AXE V   by BRADFORD GRAVES

New York area sculptor Bradford Graves (1939 - 1998) entered the competition for Nebraska’s “500 Mile Sculpture Garden” project in conjunction with the nation’s 1976 Bicentennial Celebration.   His submission Crossing The Plains was selected as one of the winners and chosen to be installed at the west-bound Interstate 80 rest stop just east of York.   The project was controversial since all the art works selected were “non-representational” and none of the finalists were Nebraskans.   Mr. Graves chose to do the actual stone carving in York.   He and his assistant Don Porcaro worked on the sculpture most of the summer of 1975 in preparation for the July 1976 dedication, as Mr. Graves was an art instructor at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey and had to do the work outside the school year.   Local residents Marion and Elaine Bonham purchased AXE V from Mr. Graves some time during the year he was working on Crossing The Plains.

Marion Bonham had expressed early scepticism about the sculptures selected for the “500 Mile Sculpture Garden” project, but came to admire Bradford Graves and his work.   The Bonhams had AXE V in their home until they donated it to Kilgore Memorial Library in 1990.   AXE V   is especially attractive to young people who are drawn to feel its forms and textures.   The information forwarded by the Bonhams with AXE V notes it was sculpted in May - July 1969.

AXE V

Graves’ AXE series extended to twenty-six works in a variety of media.   According to an e-mail communication with Verna Gillis in the summer of 2003, some of the AXE Series   pieces are plaster forms intended to be cast in bronze.

The library’s compilation of information about Crossing The Plains   and its place in the “500 Mile Sculpture Garden” project includes the local news articles, letters to the editor, and related materials.   The library has other materials forwarded by Verna Gillis as well.  Additional uncaptioned (hopefully self-explanatory), newer photos of Crossing the Plains , and more images of AXE V are linked below (use your browser’s BACK button to return to this page):

We welcome any additional related materials readers of this account may wish to share.   We’d especially appreciate any photos of Mr. Graves working on the sculpture, and any personal reminiscences of his time in York.   Send materials to the library:

Kilgore Memorial Library   |   520 Nebraska Avenue   |   York, NE 68467

or phone (402) 363-2620   |   or e-mail (co51537@windstream.net)

Information about Bradford Graves’ life and work can be found on the web at the following sites:

• Verna Gillis’ Bradford Graves website includes photos of some of his work, and some of his ideas about art.
• Some of Bradford Graves’ correspondence and drawings are included in the John Taggart Papers   housed in the Mandeville Special Collections Library at the University of California, San Diego.   Taggart published a book-length poem entitled When The Saints as a memorial to Bradford Graves in 1999.