MEET THE ARTIST BRING 71 BOOK OF MORMON - THEMED SCULPTURES TO HEBER

Steven Neal tells us his story!

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“Meet the artist bringing 71 Book of Mormon-themed sculptures to Heber

As soon as next summer, part of the Monument of the Americas sculpture garden will open to the public. The man behind the vision has been at work on the art for almost 30 years.

Seventy-one sculptures, an 18-foot statue of Jesus, 20 massive bronze panels depicting stories from the Book of Mormon: This is just a sampling of what visitors will find at the Monument of the Americas, a project celebrating patriotism and faith that will soon sit on a hillside above the Heber Valley.

Sculptor Steve Neal said he moved to Heber after retiring from his career as a plastic surgeon specifically so he could realize his vision of the sculpture garden.

He believes the inspiration for the art came from God.

“It was more than just a passing thing – it was a very strong image in my mind,” he said. “This is what you need to do. This is a worthy project to do.”

In fidelity to that vision, he’s been hard at work for 29 years and “tens of thousands of hours,” crafting models, painstakingly molding tiny plaster faces and fundraising to make the entire sculpture garden a reality.

His home in Red Ledges, a gated community east of Heber, is full to the brim with Neal’s paintings and sculptures. A massive painting of the Last Supper runs the full width of the home’s dining room; another room is full of angel models and a golden figure of Jesus several feet tall with a lamb in his arms. Upstairs, he’s refining a cast of an angel and a child, both looking up toward heaven. The angel is modeled after one of his daughters.

All six of his daughters, plus a few grandchildren, will be depicted somewhere in the sculpture garden. And Neal said the faces of especially generous donors will be incorporated into the bronze bas-relief panels showing scenes from the Book of Mormon.”

This is from KPCW | By Grace Doerfler

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