| Vern Friesen’s art work is known and appreciated locally and across the U.S. Mr. Friesen was exhibiting at a York Home Show a couple of years ago, just around the corner from the library’s “story space.”
Over the next year and half, a conversation between Mr. Friesen and Library Director Stan Schulz evolved into a speculation, and then a project proposal in 2007. Friends of the Library members thought the project worth pursuing. The Kilgore Memorial Library Foundation provided a tax-exempt financial entity to accept donations and disperse funds. Friends of the Library members consulted with Mr. Friesen to establish the final design. Starting in August 2007, a Sculpture Committee within Friends of the Library solicited donations, sold maquettes (1 / 12th size), and submitted grant applications. |
 Bronze painted resin cast of “final design”. (c)Vern Friesen |
Generous personal and institutional donors, maquette buyers, and significant support from David and Bernice Mettenbrink, the Terpstra Foundation, York Community Foundation, and the Kilgore Memorial Library Foundation completed the project in less than a year.
ONCE UPON A TIME is installed on the northwest corner of Kilgore Memorial Library’s grounds at the corner of 6th Street & Nebraska Avenue . The sculpture was unveiled and formally dedicated at 2:30 pm. Sunday, September 7, 2008 during YORKFEST. The program included Mr. Friesen’s description of the process used to create the sculpture. |
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FLICKR photo set;
Preliminary sketch | Early version in clay | Three views of sculpture after installation | WM7272 at waymarking.com.