Wood for Highland’s New Peace Pole
Traveled from Africa

PEACE POLE DESIGNED AND BUILT BY JIM FAWCETT WAS RECENTLY UNVEILED BY HIGHLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS AT THE RE-DEDICATION OF THE HIGHLAND, New York PEACE PARK

Recently Carissa Robishaw, Erin Paradies, Danielle Sedlacek, Katie Sweeney and Harrison Letterii, all members of the Highland Middle School Student Council, and their teacher Terry Cilento-Dolan, met with Jim Fawcett, local artist and sculptor, who designed the new Peace Sculpture in his Studio at 4 River Road. The new Peace Sculpture was dedicated at the Highland Middle School on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 at 10:00 am.

The students helped plan the ceremony. They have accepted the donation of the Peace Sculpture and will be responsible for the upkeep of the Park. The Peace Park was originally dedicated on August 26, 1995 in a ceremony involving many local, national and international dignitaries. Benches were added by personal donations of several community members. A few years ago the original Peace Pole, carved by local cabinetmaker George Sidgwick, began to weather and split. As a result it had to be removed.

The students learned that the design for the Peace Sculpture started with a particular piece of wood that has been in Jim Fawcett’s studio, pellegriniana, a kind of Bubinga known as Kevazingo that was shipped from Africa.

Mr. Fawcett said, "I’ve always wanted to use it in a meaningful way; to display its beauty, toughness and endurance and to honor the tree and the world from which it came. Making the Kevazingo into a monument for the Highland Peace Park was the ideal use.”

The students were fascinated with the techniques that Mr. Fawcett used to cut the board in half, shape it and put it back together again with glue and hand made hardware. They saw that the brass hardware would have the word PEACE inscribed on it in eleven languages, including Italian, Spanish, French, Arabic, Hebrew and Braille.

Each student received a small model of the sculpture which they used as nametags and took home as a souvenir of their afternoon. In closing Mr. Fawcett said “It may be hubris for me to think that I can improve on this exceptional wood, but I am a maker, so I do my best to make peace with a piece of wood.”

Ms. Terry Scott commissioned Mr. Fawcett’s Peace Sculpture. On April 25, 2007 she donated this work of art to the Highland Schools in honor of her late husband Logan Scott. The Student Council, under the direction of their advisor Christina Tantillo, is accepting donations of any amount to help them continue their work of refurbishing the Park. Please send donations to the Highland Middle School Student Council, 71 Main St. Highland, NY.

For more information on this project contact Madeline Labriola (845) 691-8015.

Article submitted by:
Madeline Labriola
Peace Park Committee

Jim Fawcett, local artist and sculptor who designed the new Peace Sculpture

Highland Middle School students unveiling the PEACE POLE

THE PEACE POLE IS ENHANCED WITH PLAQUES THAT SAY "PEACE" IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES