Athens Review
The statue of the old fiddler has stood on the square for more than 30 years, but is needing repair before it is lost to future generations of Athens visitors. To prevent that, the Henderson County Arts Council is launching a project to “Save the Fiddler.”
Henderson County Arts Council President Dr. Marylyn Wright said they've been looking into the project for about a year.
“This is one of the projects we've undertaken, with the blessing of the city and county,” Wright said. “County Judge Richard Sanders is in charge of all of the activities around the courthouse. We have the official OK to go ahead with this project.”
The “fiddler” was commissioned by the County Sesquicentennial Committee, and created by artist Albert Stewart, who taught at Trinity Valley Community College at the time. It's listed in the Smithsonian Art Inventory as: “a male sitting with a fiddle tucked under his chin. The bow is held in his right hand as he prepares to play a tune. The sculpture sits on a pyramid of brick.”
The Arts Council wants to protect the statue, bronze it, and preserve it for its historical value. They'd like to have it ready when the 2018 Old Fiddlers Contest rolls around.
A close look at the statue reveals damage. There's a large chip in the fiddler's hat and other visible blemishes.
The Arts Council is an established non-profit, 501c-3 organization designed to support the arts in Henderson County.
“The Arts Council is not a wealthy organization,” Wright said. “We're non-profit. We regularly give to quite a few endeavors in this community, everything from art displays to children's choral festivals. We fund a lot of things in this area. But this is one thing we haven't done.”
The Arts Council plans to have a table not far from the stage at the Fiddlers Contest on Saturday. They'll hand out flyers, and accept donations. Look for the Arts Council banner.
Joanne McElroy, who taught art in Athens for many years, is chair of the “Save the Fiddlers campaign.”
“I grew up in Athens,” McElroy said. “There are a lot of fond memories about the fiddlers reunion. It was always at the end of school, with a lot of activities going on. The old statue is a reminder of that tradition. It's a representation of what the fiddlers reunion is all about. There's a lot of lost art, and I'd hate to see that one go.”
The statue is made of clay, coated with a permanent glaze and epoxy spray. When the board learned that the statue had been damaged, board member Shirley Parmer took various pictures of the fiddler, which were presented to the Arts Council board.
“The more we talked about it, the more concerned everyone got,” Wright said.
The Arts Council doesn't have the money to pay for the project on their own, Wright said.
“We don't know the cost of it,” Wright said. “But we know it would cost several thousand dollars to have the statue bronzed. If we did that, we'd have something for our county and posterity.”
Wright recalls carrying lawn chairs to the square in years past to soak up the fiddle music.
We'd listen to music, and saw people there for the street dance,” Wright said. “It's a great celebration.”