How do you thank someone who helped you realize a dream?

When I began working on Memorare, Sand Creek 1864, I never suspected that this sculpture, made for personal artistic reasons, would snowball into a work achieving national acclaim. Yet that is exactly what happened.

Larry Parr’s Gift

A large part of the success of Memorare is due to one man: Englewood, Colorado art collector Larry Parr.

Larry saw Memorare, Sand Creek 1864 while the work was still in clay. He offered to pay to have the first piece in the edition cast so that it could be donated to a museum that would appreciate the historical significance of the event and the artistic effort that went into depicting it.

You can imagine my joy in learning that the prestigious Booth Museum of Western Art in Cartersville, Georgia wanted to add the piece to their permanent collection.

Since the museum unveiling this January, I have received much feedback on why people respond to Memorare: historical interest, ancestry, or simply the human story behind it.

I believe that without the kindness of Larry Parr, the story would have taken much longer to tell.

About Larry

I met Englewood, Colorado collector Larry Parr in a non-art related context about 10 years ago when I inquired about storing my travel trailer at his RV storage facility. Larry asked what I did for a living and told him that I was a sculptor. Larry told me that he collected art and asked to see my work.

From there, a friendship has grown as has Larry’s art collection. Larry is an avid collector of all media: bronzes, stone sculpture, oils, silk textile art, you name it. The one key to his collection is that he has to know the artist and be moved by the piece.

“don’t buy art just to build a collection, says Larry. You have to love the work and have a personal relationship with the person who made it.”

Why Memorare?

When Larry paid to have the Booth Museum piece cast, he also purchased one for himself. What was it about this piece that he found so inspiring?

“I love Native American history, Larry says, and because this piece was about part of Colorado history, it was all the more significant to me. Also, I wanted to help share a sculpture that was important to Craig artistically.”

My Thanks

Larry is a private man who wouldn’t even let me put a link to his business in this article. “I didn’t buy the sculpture for personal promotion,” he says. “In fact, I wasn’t sure he was going to even let me thank him publicly for the generous support he has given to helping share Memorare, Sand Creek 1864.”

But now that he has agreed to let me share this profile, let me offer my profound thanks to this kind patron of the arts. Larry, you made a difference. Thank you.
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Are you interested in Memorare, Sand Creek 1864? I am offering a limited number to private collectors. Please contact me for details.