The Statue Project
Press Release: Bringing Grandma Gatewood Back to Ohio And The Appalachian Trail
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 1, 2024 Grandma Gatewood’s story, spirit and influence in the hiking community are incredible. Now, a team of volunteers and an artist are trying to bring her back to her home state of Ohio and the Appalachian trail in two life-size bronzes. Grandma Gatewood is Coming Home to Ohio Fifty years after…
Read MoreGrandma Gatewood Statue Project | Studying Grandma Gatewood’s Clothes And A Sitting
Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon is collecting period clothing and absorbing everything she can about Grandma Gatewood’s clothes and the Appalachian Trail for the Statue Project. Many Women from her Houston Women’s Hiking Group have been helping her to work through a pose, collect period gear, and finally put a pose together for a client to approve through a…
Read MoreGrandma Gatewood Statue Project | Where Will Grandma Gatewood Be On The AT?
When sculptor Bridgette Mongeon and Paul Maxwell from the Ohio Valley Memorial Gardens first got together about the project of a sculpture of Grandma Gatewood, the idea was to create one sculpture that would sit on Grandma Gatewood’s Grave. Bridgette also longed to bring Grandma Gatewood back to the Appalachian Trail. Two sculptures are easy.…
Read MoreGrandma Gatewood Statue Project | Searching For Clothes For Grandma Gatewood Statue
It may appear quiet in the studio, but it does not mean we are not busy with the Grandma Gatewood Statue Project. Trying to find vintage clothes, i.e., pants, shirt, and shoes, in the model’s size, has been a big undertaking, and slowing our progress to a crawl. I’ll also be looking at glasses. Her…
Read MoreGrandma Gatewood Statue Project | Trail Days
May 19, 2023- May 21, 2023, was Appalachian Trail Days In Damascus, VA. You may have seen Paul Maxwell there talking about the Grandma Gatewood Statue project if you went. You can’t miss him with the
Read MoreGrandma Gatewood Statue Project | Brainstorming
Friday night was Grandma Gatewood night at my studio. I invited some members of The Houston Women’s Hiking group. Everyone has been so encouraging on the group. They have been posting their stories about the AT and sharing their thoughts on Grandma Gatewood, her pose, clothes, etc. Wanting to keep them in the loop, I…
Read MoreGrandma Gatewood Statue Project | How Do You Start a Sculpture Of A Person You Have Never Met?
From Bridgette Mongeon’s StudioThe most important thing is getting to know my subject through those who knew and loved her. I’m having regular conversations with Grandma Gatewood’s granddaughter and, of course, immersing myself in everything Grandma Gatewood. I would like to video conference with other women who have studied her. Women like Dixie – Wanderlust,…
Read MoreGrandma Gatewood Statue Project | Announcing The Sculptor — Bridgette Mongeon
Paul Maxwell announces the sculptor of the Grandma Gatewood tribute statue—Bridgette Mongeon. For several reasons, we chose Sculptor Bridgette Mongeon as the official sculptor of the Grandma Gatewood Sculpture. First, her work is amazing. She is known for sculpting such celebrities as B.B. King, Willie Nelson, and Bill Monroe. Her monumental sculpture of Alice in…
Read MoreThe Grandma Gatewood Statue Project | Tribute Sculpture is Coming!
The Ohio Valley Memory Gardens in Gallipolis, Ohio, is the cemetery where Grandma Gatewood rests. He reports that with the movie Trail Magic: The Grandma Gatewood Story airing on PBS and the book Grandma Gatewood’s Walk written by Ben Montgomery, Grandma Gatewood is getting her share of visitors. People tell the story of courage, fortitude,…
Read More