The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1945-06-07
Open Forum
COLUMN
FOR THE VOICE OF THE
PEOPLE

Editors note: After receiving
the letter published here, a check
up was made by this paper with
the Ashe Memorial Works regard
ing the statue on display. The
records reveal that the statue
''Pink Lady," which was purchas-
ed from the Georgia Marble and
Granite company, was sculptured
by Miss Jean Mckay, of Buffalo,
N. Y, and was originally intend
ed for the central feature for the
Fountain of Geneva, New York
World War Memorial. Because
of the interest shown locally, the
following letter is published):
West Jefferson, N. c.
May 8, 1945
Editor, Skyland Post,
Three weeks ago I came to
West Jefferson on the recommen-
dation Of an artist friend in Ra-
leigh who said this was a very
beautiful section of North Caro-
lima, a fine place for a painter of
pictures.
In this I am not disappointed
and I could 60 on for pages, CIV
ing my impressions of your
county's great beauty. But I
shall leave that for some other
time when I know your noun
tains, your hills and valleys bet
| ter.
I am writing this letter to ex-
press my appreciation of a work
of art which I found sitting cas-
ually on the display platform of
The Ashe Memorial Works. I
refer to the piece Of sculpture
called "Pocohontas."
My wife, who is also an artist,
and I agreed that this statue is
truly a fine work of art, worthy
of a fine and appropriate per-
manent setting, landscaping, etc.
Our curiosity aroused, we
stopped in to see Mr.. w. B. Reeves
of the Ashe Memorial Works, to
find out how it came to be here
and why.
It seems it was designed and
carved by a sculptor in 1889, but
something happened to prevent
its being set up in the place for
which it was intended. Mr..
Reeves tells me that his only rea-
son for purchasing it was his
belief that it was fine work of
art, and no other. In this judg-
ment, I heartily concur to the
end. It is now being set on ce-
ment base suitable in size if not
in the material used. (Which, of
course, should be marble). But,
being raised, it will be seen some
what as the sculptor intended.
This unknown artist was a truly
fine one, and I well know what
lot of time of careful thought
and inspiration he has put into
it, and, it is for this reason and
no other, I am writing this let
ter.
And now I must (immodestly,
perhaps), qualify myself as a
critic. 1 designed and executed
the exterior mural decorations
for the contemporary art build
ing for the Worlds Fair of 1889
40 in New York, and I also did
the mural decorations for the
dome of the Land Plane building
of the La Guardia Airport for the
City of New York AS a painter,
I worked alongside of the sculp-
tors at the Fair. 1t is my be-
lief that "Pocohontas" would
rank with much of the sculpture
which was shown at the New
York Worlds Fair; more than that
I would not care to- say. I trust
you will understand that my in
terest is wholly detached,> and I
have no Interior motives in writ
ing this letter other than to pay
homage to its sculptor designer.
And who knows, but that lit
might later lead some talented
boy or girl to prepare himself to
be an artist. Even the most tai
ented have to give years of study
to prepare himself for profession
al work.
Yours very truly,
Arthur S. Covey,
Member National Academy