…BUT OH WHAT A TRANSFORMATION IN THE HANDS OF A MASTER SCULPTOR!
But let’s go back to that beginning.
In 2009, Kathryn Sample, USC’s gracious First Lady, conceived of the most fitting tribute to honor her husband Steven Sample when he would retire in May of 2010 as President of USC after 19 years of outstanding leadership…dramatically boosting the university’s academic prestige, financial resources and civic engagement. It would be her commissioning of a life sized bronze of ‘Traveler’, the schools beloved mascot, and who better to award the commission to than world famous sculptor Ron Pekar.
This life sized bronze of the noble steed would be ever alert, looking toward the beloved Tommy Trojan bronze on Hahn Central Plaza at the University Park Campus.
The Tommy Trojan bronze was sculpted in 1930 by Roger Noble and bears the qualities of the ideal Trojan on its granite pedestal: Faithful, Scholarly, Courageous and Ambitious.
The magnificent clay model of Traveler on its journey from the Pekar studio to the Adonis Bronze Foundry in Alpine, Utah.
You’ll be delighted to hear that the ‘real’ Traveler traveled in his ‘HRS LIMO’ to the Pekar studio where Ron did a number of drawings of the famous steed capturing the horse in this pose of heroic stance!
Here’s a better view of the model for Traveler on it’s way to Utah!
Now Traveler is forever enshrined with Tommy Trojan returning his faithful gaze.
This photo courtesy of my dear friend Tomiko Varga whose son Emerick is a first year student at USC. Her darling rescued dog ‘Brownie’ is keeping Traveler company.
A glimpse of Ron Pekar’s studio
And finally, the famous sculptor in his studio. Ron’s works are represented in more than 600 corporate, public, civic, museums, universities and private collections worldwide.
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