The full-size statue in plasticine form, before shipment to foundry. The person in the photo is the past president of the Edmonton Churchill Society, Elisebeth Checkel.
|
|
|
|
Update on the Sir Winston Churchill Leadership Initiative and Statue Project
August 24, 2022
The Sir Winston Churchill Society of Calgary, in partnership with Alberta’s Government is proud to announce plans to unveil a statue of former British prime minister in downtown Calgary.
The statue was created to commemorate the wartime leader who marvelled at the landscapes of southern Alberta, admired the province’s entrepreneurs, was supportive of Alberta’s growing oil industry, and whose inspirational leadership in defense of freedom and democracy was critical to a successful allied victory in the Second World War. The Society will fund the creation and installation of the statue and will cover the costs for maintenance. The unveiling is planned for Spring 2023.
Churchill enamored, inspired by southern Alberta. In 1929, following his re-election to parliament as Member of Parliament for Epping, Churchill embarked on a tour of North America, during which he spent a week in Alberta. Churchill was enamored by the beauty of southern Alberta and was captivated by a visit to the Rocky Mountains. Churchill, a prolific artist who painted several scenes while in the Rockies, also often later wore the white Stetson that he received in Calgary while painting. His statue will face southwest towards the Rockies to symbolize his admiration for the region.
The statue at 1.5 times Churchill’s height, was sculpted by Edmonton sculptor Danek Mozdzenski, whose past work includes statues of Prime Minister Lester Pearson, jazz artist Clarence Horatio Miller, and the late Alberta Lieutenant-Governor Lois Hole, and Alberta suffragist Nellie McClung.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney: “Winston Churchill was the greatest defender of democracy in the 20th century, and in my view the century’s single greatest leader. There is no single person more responsible for the defeat of fascism and the evils of the Nazi regime in the Second World War than Sir Winston Churchill. He was a gigantic figure, though not perfect. Like every leader, he made mistakes in a life that spanned decades of public service during times of crisis and consequence. Yet he stands almost universally recognized as one of the greatest champions of parliamentary democracy in history.
"He loved Canada, and Canadians love him. Indeed, Calgary is one of the only cities in Canada not to have a Sir Winston Churchill statue, unlike Edmonton, whose citizens proudly named the symbol centre of the city Sir Winston Churchill Square.
"Churchill had a special affection for Alberta. On his 1929 visit to our province he visited with admiration both the oil wells of Turner Valley, and the magnificent mountainscapes of Banff, several of which he depicted in watercolour paintings. He was so attracted to Alberta that he very nearly bought a ranch here.
I want to thank all of the donors and members of the Calgary Sir Winston Churchill Society for raising the funds for this impressive statue. Churchill would have seen the McDougall School when he visited Calgary in 1929. It is a fitting tribute to one of the greatest champions of parliamentary democracy that he will be memorialized at the seat of Alberta’s government in Calgary, a great city of enterprise.”
Jason Kenney, Premier of Alberta
Mark Milke, president, Sir Winston Churchill Society of Calgary
“There are multiple reasons to commemorate Sir Winston Churchill beyond just his 1929 visit to southern Alberta and his wartime leadership: Churchill contributed to human flourishing, freedom, and progress, including denouncing anti-Semitism and rebuffing requests for segregated forces by the U.S. military while stationed in Great Britain. He also displayed an early commitment to positive social reforms. Churchill was both a man of his time and ahead of it.”
Background:
The Sir Winston Churchill Society of Calgary, in partnership with Alberta’s Government is proud to announce plans to unveil a statue of former British prime minister in downtown Calgary.
The statue was created to commemorate the wartime leader who marvelled at the landscapes of southern Alberta, admired the province’s entrepreneurs, was supportive of Alberta’s growing oil industry, and whose inspirational leadership in defense of freedom and democracy was critical to a successful allied victory in the Second World War. The Society will fund the creation and installation of the statue and will cover the costs for maintenance. The unveiling is planned for Spring 2023.
Churchill enamored, inspired by southern Alberta. In 1929, following his re-election to parliament as Member of Parliament for Epping, Churchill embarked on a tour of North America, during which he spent a week in Alberta. Churchill was enamored by the beauty of southern Alberta and was captivated by a visit to the Rocky Mountains. Churchill, a prolific artist who painted several scenes while in the Rockies, also often later wore the white Stetson that he received in Calgary while painting. His statue will face southwest towards the Rockies to symbolize his admiration for the region.
The statue at 1.5 times Churchill’s height, was sculpted by Edmonton sculptor Danek Mozdzenski, whose past work includes statues of Prime Minister Lester Pearson, jazz artist Clarence Horatio Miller, and the late Alberta Lieutenant-Governor Lois Hole, and Alberta suffragist Nellie McClung.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney: “Winston Churchill was the greatest defender of democracy in the 20th century, and in my view the century’s single greatest leader. There is no single person more responsible for the defeat of fascism and the evils of the Nazi regime in the Second World War than Sir Winston Churchill. He was a gigantic figure, though not perfect. Like every leader, he made mistakes in a life that spanned decades of public service during times of crisis and consequence. Yet he stands almost universally recognized as one of the greatest champions of parliamentary democracy in history.
"He loved Canada, and Canadians love him. Indeed, Calgary is one of the only cities in Canada not to have a Sir Winston Churchill statue, unlike Edmonton, whose citizens proudly named the symbol centre of the city Sir Winston Churchill Square.
"Churchill had a special affection for Alberta. On his 1929 visit to our province he visited with admiration both the oil wells of Turner Valley, and the magnificent mountainscapes of Banff, several of which he depicted in watercolour paintings. He was so attracted to Alberta that he very nearly bought a ranch here.
I want to thank all of the donors and members of the Calgary Sir Winston Churchill Society for raising the funds for this impressive statue. Churchill would have seen the McDougall School when he visited Calgary in 1929. It is a fitting tribute to one of the greatest champions of parliamentary democracy that he will be memorialized at the seat of Alberta’s government in Calgary, a great city of enterprise.”
Jason Kenney, Premier of Alberta
Mark Milke, president, Sir Winston Churchill Society of Calgary
“There are multiple reasons to commemorate Sir Winston Churchill beyond just his 1929 visit to southern Alberta and his wartime leadership: Churchill contributed to human flourishing, freedom, and progress, including denouncing anti-Semitism and rebuffing requests for segregated forces by the U.S. military while stationed in Great Britain. He also displayed an early commitment to positive social reforms. Churchill was both a man of his time and ahead of it.”
Background:
- The statue was commissioned by the Sir Winston Churchill Society of Calgary, a registered charity founded in 1966 to commemorate the leadership and life of Sir Winston Churchill.
- Over the past five years, the society has raised a total of $307,000 from the public for the purpose of designing and creating the statue, as well as for the statue base and maintenance.
- Edmonton sculptor Danek Mozdzenski, known for his past work in creating sculptures of the late Alberta Lieutenant Governor Lois Hole, jazz musician and blues singer Clarence Horatio Miller and Alberta suffragist Nellie McClung, was commissioned to create the statue. It is currently being bronzed.
- Churchill was first elected to government in 1900 and, with exception of time spent in military service and a two-year absence from 1922-24, he served until 1964.
- Churchill served as an officer in various units of the British military during the Boer War and the First World War.
- Churchill visited Canada in the summer of 1929 as part of a three-month North American speaking tour; in his time in Alberta, he toured Edmonton, Calgary, Turner Valley, the Prince of Wales Ranch, Banff, and Lake Louise, and other locations in the Canadian Rockies.
Why the Sir Winston Churchill Leadership Initiative and Statue Project?
Why Calgary will soon have a statue commemorating the wartime leader and ally of Canada, who was fascinated by Alberta. Sir Winston Churchill was one of the most consequential leaders of the twentieth century—early on as a proponent of social reform, and later, as an initial voice in the wilderness when warning about Germany’s re-militarization. In office as Prime Minister, as of May 1940, Churchill would lead his country and allies including Canada in the fight against Nazi tyranny. Click here to read the Calgary Herald column from Churchill Society president Mark Milke explaining why Calgary will soon see statue of Winston Churchill at McDougall centre in the spring of 2023.
"My great-grandfather loved your country. He recorded the beauty of Alberta in his paintings during his 1929 visit, and spoke warmly of its grandeur. In September 1941, speaking in London at a dinner to honour Mackenzie King, Prime Minister of Canada, he memorably said: ‘Canada is the linchpin of the English-speaking world.’
"On behalf of the Churchill family, I send our best wishes to all in the Society. We are grateful to you all for continuing to keep alive the memory of Churchill and for supporting our shared and hard won legacy of freedom." — With my very best, Randolph Churchill III
"On behalf of the Churchill family, I send our best wishes to all in the Society. We are grateful to you all for continuing to keep alive the memory of Churchill and for supporting our shared and hard won legacy of freedom." — With my very best, Randolph Churchill III
"The only place that Churchill ever spoke of retiring to – apart from his home in Kent - was Alberta, such was his love of the province and its sense of boundless possibilities. It is fitting that the greatest champion of liberty of the 20th century should be commemorated in such a magnificent way in Calgary. Observed in his proper historical context, we see a man who insisted on the equality of all races before the law throughout the Empire throughout his career, who put his life on the line many times to defend the indigenous populations of the Empire, and who defeated and destroyed history’s worst racist, Adolf Hitler. Churchill adored Canada, and it is wonderful to see Canadians return the tribute." — Andrew Roberts, author: ‘Churchill: Walking with Destiny’
Specifics on the Churchill Statue Project
|
Due to generous donors in Calgary, the rest of Alberta, from across Canada and from the United Kingdom and the United States, The Sir Winston Churchill Society of Calgary raised $307,000 for the statue, base and ongoing maintenance. Please see the downloadable PDF below for more on the Churchill Leadership Initiative and Statue Project or donate online below.
How to donate to the Churchill Statue Project If you would like to help preserve and promote the legacy of Sir Winston Churchill, you may donate directly here. As the Sir Winston Churchill Society of Calgary is a registered charity, all donations will receive a tax receipt. Charitable Registration #: 3037810
|
Churchill and his wife Clementine
| ||
About the sculptor: Danek Mozdzenski
Danek Mozdzenski has been commissioned to create the statue of Sir Winston Churchill. Danek is an Edmonton-born, self-educated sculptor and painter. Danek unveiled his first public commission – a bust of renowned author Joseph Conrad – in 1967, at the age of 14, as part of the Edmonton Centennial Library’s (now known as the Stanley A. Milner Library) artistic celebration of Canada’s 100 years of statehood.
His commissioned work is housed in public and private collections in Canada, the United States, England, Poland, Denmark and Saudi Arabia. They include sculptures of the late Alberta Lieutenant Governor Lois Hole; the jazz musician and blues singer, Clarence Horatio Miller; and Alberta suffragist Nellie McClung.
Two major works are Brock University’s $1.2 million monument to Sir Isaac Brock, unveiled in 2015, and the Lester B. Pearson monument on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, unveiled in 1988. The Pearson monument is of the same scale as our intended 1.5 times life size striding image of Sir Winston Churchill.
His commissioned work is housed in public and private collections in Canada, the United States, England, Poland, Denmark and Saudi Arabia. They include sculptures of the late Alberta Lieutenant Governor Lois Hole; the jazz musician and blues singer, Clarence Horatio Miller; and Alberta suffragist Nellie McClung.
Two major works are Brock University’s $1.2 million monument to Sir Isaac Brock, unveiled in 2015, and the Lester B. Pearson monument on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, unveiled in 1988. The Pearson monument is of the same scale as our intended 1.5 times life size striding image of Sir Winston Churchill.
Former Alberta Lieutenant Governor Lois Hole
|
Jazz musician & blues singer Clarence Horatio Miller
Alberta suffragist Nellie McClung
|
About the Sir Winston Churchill Society of Calgary
The Sir Winston Churchill Society of Calgary is a registered charitable society, founded in 1966 by the then-publisher of the Calgary Herald, Frank Swanson and Vera Swanson. Mr. Swanson was a Canadian war correspondent when he met Vera, who was born in Great Britain, and who would serve as his driver for a time, eventually marrying him and moving together to Canada after the war.
The Sir Winston Churchill Society of Calgary is the sponsor of the annual Sir Winston Churchill High School debates, art scholarship awards to students at the Alberta University of the Arts in memory of Churchill's love of painting, and Mount Royal University Moot Court. We hold an annual memorial dinner every spring to commemorate the memory of Sir Winston Churchill and to raise money for our student programs. The Society also holds fall and spring socials and holds regular Zoom calls with authors about their new books. Check out our Membership page or Contact page to sign up for our emails.
A registered charity, the Society’s mission statement is as follows:
The Sir Winston Churchill Society of Calgary is the sponsor of the annual Sir Winston Churchill High School debates, art scholarship awards to students at the Alberta University of the Arts in memory of Churchill's love of painting, and Mount Royal University Moot Court. We hold an annual memorial dinner every spring to commemorate the memory of Sir Winston Churchill and to raise money for our student programs. The Society also holds fall and spring socials and holds regular Zoom calls with authors about their new books. Check out our Membership page or Contact page to sign up for our emails.
A registered charity, the Society’s mission statement is as follows:
The Sir Winston Churchill Society promotes students’ facility in the use of the spoken and written word emphasizing oratorical and communication skills as exemplified by the debates, speeches and writings of Sir Winston Spencer- Churchill.
The Society also exists to preserve and promote the legacy of Sir Winston Spencer-Churchill, including his achievements in the face of tyranny and the preservation of freedom, and in so doing commemorate his leadership and achievements.
The Society also exists to preserve and promote the legacy of Sir Winston Spencer-Churchill, including his achievements in the face of tyranny and the preservation of freedom, and in so doing commemorate his leadership and achievements.
