CHURCHVILLE – Sculptor Andy Ward walks down from his Churchville home to a cleared lot just next door where discarded logs, timber, tree bark and kindling are scattered on the ground. In the middle of the lot lays a 15-foot log that bears his handiwork: the figure of a grief-stricken woman.
The sculpture is based on sculptor Walter Seymour Allward’s ‘Canada Bereft,’ or Mother Canada as it’s commonly known, which was carved in stone for the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France. It symbolizes a young nation mourning for her 67,000 First World War dead.
New Glasgow’s wooden replica was cut from its stump yesterday morning and taken to Ward’s property. The sculpture, which has stood on the corner of the East River Road and King Street for the last five years, is rapidly deteriorating.
“It doesn’t look it, does it?” Ward asked rhetorically, with a hint of pain in his voice.
The sculpture was moved as part of the Town of New Glasgow’s plan to eventually relocate the figure to Carmichael Park.
Because of wood rot, ants and general weathering, the town felt it necessary to send the sculpture back to Ward’s workshop for repairs. Once on the ground and up close, the prognosis however isn’t promising.
It was Nov. 19, 2007, when the sculpture was unveiled by then mayor Ann MacLean. Municipal, provincial and federal government dignitaries, veterans, school children and members of the general public attended the event.
According to the town, Peter MacKay played a key role in enabling them to connect with Veterans Affairs to receive permission to duplicate the statue in France.
At the time of the unveiling, MacLean noted its significance as a war memorial. “This carving will pay homage to and give a glimpse of this magnificent and poignant tribute – for the citizens of New Glasgow and Pictou County and to our many visitors,” she said. “Our carving is a tremendous likeness to the original, and to be able to create such detail and feeling through wood, also speaks to the talent of our carver Andy Ward.” MacLean expressed hope that because the tree was a maple it would ensure its longevity as a lasting tribute and legacy. But despite several coats of paint on the base and stains on the sculpture, tiny invaders have infiltrated throughout.
“There was no sign of any decay a year ago,” said Ward. “The ants appeared pretty quickly and got into it really bad. I’m honestly not sure how far gone it is.”
Ward said it will take a week or so to know for sure whether the sculpture is worth saving. If the rot isn’t too deep, he can cut out the bad sections and replace them with new. Even that might not be enough to save the figure.
“That would be a tough repair,” said Ward. “I wouldn’t want to do all these repairs only to add a year or two to its life.”
While he’d prefer and is willing to do another sculpture of ‘Canada Bereft’ altogether, funding from the town would have to be approved by council. At this moment, funding has only been approved for repairs to the existing sculpture.
Ward expects to make a decision on the fate of the sculpture this week.
On Twitter: @NGNewsJohn
