Teacher Sonya Turner and principal Tim Bible
Sculpture unveiled by Sonya Turner, Mike McMahon of Valmont and Tim Bible
Sculpture being bolted down by Steve Lofty Construction
Jasper Elem. 3rd grade choir performed at dedication directed by Wesley Brewer
Sonya Turner with employees of Valmont who worked on the sculptureJASPER, TN (WRCB) - Jasper Elementary School has unveiled it's first sculpture. Two years ago teacher Sonya Turner was taking a class for re-certification at Chattanooga State. Instructor Joe Helseth liked her sculpture so much that he suggested she enter it in a student art show for Mid-South Sculpture Alliance. It won first place, and she then took the model to Jasper Elementary for the children to see. A student's grandmother offered to help get it fabricated so she set up a meeting with local government officials and an executive from Valmont, a factory in Jasper.
Valmont, which makes steel utility poles, fabricated Ms. Turner's original sculpture into steel. This project took about a year before the finishing touches were added: paint and glass gems to give it a sparkling effect. It is now a 12 foot tall sculpture named "Line of Play" and was dedicated last week in the school's new sculpture garden.
Ms. Turner describes her work as "simple and playful." It features tiles resembling dominoes which are arranged similar to how they would be connected in an actual game. She says "Line of Play" comes from the term used to describe the configuration of the tiles in a game of dominoes.
Ms. Turner has taught at Jasper Elementary since 1993, and says the sculpture reflects the determination of her community. She established the art program at the school, and credits the Jasper Lions Club with some of the donations that made the sculpture garden possible.
