MACLEAY JETTY FORESHORE STOLEN SCULPTURE REPLACED
An island artist who just happens to originally hail from Cincinnati, Ohio, has had the pleasure of producing a wonderful Macleay Island foreshore sculpture - twice!
David Ross was a member of the ‘Beaut’ Beautification Group attached to the Macleay Island Progress Association that has been responsible for the recent beautification works on the Macleay jetty foreshore.
David, a keen woodworker, was given the task of producing a sculpture piece for the foreshore works.
David was originally a mechanical engineer, woodworking has been his special interest.
“We first came to Australia in the 1990’s and I worked as a teacher at the university in Toowoomba. Ten years ago my wife Daria and I moved to Macleay Island.
“We love being part of the island community here and it has been a pleasure to have been part of this community project,” David said.
Unfortunately, three days after the installation of his first artistic piece, just after the very busy group finished the beautification and the planting of gardens, all the plants and the sculpture piece were stolen.
We reported that event and the previous efforts in previous editions of the FBI.
One good thing out of the series of unfortunate events, lots of island people were shocked and dismayed, and others offered to assist and help.
David Ross set about another sculpture; this time coming up with the concept Sun Over Macleay Island!
“My previous effort had a surfboard shape.
“I think this one is an improvement on the first sculpture piece,” David said.
A timber plank has been shaped and formed to show a small leadlight glass sun at the top with a leadlight map of Macleay Island underneath.
At the bottom is the shape of a yacht sailing on the waters of the surrounding Moreton Bay.
David used a piece of mango wood obtained from an island tree for his second effort.
Needless to say a full foundation and bolts have made this latest effort much more secure that the previous stolen piece.
Charmaine Stubbs, the president of the Macleay Island Progress Association said many had offered help and assistance after the blow caused by the stolen plants and sculpture.
“Robyn Jessop, who is the principal at LJ Hooker Macleay Island, has made a very generous donation of $650 to the Progress Association for the replacement of the sculpture and the replanting of the planter box/seats.
“Greg from Back to Natives has also donated plants for around the jetty area.
“A special thanks needs to go to Marcia and Martyn Osborn and Daria Ross for all of their hard work in replacing the plants and visiting the area weekly to water and weed the new planter boxes,” Charmaine added.
• David Ross and the latest Macleay Foreshore timber sculpture.