-Roosevelt c. 1933 - 1936

This is an image of a ‘Roosevelt’ sculpture made by Kenton Hardware Manufacturing Co. What could it have been like to create? You are working with a difficult, base metal—a world away from the fluidity of paint. The texture feels rough under your hands, and the brown pigment is flat and unrelenting. There are no happy accidents. But you persist with your idea, embracing your materials. You imagine Roosevelt. What would it have been like to encounter him in the flesh? You want to capture his essence in this miniature copper bust, from the serious set of his lips to the gentle curve of his balding head. You consider the meaning of a bust as a sculptural form. Is it celebratory, or commemorative? You begin to think about other artists representing Roosevelt and the ongoing conversation between generations. Like all artworks, this is a form of embodied expression which embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations and meaning over time.