The sculpture was created by artist Charles Overman of Luray and was donated to Big Gem Park by Jim Mayes from The Warehouse Art Gallery in Luray Virgina in May 2005.
Some of his works can be seen at Performing Arts of Luray. On Zerkel Street, beside the Luray Library you will see his sculpture, “Between the Pages.”
Mr. Overman, who fabricated many large-scale projects for some of the major NYC sculptors of the 1950s and 60s before relocating to Luray.
You can find other sculptures by Mr. Overman in Luray while walking on the Luray Art Trail. A map of the Luray Art Trail can be found by visiting the following website:
https://pagevalleyartscouncil.org/luray-art-trail/
The sculpture at Big Gem Park is a silhouette of an Indian. Two sides the silhouette is facing outwards away from the center, while the other two sides are facing inwards toward the center.
We found the below article about the sculpture in a book at the Shenandoah Museum in their History room.
Art In The Park, By Melvin Mason, and Photo by Nikki Fox, Daily News Record July 19, 2005.
“Art In The Park, Stainless Steel Sculpture Stands Out At Big Gem. SHENANDOAH- Among all the greenery, trees and pond at Big Gem park, it stands out.
A 14-foot stainless steel piece doesn’t seem to be quite in line with what is normally found in a park.
But the latest addition to the town park has been an interesting discussion piece.
The standing steel abstract sculpture is actually a “prayer wheel” Its four sides reflect the face of Shenandoah, which means daughter of the stars,” the Indian maiden for who the town is named. It’s been in the park off U.S. 340 since Memorial Day weekend.
Prayer Wheel Says Thank You
Artist Charles von Overman, a resident of Luray, put the piece together over three weeks at the Warehouse Art Gallery in Luray. The gallery and the Newport-Grove Hill Ruritan Club donated money for the sculpture’s materials.
The wheel, also called “bright star,” he says, symbolizes how Indian tribes pray to the north, south, east and west. A 4-foot wheel will be added to the top of the piece later.
“It’s to say a prayer to the mountain, and to say thank you to the mountain for the park,” said Overman, 53.
“I tried to tie it all together, so [people] will come there and be outside with nature,” he added. “It has to do with permanency It’s there forever.”
Jim Mayes, owner of the Warehouse gallery and a member of the Ruritan club, said the club wanted to donate something different than a bench or trash cans.
“We wanted to do something different,” Mayes said.
Steel Part of Big Gem’s History
Dane Buse, the park’s manager, said the work has raised the eyebrows of some visitors. “It’s a really interesting piece,” Buse said, noting that some wonder what it is. “It’s generated a lot of discussion.”
Although steel may not seem to fit with the park at first glance, the town has a history with metal. Big Gem park is the former site of the Big Gem Cast Iron Furnace, an iron ore foundry. Luken’s Steel donated the 68-acre Big Gem tract to the town in 1995.
For three years the town has worked to turn the woodland plot into a community park. Big Gem already has a gazebo and benches. The town plans to build an amphitheater, baseball diamonds and trails. ----- contact Melvin Mason at 5746273 or
