Reminding us who we honor
Published 10:47 am Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Dawn Burleigh/The Orange Leader
Dawn Burleigh/The Orange Leader
Dawn Burleigh/The Orange Leader
Dawn Burleigh/The Orange Leader
Dawn Burleigh/The Orange Leader
By Dawn Burleigh
The Orange Leader
Scott Stearman, an artist by trade, spoke at the annual tribute to Orange County Veterans on Sunday as he reflected on the monuments he has created to honor those in service to our country.
“The monuments we create together are a reminder of who we honor,” Stearman said. “It tells their story.”
Stearman said we often hear those who have served as they were only doing their job.
“It is not the same as what I do to pay my mortgage or feed my children,” Stearman said.
While ensuing accuracy in the details, Stearman said he knows the work and details have to be correct.
“The sculptures we create are a reflection of what we value,” Stearman said. “They have to tell the story as well and connect with the heart.”
And to remind us one more time.
Learning to sculpt honor, sacrifice and dignity is a process Stearman said he was still learning.
“It is time for us to live to be worthy of their sacrifice,” Stearman said.
Stearman challenged those attending the event to make bold choices.
“Choosing to serve others is always the right choice,” Stearman said. “What does it look like? When ordinary becomes extraordinary.”
He added the moment in his hands while in his studio is just a moment.
“It is profoundly humbling to be able to tell Amy’s story,” Stearman said of a sculpture he worked on. “A mom. Not many will know her, but they will know her story.”
Stearman is currently working on a memorial scuplture for another famiy.
“They will know about the mom and the little boy she gave to America,” Stearman said. “Average Americans become extraordinary when they take the oath.”
Stearman is well-known as a sculptor and communicator. He was recently recognized as a finalist for the John Maxwell Leadership Award. His commissioned Military monuments and Faith sculptures are found at universities and in communities across America.
Stearman’s many portrait sculptures include projects featuring James Dobson, Ben Carson, Elizabeth Dole, Kirk Cameron, Truitt Cathy, Ravi Zacharias, and many others.
He has served as the video director for concerts by Charlie Daniels, Ricky Skaggs, Glenn Campbell, Sean Hannity, Michael W. Smith, and the Gaither Homecoming Tour, according to a press release.
Working in television and film since the 1970s and as a professional sculptor since 1985, Stearman approaches his work with an artist’s eye and a sensitive heart; always looking for the truth of the story that many times lies beneath the surface of the obvious.
