Public & Private Commissions

2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games Cauldron

Opening Ceremonies

Constructing The Cauldron

On location at Boise Airport

SO Cauldron Unveiling w Laurie Otter, Sen. Simspon.jpg

SO Cauldron night fullview from above.jpg

Drawings

2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games Cauldron

Height to top of East Pole: 24’
Base Ring: 17’ 4” diameter
Cauldron: 7’ diameter
Weight: 1200 pounds
Material: Steel (donated by Pacific Steel)
Paint: Young Electric Sign Company
Burner Design & Fabrication: Suburban Propane
Fabrication time: 630 hours
Cauldron Designer: Rene Lagler
Cauldron Fabricator: Irene Deely-Woman of Steel, metal sculptor

The Cauldron has been embellished with details faithful to some significant Nez Perce Indian traditions with the North, South and East poles purposely made taller so that the opening to the Teepee might be oriented to face East for greeting the new day with the power of the rising sun. During festivals and special gatherings a flag would be flown from the East pole to symbolically announce the occasion. The artist chose to “fly” three steel Eagle feathers to represent the freedom, hope and courage that the Special Olympics athletes inspire. A sprig of Indian White Sage is suspended inside the lighting funnel leading to the Cauldron’s burners whose smoke shall rise with the flames of the Special Olympics torch to bless this place, the athletes and the spectators.

The Cauldron was specifically designed to be freestanding and modular to accommodate its relocation to The Boise Centre during the Games and back to The Idaho Center for closing ceremonies.

Lone Pine
Welded Steel, Reclaimed Cable
17′ h x 8′ w x 8′ d

finished tree with irene and carole sue.jpg

Working on Lone Pine

Commissioned by Jackson Jet Center for the private jet terminal at the Boise International Airport, this sculpture greets passengers to the City of Trees.

Pipe Tree
Reclaimed plumbing parts, Sandstone
14′ h x 14′ w x 14′ d

Located at the Watershed in Boise, Idaho, This public art piece was created to pique thought about possible congruency and cooperation between human activity and natural forces. During salvaging efforts to obtain the materials for this project in a mosquito infested wetland area, the artist was infected with a neuro-invasive strain of West Nile Virus possibly influencing the Tim Robbins quirkiness to its design!

Abraham Lincoln
Cast Bronze, Idaho Sandstone
11’ h x 9’ w x 6’ d

Building Linclon

Lincoln - Irene working on upper half.jpg

This monumental scaled work was created through a painstaking three-dimensional scanning process of Gutzom Borglum’s original which remains one of the most memorable and iconic Lincoln images in the world (located at the Essex County Courthouse in Newark, New Jersey). The final product from this cutting edge technology was completed using century’s old techniques. It is located in Julia Davis Park next to the Black History Museum. This Lincoln is 33% larger than Borglum’s. It was scaled up and laser cut out of foam from the computer generated scans and a layer of clay applied to achieve the fine details, features and textures reflecting his distinctive Impressionistic style utilizing more than 350 on-site photographs. This model was then cast at Parks Bronze in Enterprise, Oregon. Local media for its historic significance recorded transporting the finished1500 pound sculpture mounted to its 2500-pound sandstone seat and lifted by a 50’ boon onto the plaza where it now sits. Boise’s Lincoln is one of the largest of its kind anywhere in the world. It was dedicated during Juneteenth celebrations in 2010 and accepted as a gift to the City by Mayor David Beiter from a group of eight local residents. This generous gift to the City of Boise is its first public art piece to be championed and funded solely by women.

Liberty Lets Roll!
Cast Bronze, Steel
28” h x 12” w x 8” d

Inspired by the actions of Todd Beamer on United flight 93 in September of 2001, this image was created to communicate the courage that we are called to have when confronted by powers that threaten life and liberty. Beamer could have coward in helpless self-preservation under the cruel gaze of his captors but chose instead to respond out of compassion for others. With the two words, “Let’s roll!” he kicked through overwhelming fear that resulted in countless lives being saved at the ultimate cost of his own. This kind of selfless heroism reflects Divine character. There is no greater love than this, for a man to lay his life down for another… the unmistakable result of embracing glory.

National Air Guard Commemorative Wall Sculpture
Welded Steel