Carlyle's "Peacemaker" to be purchased by NCAA

Niwot's Sculpture Park at the southwest corner of Niwot Road and 79th Street was home to the iconic Native American tree carvings of the late Eddie Running Wolf for over a decade, but since the recent removal of the deteriorating tree carvings for restoration, another artist's bronze art has become the link to Niwot's Native American heritage.

Artist Bobbie Carlyle of Loveland, whose work is collected internationally, created the bronze sculpture christened "Peacemaker" which greets visitors who enter the park from the east. The sculpture of a Native American holding an extended peace pipe draws attention to the park itself, which includes five pieces that are now owned by the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA). The NCAA manages the Sculpture Park pursuant to an agreement with the Cottonwood Park West Homeowners Association, which owns the outlot bordering the intersection, and Boulder County, which owns the road right-of-way

"Peacemaker" was selected by the NCAA's Sculpture Park committee, consisting of Lisa Rivard, Anne Postle and Jill Whitener, as the second piece of art targeted for purchase following the NCAA's successful campaign to purchase Ukrainian sculptor Egor Zigura's artwork known as "Kore That Awakening" two years ago. Postle said, "Since Peacemaker arrived in Niwot a few years ago, he has become an iconic image that represents both Niwot's history and future goals."

Rivard said the committee's goal is to raise $78,000 to complete the purchase of "Peacemaker." So far, the NCAA has raised $2,420 in the early stages of the fundraising campaign. "Peacemaker is a cornerstone element in the very heart of Niwot, representing connectivity and friendship," Rivard said.

Carlyle is best known for her sculpture, "Self Made Man," which depicts a man carving himself out of stone. She has been creating bronze art for over 30 years, and often works on commission. The "Peacemaker" sculpture was first commissioned by a California cleaning product company, Simple Green, whose owner had a home near Aspen.

"He asked for something basic, and I came up with "taking care of the earth," Carlyle recalled. The company is a pioneer in the use of effective biodegradable cleaning products.

"He asked for a Native American theme," she said, "and they have earned the reputation of caring for the earth better than anyone else. I found an online photo of an Indian chief, so I used his face. I had a pretty good sense of the figure. I came up with an Indian chief with a peace pipe based on his verbal description."

That sculpture, "created six or seven years ago" according to Carlyle, is now located on the owner's 35-acre tract outside of Aspen, and is known as "Nature's Keeper." The Niwot sculpture, which came from the same mold, has come to be known as "Peacemaker," with Carlyle's approval.

Donations toward the purchase can be made to the Niwot Cultural Arts Association, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, by mail to NCAA, P.O. Box 733, Niwot, CO 80544, online at www.niwotarts.org, or via a QR code created with the assistance of the Niwot Business Association, which will soon be installed near the sculpture.