President Statues: Series 1

“To encourage literature and the arts is a duty which every good citizen owes to his country.”

— George Washington

Both, George Washington (Presidents I) and Abraham Lincoln (Honest Abe) were taken using long exposure and night painting techniques.  Presidents I, George Washington, was illuminated by a drone from above.  Abraham Lincoln was “painted” pink by the reflection of light painting being done nearby. BlackRock Center for the Arts and Graphicus Atelier galleries have exhibited both of these photographs. The Washington Post and Culture Spot MC also featured the “Captured Light” exhibit at the BlackRock Center for the Arts.

Near Williamsburg, VA stands 43 statues of our Presidents.  These statues were once part of Presidents Park, opened in 2004.  David Adickes, the sculptor, got his inspiration after driving past Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. Sadly, due to a lack of visitors, the park closed in 2010. 

Each statue is 18 to 20 feet tall and weighing in between 11,000 and 20,000 pounds.  It was a very labor-intensive task but each statue was moved to where they now sit on private property.  The move was estimated to be around $50,000 and each statue sustained severe damage.

Adickes tried his hand in building a similar park displaying presidential sculptors in South Dakota which unfortunately also had to shut down.

When you are standing among the field of statues it can be a bit eerie. As the seasons come and go the statues are showing more and more the punishment of the hot sun, ice, rain and cold. It gets very dark fast. On a clear night, no light pollution stealing its thunder, the sky is beautiful and full of so many stars.

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”

— Abraham Lincoln

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