African American Spirit of the West - Denver, CO
Posted by: 
Outspoken1
N 39° 45.143 W 104° 58.888
13S E 501587 N 4400274
These two large bronze and mosaic relief sculptures adorn the front of the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library.
Waymark Code: WMG1GT
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 01/01/2013
Views: 2
"Two 15-foot bronze and mosaic reliefs representing the noble strength, bearing and pioneer spirit of African American men and women in the West are located in the large niches on either side of the front facade of the Library. These striking sculptures were designed by internationally renowned artist Thomas Jay Warren." (from (
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"Warren, who was born in Mississippi in 1958, studied sculpture as a Presidential scholar at Mississippi College, graduating with special distinction in 1979. He studied figure sculpture with renowned sculptor Andrzej Pitynski at the Johnson Atelier in New Jersey, one of the world’s largest sculpture foundries. Two years after starting his apprenticeship he was appointed head of the Modeling/Enlarging Department at this prestigious institute. For ten years he taught an international group of sculptors and apprentices techniques for modeling and enlarging the portrait and the human figure.
Currently Warren works exclusively by commission creating portraits, monuments, and memorials. Among his commissions are: the Medgar Evers Memorial in Jackson, Mississippi – a life-size bronze of the slain civil rights leader; the over life-size bronze portrait of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the Newark, New Jersey, City Hall; and a life-size bronze portrait of legendary Sioux spiritual leader Frank Fools Crow at Bear Butte State Park in South Dakota.
In 1992 Warren was presented with the Young Sculptors Award by the National Sculpture Society in recognition of the outstanding quality of his work. He was inducted into the National Sculpture Society in 1997. Warren, who until recently resided in Vilas, NC, now lives in Denver, Colorado." (from (
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