Tuscumbia Statue Part II - The Sculptor

 

The unveiling of the Tuscumbia Singing River statue was to have been in September 2017. Perhaps there was not much concern at first. After all, Florence's jazz man work had been scheduled for an unveiling by December 2018, and it was similarly nowhere on the horizon. What did the sculptor say?

The artist chosen in 2016 for the American Indian flute player was Lucas K. Stokes of Rogersville, Alabama. To be more specific, Stokes lived at the time on Highway 101 in the Elgin community on a Rogersville postal route. His work "Iron Mother" currently graces the Tennessee River at Elgin.

Stokes, owner of White Flame studio, is known for "Ornamental Iron, Furniture, Lighting, Oven Hoods, Chimney Caps, Handrails, Steel Fencing, Gates" and more. It had been his intention to place sculptures similar to the "Iron Mother" all along the Tennessee River, but he had averred that the Singing River work came first. 

The now 42 year-old Stokes initially showed progress in the fabrication of the 18-foot aluminum musician. Then work slowed.

According to current Tuscumbia mayor William Foster, the City paid Stokes $30,000.00 in total, receiving nothing as of this month. The entire 30K had been raised via private donations, and now Tuscumbia is replacing the lost fund and moving forward with a new sculptor.

And Stokes? He didn't answer our request for a comment. Some have indicated he has moved back to Sarasota or Toledo where he lived previously. If true, we have to ask why the City of Tuscumbia has not taken legal action?

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