It91裸聊视频檚 been a relationship forged in bronze.
Don Begg and his wife Shirley have worked side-by-side for 54 years at Studio West Bronze Foundry & Art Gallery, their vast space in Cochrane, Alta., northwest of Calgary.
Their combined works include 160 statues on display throughout Canada, the United States, Germany and France. Hundreds of other smaller pieces have been created for private collectors.
91裸聊视频淪he91裸聊视频檒l get in there and do anything that is possible. She91裸聊视频檒l work on one leg on one side and I91裸聊视频檒l work on the other leg on the other side. We91裸聊视频檝e worked together for all of our life,91裸聊视频� Begg told The Canadian Press in an interview.
Among those are the 430-kilogram bronze statue of hockey great Wayne Gretzky holding the Stanley Cup over his head. That piece was on display at Rexall Place in Edmonton and then given a facelift before being placed downtown at Rogers Place, now the Oilers91裸聊视频� home arena.
Their most recent high-profile creation was a 2 1/2-metre bronze rifleman, weighing 450-kilograms, dedicated to the soldiers from the Royal Regina Rifles. It was unveiled by Princess Anne in June at la Place des Canadiens in Bretteville-l91裸聊视频橭rgueilleuse in France, near the beaches of Normandy.
It took nine months to complete and cost $300,000.
91裸聊视频淚t was a real honour to be asked to do it and when the fella phoned and said 91裸聊视频楢re you interested?91裸聊视频� I didn91裸聊视频檛 even think about it for more than a millionth of a second. I said, 91裸聊视频楢bsolutely. We91裸聊视频檙e in,91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� Begg said.
91裸聊视频淲hat we kind of specialize in is realistic sculptures.91裸聊视频�
The massive model of the rifleman, covered with an inch of clay over a metal frame, sits in the workshop.
Others include a First World War soldier and the first immigrants to Western Canada represented by a man in a bowler hat, a woman in a fancy hat, a boy and a girl with pigtails.
The couple has also specialized in creating Indigenous figures, including a more than three-metre statue of Sitting Eagle, the chief of the Stoney First Nation, in downtown Calgary.
Begg says he is equally proud of all their works.
91裸聊视频淭hey91裸聊视频檙e all favourites. You learn something about every piece and we do bronze work that91裸聊视频檚 going to last for a thousand years, so you always want to do your very best that you can because you won91裸聊视频檛 be around forever to make excuses,91裸聊视频� he said with a chuckle.
Shirley Begg said they won91裸聊视频檛 ever settle for second-best.
91裸聊视频淧erfect is good enough. Actually if you were here all day you would hear that perfect is good enough,91裸聊视频� she said.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 no seconds. There91裸聊视频檚 no redo. Perfect is what we aim for and it91裸聊视频檚 the only thing that is acceptable.91裸聊视频�
In the forge itself, a molten brew of brass ingots bubbles in the crucible before the lava-like liquid is carefully poured into the ceramic shell of the statue.
It91裸聊视频檚 backbreaking work but Begg said with the use of cranes attached to the ceiling he91裸聊视频檚 still managing.
91裸聊视频淢aybe another 25 years,91裸聊视频� he said.
91裸聊视频淢aybe 30. No desire to retire.91裸聊视频�
Other works include identical statues of Northwest Mounted Police Commissioner James Macleod in both Calgary and Ottawa, four larger-than-life statues of four fallen RCMP officers in Mayerthorpe, Alta. and one depicting Nellie McClung circa 1929, as a member of the 91裸聊视频淔amous Five91裸聊视频� who endeavoured to make women 91裸聊视频減ersons91裸聊视频� under the law.
Begg is to receive the Alberta Order of Excellence in October to celebrate women and men 91裸聊视频渨ho have contributed so much for the greater good.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淲hen they talk about we have about four million people in Alberta now91裸聊视频nd they only have about 220 of them91裸聊视频hat91裸聊视频檚 quite an honour in itself. I91裸聊视频檓 looking forward to it,91裸聊视频� he said.
But in the meantime, he has plenty to do before that happens.
91裸聊视频淧robably have about 80 bronzes on order right now so we just keeping plugging away.91裸聊视频�
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Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
