New Artwork Installed at Liberty Park

New artwork was installed at Liberty Park Wednesday morning.

Artist James Douglas Cox said, "I've been sculpting since 1994, starting with designs inspired by 3D wooden puzzles, much like Claes Oldenburg. As a mostly self-taught sculptor with over 40 years of welding experience, I love creating fun, clever pieces. My goal is simple: to make you smile."

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” Pablo Picasso

Bio on James Douglas Cox:

"I started doing sculptures around 1994. Some of my early pieces were designs taken from enlarging 3D wooden puzzles. Not unlike Claes Oldenburg. Looking back, I’ve found that these were essential in my development to find my own voice as a sculptor.

I’m pretty much self-taught although I did have a few semesters of college art classes. I learned how to weld and grind on the job at the age of 18. Now I have 40-plus years of experience as a welder and grinder. I retired from the Paul Mueller Company in Springfield, Mo., after 29 years, and am currently creating sculptures full-time.  The sculptures I make must be aesthetically pleasing to me because I can spend anywhere from 200-500 hours on each of them.

Before I begin welding, I make a model of the potential sculpture and place it in my home shop. Over time I change things and add things until I think it’s ready to build. Even then, I still change things during the building process. Over the years I have learned from each and every sculpture I have made.

My sculptures aren’t meant to make any profound statements or change the world. I strive for fun and clever. If you can smile and forget your troubles, if only for the moment, I will consider the sculpture a success.

I’ve heard a sculptor is an artist with a toolbox. I fit that description pretty well. I love every aspect of creating a sculpture. From designing the model to getting down and dirty in the shop welding and grinding to, my favorite part, the satisfaction of installing the sculpture for the public to enjoy. I hope you find as much joy in my sculptures as I do"

Barrel of Monkeys Sculpture:

I got a stainless-steel wine barrel at auction thinking I could make a grill or smoker out of it. I had to move this barrel around to get the lawn mower out of my barn to mow the lawn. I did this for two years before it inspired me to create the Barrel of Monkeys sculpture.

After its creation, it was a part of Springfield’s Sculpture Walk third collection from April 2018 to March 2019. Springfield residents loved the sculpture so much that Sculpture Walk Springfield kept it for their fourth collection until April 2020. After that, It was a part of St. Joseph Sculpture Walk in St. Joseph, Mo., until 2021. Barrel of Monkeys was most currently on display on Historic C-Street in Springfield, Mo., Sept 2023-2024.

If you’d like to see more information about me, the process, sculptures & where to view them, check out https://jdcoxrocksmetalart.com/

--Submitted by Sedalia Parks & Rec