Spirit Keeper
Encyclopedia
Spirit Keeper, a public sculpture by American artist Steve Wooldridge, is located on the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
campus, which is near downtown Indianapolis
, Indiana
. The sculpture is located in front of IUPUI's HITS building near the Creation Café at 337 West 11th Street. Spirit Keeper is a steel sculpture installed here in 2007. It is 78 inches tall and sits on a metal base 40 inches square, which is bolted to a cement slab.
The sculpture's design was approved by the Board of Trustees of Indiana University on September 21, 2007. It was donated to IUPUI by Norma Winkler. It is located in front of IUPUI's HITS building near the Creation Café at 337 West 11th Street. The design was approved in 2007, but it is unclear when it was actually installed. There is no indication that this sculpture has ever been installed at another location.
and studied 3D Design and Sculpture at the Dayton Art Institute and sculpture technique at what was then the Herron Art Institute, now the Herron School of Art
, graduating in 1963 with a degree in Sculpture. He has extensive experience in welding, fabrication and finishing of ferrous, non-ferrous metals, and exotic alloys through training with the US Navy. Wooldridge is a member of the Artist Blacksmith’s Association of North America.. Fifty-two pieces of his blacksmith
ing work were exhibited at the Wells County Creative Art Center in Bluffton, Indiana
during their “Forged Art! The Art of Blacksmithing” exhibit in 2007..
In 1971, Wooldridge completed a sculpture of the 38th Infantry "Cyclone" Division of the Indiana National Guard
to be exhibited in the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza
. Another one of Wooldridge’s sculptures, Zephyr (sculpture), is also located on the IUPUI campus.
1989 campaign organized by Heritage Preservation: The National Institute of Conservation partnered with the Smithsonian Institution
, specifically the Smithsonian American Art Museum
. Throughout the 1990s, over 7,000 volunteers nationwide have cataloged and assessed the condition of over 30,000 publicly accessible statues, monuments, and sculptures installed as outdoor public art across the United States
..
Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis is an urban campus of Indiana University and Purdue University in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Indiana University is the managing partner...
campus, which is near downtown Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. The sculpture is located in front of IUPUI's HITS building near the Creation Café at 337 West 11th Street. Spirit Keeper is a steel sculpture installed here in 2007. It is 78 inches tall and sits on a metal base 40 inches square, which is bolted to a cement slab.
Description
Spirit Keeper is a stainless steel abstract sculpture consisting of a leaf-shaped form perched atop a form that is rectangular at the bottom at narrow at the top. These two pieces are welded together to create the sculpture. The entire sculpture is 78 inches tall and sits on a metal base 40 inches square, which is bolted to a cement slab. The surfaces of the sculpture are shiny stainless steel but have been lightly sanded to create a pattern in the steel. There is an inscription on the proper left side of the sculpture in the lower proper right corner, which reads "SPIRIT KEEPER, S. WOOLDRIDGE, 2007."The sculpture's design was approved by the Board of Trustees of Indiana University on September 21, 2007. It was donated to IUPUI by Norma Winkler. It is located in front of IUPUI's HITS building near the Creation Café at 337 West 11th Street. The design was approved in 2007, but it is unclear when it was actually installed. There is no indication that this sculpture has ever been installed at another location.
Artist
Steve Wooldridge specializes in abstract and minimalist site-specific sculpture. He was born in Sheridan, IndianaSheridan, Indiana
Sheridan is a town in Adams Township, Hamilton County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,665 at the 2010 census. The center of population of Indiana is located just northwest of Sheridan.- Geography :...
and studied 3D Design and Sculpture at the Dayton Art Institute and sculpture technique at what was then the Herron Art Institute, now the Herron School of Art
Herron School of Art
Herron School of Art and Design, a school of Indiana University, was ranked 45th overall by U.S. News and World Report among graduate schools of fine arts in 2008....
, graduating in 1963 with a degree in Sculpture. He has extensive experience in welding, fabrication and finishing of ferrous, non-ferrous metals, and exotic alloys through training with the US Navy. Wooldridge is a member of the Artist Blacksmith’s Association of North America.. Fifty-two pieces of his blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
ing work were exhibited at the Wells County Creative Art Center in Bluffton, Indiana
Bluffton, Indiana
Bluffton is a city in Harrison and Lancaster Townships, Wells County, Indiana, United States. The population was 9,897 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of Wells County.-Geography:Bluffton is located at ....
during their “Forged Art! The Art of Blacksmithing” exhibit in 2007..
In 1971, Wooldridge completed a sculpture of the 38th Infantry "Cyclone" Division of the Indiana National Guard
Indiana National Guard
The Indiana National Guard is the armed force of the state of Indiana. It consists of the Indiana Army National Guard and the Indiana Air National Guard, and is part of the larger Army National Guard and the Air National Guard...
to be exhibited in the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza
Indiana World War Memorial Plaza
The Indiana World War Memorial Plaza is an urban feature located in Indianapolis, Indiana, originally built to honor the veterans of World War I. The five-city-block plaza was conceived in 1919 as a location for the national headquarters of the American Legion and a memorial to the state's and...
. Another one of Wooldridge’s sculptures, Zephyr (sculpture), is also located on the IUPUI campus.
Documentation
A Museum Studies course at IUPUI recently undertook the project of researching and reporting on the condition of 40 outdoor sculptures on the university campus. Spirit Keeper was included in this movement. This documentation was influenced by the successful Save Outdoor Sculpture!Save Outdoor Sculpture!
Save Outdoor Sculpture! is a community-based effort to identify, document, and conserve outdoor sculpture in the United States. By fostering awareness and appreciation, SOS! aims to advocate proper care of a nationwide public resource....
1989 campaign organized by Heritage Preservation: The National Institute of Conservation partnered with the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
, specifically the Smithsonian American Art Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
The Smithsonian American Art Museum is a museum in Washington, D.C. with an extensive collection of American art.Part of the Smithsonian Institution, the museum has a broad variety of American art that covers all regions and art movements found in the United States...
. Throughout the 1990s, over 7,000 volunteers nationwide have cataloged and assessed the condition of over 30,000 publicly accessible statues, monuments, and sculptures installed as outdoor public art across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
..