September 15, 2023 //
The beauty of St. Stephen’s grounds is always the most explosive in the summer. This season, they seemed even lovelier one year after the project that re-imagined and overhauled all of the landscaping on the 50th Street side of the church was completed.
The landscape redesign was stage one of a two-part gift given in memory of long-time parishioners John and Mary Gould. The second stage of the gift will continue to enhance our parish home as a flock of new sculptures come to nest throughout the grounds.
In addition to the landscaping update, John and Mary’s daughter Cara Gould Holmberg and son-in-law Dave Holmberg envisioned outdoor sculpture to honor their memories and enhance the church they loved so much. “The organic nature of the new trees and gardens will shift and change over time,” Cara shared. “We wanted something permanent to reflect Mom and Dad’s involvement and commitment to the church.”
“Both Mary and John loved art and nature and as a potter and painter Mary had an affinity for all types of art,” remembers Dave. “I thought of bronze sculpture immediately because this was a love of my parents,” adds Cara as she recalled the childhood art walks she took with her parents on Canyon Road in Santa Fe. “A friend recommended that I contact a local bronze sculptor with connections to my alma mater, Gustavus Adolphus College,” explains Cara.
That sculptor was Nick Legeros. “We looked at all of his work and loved it. But with the volume and prominence of his pieces, I wasn’t sure he’d take this commission,” recalled Cara. Luckily for all of us, Nick was on board.
You may not know it, but more than likely you’ve seen Nick Legeros’ work. An Edina native, Nick has a career spanning more than 500 works of art. From his Minneapolis-based Blue Ribbon Bronze studio and foundry, he’s been crafting figurative sculptures full of life, memory, and whimsy for churches, parks, hospitals, cemeteries, corporations, and private clients since 1983 when he completed a Master of Fine Art at the University of Minnesota.
Through his education, years of training with notable American sculptor Paul Granlund, and decades of experience, Nick has developed an artistic style that is both intensely personal to those commissioning the work and relatable to all.
Nick’s work includes many recognizable statues around the state and beyond, including the Goldy Gopher statue at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus, the Sid Hartman statue at Target Center, and most recently the new Champ statue on the University of Minnesota Duluth campus. Locally, his work includes the Coach Willard Ikola statue at Braemar Arena and several pieces at Centennial Lakes Park. Explore a map of Nick’s sculptures here.
Conversation is one of the keys to Nick’s unique perspective. He takes a lot of time getting to know those he will memorialize and the environment in which the piece will reside. “Creating a public memorial that captures someone’s spirit in a way that is meaningful and that adds to the community is hard,” explains Nick. “With the Goulds, we wanted a personal tribute but one that beatifies the church and honors the communal spirit of St. Stephen’s location without hitting you over the head with it. Mary and John weren’t flashy. It was clear they would want the church to be the focus.”
Birds quickly became the theme for the sculptures. “My parents loved birds and nature, especially cardinals and doves,” remembers Cara.
“Birds and flight have been the subjects of several of my works,” notes Nick. “They have a spiritual aspect that evokes strong emotions and connections that are universally understood.”
Nick’s link to Edina and St. Stephen’s also brought a distinct vision to the work that no other artist would have. “I grew up and still live on Minnehaha Creek. I’ve paddled past St. Stephen’s my whole life,” shared Nick. “The beautiful setting of the church gives me a real sense of the sacred. It’s one of the most beautiful churches in the Twin Cities and its presence in Edina since the early days gives it an importance to the community that is unique.”
After walking the parish grounds and talking more with the Holmbergs and our Rector The Rev. Tom Cook, Nick created designs for a series of five life-size bird sculptures that would nest throughout our grounds. Each work carries its own meaning both for the Gould family and our parish. “We loved each of the sculptures right away,” recalled Cara and Dave. “We saw my parents in each one and the connections that fit so well with St. Stephen’s.”
“Many of my public art commissions are large. This collection of sculptures says ‘come and see’,” explains Nick. “I love the small scale and while five sculptures may seem like a lot, they’re spread out around the church. You have to find them. They offer the chance to discover on your own.”
This element of discovery is very representative of Nick’s work which often includes a surprise for the careful observer. “I like to give a little reward to those who slow down and take the time,” shares Nick. “I wanted this collection to uplift both your members and the neighbors who visit the labyrinth and back lawn, or those simply walking by.”
The five works in the collection include
- A pair of Cardinals sitting atop our electronic sign
- A Dove adorning the wall overlooking the area of our annual creek baptisms
- A parent and baby swallows nesting just outside the window of the former Children’s Ministry, now Youth Ministry, rooms
- A flying flock of birds moving from the outdoor breezeway into the St. Francis Memorial Garden
- A movable group of Chickadees that will flit and fly freely throughout the interior and exterior of our parish
“The whimsy of the sculptures is lovely. Mom volunteered with Grant Nursery School for decades and envisioning children running around the church finding all the birds is something she would love,” said Cara.
“John would really connect with the spiritual and biblical themes the birds represent,” adds Dave. “And they would both appreciate how these public pieces invite people to our community.”
After the designs were finalized, Nick and his team got to work. As a practitioner of the ancient method of lost-wax bronze casting or “cire-perdu”, the creation process is a long and complicated one. Given the number of sculptures and individual birds in the designs, this project has been a year in the making.
Our new residents began nesting at St. Stephen’s in August when the Cardinal, Dove, and Swallow’s Nest sculptures landed. We look forward to welcoming the remaining birds soon.
Our parish strives to be a welcoming community. In short, to live into the message we see every Sunday in the front of our worship bulletins. One of the ways we quietly do this is by inviting our neighbors onto our grounds to share the beauty of our church and God’s creation. We are excited to offer this new opportunity for people to experience St. Stephen’s. To uplift and bring joy to anyone who chooses to “come and see.” And we are grateful for the spirits of John and Mary Gould whose open and welcoming nature inspired this subtle yet powerful addition to our parish life.
View more photos on our parish website
Written by Molly Reichard, Minister for Community Engagement
SPECIAL EVENTS
Join us for one or more of these special events planned to celebrate the arrival of these wonderful new sculptures.
Sunday, September 24th
9:00 AM // Adult Forum with special guest speaker Nick Legeros
Sculptor Nick Legeros will join us to share more about the inspiration behind each of the new sculptures, as well as details about the ancient method of lost-wax bronze casting he uses at his studio and foundry in Northeast Minneapolis.
11:15 AM // Reception & Refreshments
Following the 10:15 AM worship service, join us as we welcome Nick Legeros for a casual meet-the-artist reception with refreshments.
Sunday, October 1st
11:15 AM // Sculpture Dedication
It’s Blessing of the Animals Sunday and we are delighted to add the dedication of the sculptures to the energy of the morning. Stick around following the 10:15 AM service to join us and special guest sculptor Nick Legeros!
