Michael Carmody

Artist Entry
“The Blazin’ Beaver”
DeShutes Public Library
Introduction

I am a third year student at the University of Notre Dame. I have an interest in public sculpture

and art because of a class I have taken during spring of 2023. I learned the way to work with clay to mold

delicately in ways that produce detailed products. I want to join this entry because I believe that I have an

interesting idea for a piece that would suit this collection.

For years I have been interested in the culture of the west coast. Being from the east coast and

rarely getting a chance to get out to the west I have only been able to experience it through the media.

Oregon may not be as famous for it’s culture, as say California, but it still has it’s own unique aspects.

Beavers are famous in Oregon, its even the mascot of your state school. Beavers are also famous for their

hard work, teamwork, and ability to decimate woods. That is where my idea came from.

“The Blazin’ Beaver”

Beavers and wood(s) just go together like butter on bread. But what if that wood was a Backwoods? My

sculpture depicts a beaver sitting relaxed on a chair with a, we will say, cigarette in his mouth. I thought it

would be funny because beavers are so well known for their hard work and it is kind of the opposite. Also

because I think it is something the people would want to see. They would find humor in it, maybe connect

with it, maybe not even notice it at all.

Cost

I plan to have this made out of bronze and it should be around 55 pounds in total. With the cost of bronze

being around $2.40/lbs that equates out to about $130. Given the chance to change the cost of bronze over

the next year, we will call it $145. If you think I work for free, you are mistaken. I would like lifetime

passes to your wonderful libraries. I think that would suffice enough.