Little Gaetz Avenue has a formidable new resident — about three metres high and made of welded steel.
The sculpture, titled Onisama, by Edmonton artist Royden Mills, was installed on the southwest corner of 52nd Street and Little Gaetz Avenue this month.
Margaret Schroeder Johnston, of Red Deer, recently donated the piece to the city.
Both the artist and the donor have a history with the area that the sculpture now calls home.
Mills grew up in Red Deer and for many years his father ran Mills Carpets a half-block north of the location.
Johnston started her career in funeral service at Eventide Funeral Chapel downtown.
“The connections between Royden’s earlier life, Mrs. Johnston’s earlier life, their family, and the history of Gaetz Avenue, give this piece so much more value and we couldn’t be happier to have it as a part of the revitalized Little Gaetz,” said Pat Matheson, the city’s public art co-ordinator in a press release.
The piece is meant to represent a guardian or comforting presence to the viewer.
It’s the second piece by Mills in Red Deer. He also created the large steel sculpture located by the downtown water fountain on Alexander Way that represents Red Deer’s rail history.
Mills, an internationally acclaimed sculptor, has artworks across North America.
He took early artistic training at Red Deer College and now teaches sculpture at the University of Alberta.
Onisama was completed in 2005.
“The donation of art, especially of works of such large scale and value, isn’t a common practice, so we are very fortunate that Mrs. Johnston chose Red Deer to approach with this gift,” Matheson said.