2024-2025 Downtown Sculpture Walk

Spring means an eclectic mix of new sculptures are arriving in Downtown St. Joseph, Missouri, for the 11th annual Allied Arts Council Sculpture Walk 2024-25! There’s a surprise around every corner as the creativity of national sculptors grace Downtown St. Joseph. The Allied Arts Council, in partnership with the City of St. Joseph and the St. Joseph Downtown Community Improvement District, sponsors this annual public arts project.

The first of the new arrivals is River People, a stainless steel and Lexan sculpture by Tim Adams of Webster City, Iowa, that is movement and grace itself.

“I was inspired by these giant grasses that are majestic in their stature and graceful in their simplicity. Their swaying and rustling in the wind seem like an effortless performance, but below the surface, these plants give shelter to all kinds of creatures in every season and their ability to live on little water and in marginal soil is a tribute to nature’s wisdom,” said Adams.

When the Clouds Break, another new arrival, is the work of Jodie Bliss of Colorado Springs, Colorado. At over nine feet tall, this hand forged steel sculpture stands tall and grabs attention.

“This piece was inspired by a feeling that seems to be universal, and one that I certainly feel from time to time; of being precariously balanced, juggling many things at once. It’s a reminder of the ebb and flow of life and that it can be stressful some days, but then there will be sunshine, joy and clarity again,” said Bliss.

Lee Leuning and Sherri Treeby of Aberdeen, South Dakota work in bronze and their approach brings high realism to their “Americana” sculptures. This year, the duo has two sculptures featured on the Sculpture Walk. The first is Paperboy, which depicts a young man delivering the newspaper to subscribers in the dead of winter, so he’s bundled up, but still grinning with pride in his aim. Their second sculpture is Hey, Mary Lou!. This one shows a young football hero finally making a big play. He has made it around the end and down the sidelines when he is distracted by cheerleader, Mary Lou.

“We create bronze figurative sculptures that capture a moment in time. We are detail oriented in our work, which is meant to convey emotion and spark emotion,” said Leuning and Treeby.

The Sculpture Walk is a year-long exhibit of juried, outdoor sculptures in Downtown St. Joseph. This year’s 15 sculptures feature stunning works of art created by artists from across North America, including pieces by Missouri sculptors. Viewers of the sculpture walk are encouraged to vote for their favorite sculpture by completing the ballot found in the walking tour brochure and dropping it off in one of the ballot boxes downtown or by dropping it off at the Allied Arts office, 118 S. 8th Street, or the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau, 911 Frederick Avenue.

Everyone is invited to join in the guided “First Walk” on Wednesday, June 12. Walkers will meet at the corner of 4th and Felix at 6:30 p.m. The event is free!

This Allied Arts Council program is made possible through a partnership with the City of St. Joseph, the St. Joseph Downtown Community Improvement District, business sponsors, and Friends of the Sculpture Walk.

For more information visit the Allied Arts Council’s website, www.stjoearts.org, or contact Jessica Agnew at [email protected], or 816-233-0231.