A carved wooden eagle in the courtyard of a St. Vital residence is now part of the history of this Winnipeg neighborhood. The sculpture was carved in honor of a centenarian woman who lived there for 95 years.
The one and a half meter tall sculpture is perched atop a maple stump at 54 Moore Avenue.
Georgie Hodges, now 100 years old, has been a meticulous caretaker of the upkeep of the dealership for a long time. She now lives in a residence for the elderly.
Martha Reimer and Jill Patrick who were her neighbors bought the house after the wife moved out and preserved its history. Better still, the owners commissioned the sculpture in honor of their former neighbour.
The eagle represents strength and resilience, and this was the case with Georgiepointed out Martha Reimer.
His character was one of strength and resilience. She’s been through a lotadded Ms. Reimer speaking of Georgie Hodges.
Georgiana Hodges, known as Georgie, lived in the Moore Avenue house, built by her father in 1924, from the age of two until she entered the nursing home.
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The new owners first approached woodcarver Lucas Kost with the intention of turning an old maple stump in Georgia’s garden into a sculpture.
The plan changed when the carver discovered that the wood had been eaten away by ants.
As an old oak tree across the street was recently cut down, the Reimers arranged for a piece of that tree to be transported to their garden, where the sculptor turned it into a work of art.
Lucas Kost spent weeks sculpting the eagle and making sure it fit perfectly on the stump in Georgie’s backyard.
All I can ask for as an artist is to have the opportunity to create something that is truly meaningful to someone else. That’s what it’s all about for mehe said.
It’s a rare opportunity to have one of my pieces in such a good place for the public.said Mr. Kost, 26, who has been sculpting since he was 10 and plans to visit Italy in October to learn more about his art.
According to Martha Reimer, the majestic bird caught the attention of many neighborhood residents, who stopped by to ask questions about it and learn more about Georgie Hodges.
I was able to tell them the story of his presence here, and they said to me: It’s really awesome.
Jill Patrick and Martha Reimer plan to add a plaque to the tree so people can read the story of the woman who inspired the sculpture.
Georgie may never get the chance to see the sculpture in person, Jill Patrick said.
But when the time comes, she hopes a drive-through can be part of memorial or funeral plans.
When… [elle] leaves us, we’ll drive Georgie past that house one more time.
With information from Holly Karuk
Radio Canada
Source: Radio-Canada
