After almost six years, ground was broken at the site of Las Vegas Veterans' Memorial. Veterans' Day, 2015 dawned cool, breezy and sunny in Las Vegas. Attended by a large crowd of citizens, active and ex-military personnel and hosted by Governor Brian Sandoval, this day was a long-awaited treat. With only a few of the eighteen, life-and-a-quarter scale figures remaining to finish, the event was doubly emotional as the end of this colossal project looms in site.
Douwe addresses American Legion's National Executive Committee /
October 2015 - Prior to their vote to officially endorse the Las Vegas Veteran's Memorial, American Legion's National Executive Committee asked Douwe to present the project and "bring them up to speed". Along with the Memorials' executive director, Scott Tiano, Douwe basicially walked them through the vision behind the piece and gave them a short overview of how a memorial of this scale and scope is created. It was a fascinating experience as both the legion and its Indianapolis Headquarters are steeped in history and tradition. The Committee did approve the resolution of support which is a great honor.
Douwe Completes final Las Vegas Veteran’s Memorial sculpture! /
After almost four years of sculpting, Douwe put the finishing touches on the last of eighteen figures. Each figure is life-and-a-quarter scale making them about seven and a half feet tall. He has been dovetailing clay sculpting with assembly and finishing of metal castings as they come from the foundry, but this is the final clay figure to be done. The particular figure represents an aged Vet. Douwe invited his neighbor, “farmer” Don Hutchinson to spend the afternoon modeling in the studio while working on the final facial features. This week, this along with three other clay figures will be transported to the foundry in Oklahoma where they will be molded and cast in metal.