We are well into the first year of this monumental project. Much of the groundwork has been completed, and we and are well into the actual “meat and potatoes” of sculpting this piece. The focus is on the actual sculpting of life-sized sides of the spike. Two sides have already been sculpted and the foundry has begun casting the first side in metal.
Thank you for your generosity and support of this project. We will continue to update this page as our work progresses.
Research
2021
The artist, Douwe Blumberg, conducting site research off Interstate 15 at Exit 365 outside Brigham City in Box Elder County.
Research
2021
The artist holding a transcontinental railroad spike from the original grade, loaned from the National Park Service. The spike was scanned and used it to inform the overall shape and dimensions of the sculpture.
Digital Sculpt
2021
Digital “sculpt” using computer software of the “East” side depicting the Union Pacific workforce.
Sculpting Foam
2021
A full-scale panel is “rough cut” from sculpting foam. An example of the Union Pacific workforce side in sculpting foam.
Sculpting Clay
2021
Each “rough cut” foam panel is covered with sculpting clay. The foam becomes the underlying form upon which the artist lays on the clay and then sculpts each detail/figure by hand.
Sculpting Clay
2021
A detail from the panel on the Union Pacific side.
Sculpting Clay
2022
The second panel is focused on the innovation and technology that made the transcontinental railroad possible.
Mold Creation
2022
Each panel is brought from Douwe Blumberg’s studio in Kentucky to a foundry in Oklahoma where a mold is made.
Aluminum Casting
Starting 2022
While at the foundry, the molds are used to make an aluminum casting of each panel.
Finishing
The aluminum rough-cast panels are shipped back to the Douwe Blumberg’s studio in Kentucky where they are finished and fitted together.
Truss Tower
The internal structure of the monument will be a truss-tower. A truss-tower is similar to a radio/cell tower. The truss-tower is fabricated of aluminum.