If you have wondered whatever became of Elizabeth MacQueen, the grande dame of San Luis Obispo’s art world—the renowned sculptor of “Puck” in Copeland Square, “Fourth of July” at the entrance to the Avila Bay Club, and more recently “The Fishermen’s Family Sculpture” in Morro Bay—she breezed into town recently like a colorful icon of the past, still as strong as the bronzes she sculpts.
Resplendent in a burgundy silk jacket and eye-catching jewels, Elizabeth looked vibrant and elegant at a birthday gathering in her honor at Café Roma—a fitting location, as it looks out on her historical public art installation “The Iron Road Pioneers,” a salute to Chinese railroad workers.
In attendance were longtime supporters and collectors Wendy and Keith George, art champion Rob Rossi, Shevon Sullivan of Anam Cré Pottery Studio, Debbie Collins of The Del Monte Cafe, artist Allen Root, Todd LeMay of Bladerunner, Brian Olson and Erik Jones, Dr. Michael Limberg, Sanja Brewer of Adara Med Spa, Barbara and Jonathon Haile, Maria Rosa Rizzo, and other friends.
The original maquette of “The Iron Road Pioneers” was on display for all to touch and enjoy. We mingled around delicious Italian-inspired delicacies while sipping champagne and talking art, politics and social justice—a fitting tribute to a woman known for her large-scale sculptures that delight as well as shed light on the human condition.
After working in Puerto Vallarta for three Covid years and spending some time in her home state of Alabama, Elizabeth has spent the last five months in a small apartment in Paris, working on grand plans to memorialize the 12 artists and guests of Charlie Hebdo who were massacred by extremists in 2015.
“The Pen Is Mightier than the Sword” will be a 12-foot bronze sculpture of a giant scimitar, with an iconic pen crawling up its handle and strangling the sword, symbolizing freedom of speech over tyranny. The timely statement passionately advocates for the protection of free speech in a world where journalists are threatened on a daily basis.
“My hope is this sculpture will have a lasting impact, akin to the iconic ‘Knotted Gun’ at the United Nations Plaza in New York,” Elizabeth says of the work she hopes will become a point of reflection in a country that has long symbolized freedom in the Western world. “It’s a universal symbol of peace and resilience against oppression.”
Elizabeth also has established an arts and humanities foundation headquartered in Alabama that is raising money to fund the creation of a large-scale stainless-steel flame as a historical tribute to women in America who have often gone unseen in history. “The Flame: Women Are the Light” will shed continuous light on the brilliant contributions of more than half the population of the country and the world.
These are heady projects indeed, and worthy of our support and encouragement.