Joyful Empowerment

Artist Angela DeLaVega is known for expressive faces and natural body movements; “This girl on top of the world” expresses the impact educators make in the lives of children.  It speaks rejoicingly of the empowerment through education that we all want for our children.” Privately funded by Amador Valley High School teacher Bob Athenour and his wife, Marilyn, through H.A.P.P.Y “Harrington Art Partnership Piece for You” this bronze sculpture expresses their joint love of children and learning. It weighs 1930 lbs. with a granite base and is in the genre of figurative realism. Taking a sculpture from conception to finished bronze is a process that requires time, patience, attention to quality and detail, and teamwork. The full cycle entails its creation in clay, molding, casting in wax, bronze pouring and metal finishing, and patina.

For many years Angela worked with a friend, a master patinator, to develop a patina formula that would adequately render the supple skin of youth.  It is a signature patina and an essential part of the representativeness of her sculptures. At the premier annual exhibition of American Figurative Sculpture, Angela’s sculpture, Bridge of Brotherhood, won the People’s Choice Award as the favorite of all visitors and a recognition of her work as a ‘rising star in the National Sculpture Society.

The bronze, Joyful Empowerment, was installed in 2013 and is in front of the Museum on Main, 603 Main Street, Pleasanton. The little upturned nose was modeled after the Athenour’s daughter.  The exuberant celebration of the sculpture inspires and awakens the tenderness of spirit through its message of empowerment.

 Jan Coleman-Knight