Visitors to downtown Cleveland are enjoying the recent expansion of Delta State\u2019s Hazel and Jimmy Sanders Sculpture Garden with five new installations along Sharpe Avenue.<\/p>\n
One sculpture holds special meaning thanks to the creative work of recent Delta State graduate Lawson King \u201917, an art major originally from Indianola.<\/p>\n
His 8-foot steel and recycled rope sculpture \u201cBroken Arrow\u201d stands tall in dedication to former Delta State professor Dr. Ethan Schmidt, who fatally fell victim to gun violence in 2015.<\/p>\n
\u201cI dedicated the piece to him because his shooting caused me to react \u2014 caused me to respond to the traumatic experience,\u201d said King. \u201cThe more I found out about the shooting, the more I felt connected to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
King found many similarities to the incident after his father was killed in a shooting at the age of three. King also taught with Schmidt\u2019s wife at a local elementary school through his participation in the Delta Arts Alliance\u2019s artist-in-residence program.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was personal for me to create this piece, but I also wanted to do it for Ethan\u2019s wife and his kids,\u201d said King. \u201cI wanted to show them that I was three when my father was killed, and I think I turned out alright.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael Stanley, chair of the Delta State Department of Art, was thrilled with King\u2019s dedication, noting that he was the first student\/alumni to have work displayed in the sculpture garden.<\/p>\n
\u201cLawson’s piece is a very powerful tribute to Dr. Ethan Schmidt because he elegantly intertwines a number of very complicated ideas into one sculpture,\u201d said Stanley. \u201cThe broken arrow is a symbol that represents peace and also refers to Ethan’s expertise in Native American history. It\u2019s also a direct reaction to the events that took place the day of the shooting. Instead of using an image of violence, Lawson chose an image of peace, which is much more powerful in my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n
The sculpture garden has developed into an iconic element of Delta State\u2019s campus, and it has shown growth in recent years while expanding across the university, to the grounds of GRAMMY Museum\u00ae Mississippi, and downtown Cleveland.<\/p>\n
Judson Thigpen, executive director of the Cleveland-Bolivar County Chamber of Commerce, said the sculpture garden\u2019s development continues to forge the town-gown relationship.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sculptures are a continuation of the Hazel and Jimmy Sanders Sculpture Garden at Delta State into the community,\u201d said Thigpen. \u201cIt\u2019s an added treasure that one of the sculptures is dedicated to the life of Ethan Schmidt and the lives he touched while here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stanley agreed that the expansion of the sculpture garden strengthens the partnership between the university and the city of Cleveland.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe cannot survive without the other, and this is a wonderful display of cooperation and a great visual reminder of this unique relationship,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Public sculpture was a big reason King pursued his art degree, as he felt public art was lacking in his hometown. The facilities in the art department make it possible for students to create large-scale public works.<\/p>\n
King said it was an incredible honor to be selected in the first group of downtown sculptures.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels like such a big accomplishment for me,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s awesome to be included with super talented sculptors from across the country. Just to be accepted and be among them in the first round of downtown sculptures \u2014 it means a whole lot to me.\u201d<\/p>\n