked the family and associates of Karl Ungurean to send photographs of him from numerous angles.

The drawing and photos were presented to Matt Cobb of Eagle Bronze, who presented them for 3-D modeling. I worked closely with the modeler to produce the figure and clothing needed for the design.

Matt Cobb of Eagle Bronze electronically enlarged and 3-D printed sections of the modeled sculpture. Those sections were then cast in bronze at Eagle Bronze, reassembled, and finished.

Ed Hooper of Eagle Bronze coordinated the effort to deliver the bronze to Davenport, Iowa for installation. The artwork was warehoused for a few weeks before it was installed by Craig Piggot, on a concrete pedestal which he had prepared.

Additional Information

I enjoyed working with my client representing the Cornbelt Running club, to design their envisioned tribute to Karl Ungurean. The were prompt with replies to my inquiries and with payments. The family of Mr. Ungurean were very accommodating in finding photographs and giving guidance concerning details of the sculpted likeness. That commission has led to an interest in preparing a sculpture tribute to a celebrated Olympic runner who originated from the Quad Cities.