Scattered thunderstorms in the morning becoming more widespread in the afternoon. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 82F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..
Tonight
Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 58F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
Behind left, stands Anthony Cooley, who came in to talk with sculptor, Kent Kidwell, during the production of the new Cooley-Clark Card Player Statue. Cooley had some old photos of his ancestor, Corydon E. Cooley, and Kidwell had made the sculpture from using some of the same photos that the Show Low Museum had. City officials and the artist thought it might be a good idea to get Cooley’s impression of the art piece during production.
Corydon E. Cooley draws the deuce of clubs during a card game with Marion Clark, which ended up naming the future city of “Show Low,” in this recreation of the game in the new Cooley-Clark Statue.
Behind the new Cooley-Clark statue from left are, Designer Dennis Lynn, Sculptor Kent Kidwell, and Metalurgist / Bronzer, Howard Noble. Noble and Kidwell are partners in Sparta Bronze Fine Art Foundry in Show Low, who were recruited to create the new replacement for the art piece that burned following a memorial for Officer Darrin Reed of the Show Low Police Department. Lynn designed the original and helped on the replacement. The City of Show Low decided to create a bronze piece for the replacement after several acts of vandalism had occurred with the former fiberglass structure.
Sculptor Kent Kidwell used historic photos of Corydon E. Cooley to assist him in the creation of the new Cooley-Clark Statue that Kidwell and bronze caster Howard Noble will turn into a new bronze monument.
Behind left, stands Anthony Cooley, who came in to talk with sculptor, Kent Kidwell, during the production of the new Cooley-Clark Card Player Statue. Cooley had some old photos of his ancestor, Corydon E. Cooley, and Kidwell had made the sculpture from using some of the same photos that the Show Low Museum had. City officials and the artist thought it might be a good idea to get Cooley’s impression of the art piece during production.
Bob Martinson
Corydon E. Cooley draws the deuce of clubs during a card game with Marion Clark, which ended up naming the future city of “Show Low,” in this recreation of the game in the new Cooley-Clark Statue.
Bob Martinson
Behind the new Cooley-Clark statue from left are, Designer Dennis Lynn, Sculptor Kent Kidwell, and Metalurgist / Bronzer, Howard Noble. Noble and Kidwell are partners in Sparta Bronze Fine Art Foundry in Show Low, who were recruited to create the new replacement for the art piece that burned following a memorial for Officer Darrin Reed of the Show Low Police Department. Lynn designed the original and helped on the replacement. The City of Show Low decided to create a bronze piece for the replacement after several acts of vandalism had occurred with the former fiberglass structure.
Bob Martinson
Sculptor Kent Kidwell used historic photos of Corydon E. Cooley to assist him in the creation of the new Cooley-Clark Statue that Kidwell and bronze caster Howard Noble will turn into a new bronze monument.
The city’s famous card players may be making a return sooner than expected.
After the unfortunate destruction of the former card player statue following a candlelight memorial for the late Show Low Police Officer Darrin Reed, the project of rebuilding the art piece is nearing completion.
Also known as the Cooley-Clark sculpture, the original piece installed at Festival Marketplace in 2000 was formed out of fiberglass, which caused it to catch fire from nearby candles left at the memorial.
“We did get some insurance money to help rebuild the monument, but the previous statue had sustained so many cases of vandalism over the years that it had cost the city a lot to repair,” Show Low City Manager Ed Muder said. “After receiving a bid from Sparta Bronze Fine Art Foundry in Show Low, the council decided it would be more cost-effective to recreate the new one out of bronze because we felt it would hold up better.”
The statue, originally designed by Dennis Lynn, who is also helping design the new one, is being sculpted in clay by Kent Kidwell with his partner, Howard Noble, at Sparta Bronze Fine Art Foundry. All three have been involved with the City of Show Low in recreating the statue.
Noble is the bronze caster.
“He (Noble) can do just about anything with metal, from blacksmithing to forming metal suits of the type used in Renaissance fairs and the like,” Kidwell said.
The pair started by using large blocks of foam that were formed into the shapes of the two men, Corydon Cooley and Marion Clark, who played a card game that eventually became, as the story goes, the basis of the town’s name.
After the foam was formed into shape, clay was added and sculpted by Kidwell and the story is again, coming to life.
The men, according to a book titled “Arizona’s Place Names” by Will C. Barnes, were originally playing for ownership of 300 acres of barley. As the story goes, Cooley drew the deuce of clubs to “show low.”
Bronze casting is set to occur soon and placement of the new statue where the old one stood should take place about early summer as the artists feel they are well ahead of the one-year schedule the contract requires.
The piece was originally expected to be completed by the end of the year.
“The total cost to the city for the sculpting, mold-making and casting is $49,800 and then our city guys will install it with oversight of the artists,” Muder said.
According to Staff Summary Report from the City of Show Low, funding would come from the city’s insurance company ($20,102); outside donations, including an online funding account that was established soon after the original statue sustained damage last November; and from the Council Contingency budget in an amount not to exceed $29,698.
Several years ago I donated my mother's pictures of her grandfather, Corydon E Cooley, to the Show Low Museum. It is so gratifying to see that those images are now being used to make a lasting tribute to the man and the card game that named the town of Show Low. I know my mother would be very proud.
I have to agree abut the money part of the unbudgeted expense. Some items at the a few of the cities public facilities need help, so will the city make the repairs or upgrades??? As far as a better replica of the card players I am all in with that.
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd,
racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another
person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone
or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism
that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on
each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness
accounts, the history behind an article.
(3) comments
What a waste of money...[ban]
Several years ago I donated my mother's pictures of her grandfather, Corydon E Cooley, to the Show Low Museum. It is so gratifying to see that those images are now being used to make a lasting tribute to the man and the card game that named the town of Show Low. I know my mother would be very proud.
I have to agree abut the money part of the unbudgeted expense. Some items at the a few of the cities public facilities need help, so will the city make the repairs or upgrades???
As far as a better replica of the card players I am all in with that.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.