SOLID FOUNDATION

Date: December 24, 2007

By Daniel Lopez, The Monterey County Herald

With a pinch here and a dab of clay there, Carmel sculptor Steven Whyte is well on his way to completing his latest work of art. Earlier this year Whyte, 36, contracted with the city of Fontana to build a monument to civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

The statue, over six feet high, is a bust of King on a stack of books. It will be cast in bronze and erected at the children's library named in King's honor in the Southern California city.

The sculpture adds to Whyte's collection of public works, including the Dr. John L.V. Roberts Memorial in Seaside, numerous creations in his native England and most recently a 13-figure National Military Tribute to Bob Hope in San Diego.

Whyte said being chosen for the King project is both an honor and a challenge.

"He seems to be one of the most sought-after monuments," said Whyte.

So far the project has consumed about 100 hours of molding and shaping clay.

A professional sculptor for 15 years, Whyte got his start at age 17 when he first worked with clay in an art class.

Having dyslexia, Whyte said, "academic school work wasn't my forte," but he went on to study at the Sir Henry Doulton School of Sculpture in England.

He said he recognizes the importance of education, and the King project is symbolic of that.

"I'm really happy with the combination of the design and the location where it's going," said Whyte.

To draft the sculpture of King, Whyte worked with Fontana city leaders, including Councilwoman Acquanetta Warren.

"I'm so excited about this project because in addition to providing great education to our children, use of Dr. King's legacy provides a great introduction for children to learn nonviolence and the appreciation of diversity," Warren said in a statement.

Details in what will be Whyte's finished piece reflect the thought devoted to its creation.

The column made to resemble a stack of books that the bust will sit upon are made to resemble books King read in his education and work.

"I wanted to communicate that the books that you read are the foundation for the person you become in life," Whyte said.

The statue should be completed some time next month and in the meantime Whyte is offering to show the work in progress to the public in his gallery. The $55,000 finished product is scheduled to be unveiled in Fontana sometime in April.

Whyte's galley is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. most days and is located in Su Vecino Court on Dolores Street between 5th and 6th avenues in Carmel.

Daniel Lopez can be reached at 646-4494 or dlopez@montereyherald.com.

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