From the classrooms of Bradley University, to the skies above - Major Robert H. Lawrence Jr. '56 took his legacy to inspiring heights and now we are honoring him with a permanent home on campus! A life-size bronze sculpture is being created to commemorate his achievements as the nation's first black astronaut and the impact his work had in the advancement of science and the development of the space shuttle.
Your gift today will go to support the final steps in creating this sculpture and all funds that exceed these costs will go directly to Bradley University's Major Robert H. Lawrence Scholarship and Lecture fund.
If you wish to make a donation by check, please mail to:
Bradley University Gift Records
1501 W Bradley Ave
Peoria IL 61625
Bradley’s very own Fisher Stolz, Department of Art & Design Chair, has created several bronze sculptures in his career. Alongside Liz Johnson, Bradley Studio Art MFA student, Stolz has been bringing Major Lawrence’s sculpture to life!
Major Lawrence's legacy could fill an entire gallery on its own. So, finding the right inspiration for a single sculpture was extremely important.
After reviewing many historical photos a pose was chosen that illustrates Major Lawrence's confidence and conviction, as well as evoking the hope and inspiration that his legacy holds!
To capture this pose we were lucky to have Bradley Alumnus Pierre Paul '21 help be a part of the process.
Bradley's campus is home to a variety of artistic pieces that commemorate our university's history and the legacy of our Braves. While each has had its own creation process, the bronze sculpture being created for Major Robert H. Lawrence Jr. will be similar to the steps taken during the creation of former Bradley Braves coach and athletic director A.J. Robertson's sculpture.
These steps are:
- Research - Deciding how the sculpture will be posed
- Armature Design & Modeling - Creating the 'skeleton', or framework of the sculpture's form
- Clay Sculpting -Applying clay to the armature and sculpting the details that will be reflected in the final piece
- Molding Phases - This is a series of material coatings that are applied to the clay in order to get the shell that the bronze sculpture will be formed within
- Casting & Refining - After the bronze is cast within the sculpture's shell, there is still more work to do, like cleaning up any imperfections and applying the surface patina
- Installation - The final step is bringing the sculpture and its base to the permanent home for its installation and adjustments
Check our other updates to see sneak peeks of Major Lawrence's sculpture throughout these steps & thank you for making it possible through your generosity and support!
Current Campaign Supporters
View All Donors
| Affiliation | Donors | Raised ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Alumni | 75 | $75,360 |
| Friends | 6 | $600 |
Advocates for Major Lawrence's Sculpture
