PRESERVING THE PAST...INSPIRING THE FUTURE!
"I WANT TO FLY"
By Steve Stanford
Friday, October 21, 2022, was a sunny but breezy fall day, a bit cool, yet perfect for welcoming our latest addition to the museum. Clint Hansen’s sculpture “I Want to Fly” was dedicated at the entrance to the main museum building. His piece representing a folded paper airplane soaring into the sky provides a perfect welcome for our guests with its images of WACO history and children imagining flight.
Of the artwork, Mr. Hansen tells us “I grew up with a fascination and love for airplanes, especially vintage biplanes. My father was a pilot and so is my son, maybe someday I will finally get my license as well. As an artist with over 30 years of experience, many of my pieces involve flying. It was a desire to share that childlike passion for the airplane that inspired the sculpture. The paper airplane is a toy we all played with, dreaming we too were flying like those we'd watch crossing the skies. I guess I've never outgrown those dreams. Some of my illustrations are part of the sculpture, attempting to visually communicate the wonder of flight and the machines that make that happen.”
“I enjoy creating stained glass, but for a public art sculpture, actual glass would be too dangerous, so the option of UV-protected acrylic panels was chosen. For the same reason, instead of the traditional lead came found in stained glass, aluminum and zinc were soldered together to create the frame. It is an honor and a pleasure to know the sculpture has found its home at the museum.”
The piece was originally part of Troy, Ohio’s Sculptures on the Square program for 2021. The theme of that year’s event was “Take Flight”. This piece sat outside of Dungan & LeFevre Law Offices at 210 W. Main Street. In a joint effort, Dungan & LeFevre and the National Aviation Heritage Area (NAHA) acquired the sculpture and donated the piece to the museum where it now greets our guests. Representatives from Dungan & LeFevre, NAHA, Miami County Visitor Bureau, the Sculptures on the Square program, and Troy Main Street were present with members from the WACO Board of Directors for the dedication and unveiling.
On behalf of the WACO Museum and our Board of Directors, we extend our gratitude to Dungan & LeFevre and NAHA for their gift of “I Want to Fly” to the museum!
"I WANT TO FLY"
Sculpture Delivered to WACO
On Friday, October 21, 2022, Clint Hansen’s sculpture was delivered to its new home, WACO Air Museum. “Take Flight” sat outside Dungan & LeFevre Law Offices as part of the Sculptures on the Square Program in 2021. In a joint effort, Dungan & LeFevre and NAHA (National Aviation Heritage Area) are donating the piece to the museum, where it will greet guests with the WACO-themed 7 ft. high metal version of a paper airplane. At 1:30 pm, representatives from Dungan & LeFevre, NAHA, Miami County Visitor Bureau, Troy Main Street, and WACO will all be present for a photo op and for questions.
WACO Air Museum & Learning Center, 1865 S. County Rd. 25A, Troy, OH 45373 - 937-335-9226
