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Aluminum eagle statue soars over Michael Anderson Elementary

  • Published
  • By Joe B. Wiles
  • 92nd ARW Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  An artist from Pullman, Wash., and a crane operator from Spokane placed a 200 pound eagle on top of a stainless steel three-legged base at Anderson Elementary school on base Oct. 28.

The kinetic sculpture, made of aluminum and strengthened with steel cables, is the culmination of a three-year project.

Miles Pepper, the artist, based the sculpture on the story, "Eagle and the Thrush," an Indian tale about how music came to the world. Above the eagle is a smaller sculpture of a thrush. The two pieces pivot independently and point into the wind.

The tips of the eagle's 16-foot wings will fold when a strong wind blows and spread as the wind dies.

All new Washington state buildings receive funds from the Washington State Art Commission for artwork, said Dale Lamphere, the principal at Michael Anderson. Three years ago, a committee at the school selected Mr. Pepper's art proposal from among several submissions.

Mr. Pepper returned the next year with a model of the eagle and thrush that the committee approved.

Early this past summer, he again returned to the school to digs holes for the sculpture's three legs, supervised the concrete pouring and erected the legs. October 28, the eagle was placed on the legs.

"The kids absolutely loved it Monday morning," said Mr. Lamphere.

The sculpture represents many things, said Mr. Pepper, including the relationship of the large tanker aircraft at Fairchild and the smaller aircraft they refuel.

The primary story behind the sculpture tells how music was first brought to world. Long ago, there was no music, just noise. The animals of the forest had heard there was something that sounded wonderful very high in the sky.

The eagle decided to fly up to where the wonderful sound was, learn it, and bring it back to the forest below. Before he took off, a tiny thrush hid in the feathers on the eagle's neck.

The eagle flew and flew, higher and higher, but as the air became thin, the eagle grew tired. When he started to glide back to the forest below, the thrush leaped from under the eagle's neck feathers, and began to fly even higher.

Because he was small and rested, the thrush was able to fly up to where the wonderful sound was. He learned the sound, and brought the music back to the forest below.