Georgia Gerber Sculpture to memorialize Terry Reim

Georgia Gerber Sculpture
The News Tribune
by CHRISTIAN HILL

University Place leader's spirit lives on in sculpture

The spirit that led Terry Reim to become one of University Place's biggest supporters is imbued in a bronze duck sculpture that will soon be dedicated in his honor at a place that was still a civic dream when he died.

Reim and his friend Dixie Harris founded the Duck Parade about a decade ago to generate foot traffic for a farmers market, another of their initiatives from the same period. While the farmers market is gone for now, the Duck Daze event continues each June, with participants dressing up like ducks to celebrate the end of the rainy season.

The affinity between Reim and the waterfowl doesn't end there. Like a duck paddling in water, those who knew him say he worked tirelessly while yielding results that looked effortless.

Reim's widow, Ruthann Reim McCaffree, said his mantra was to "move ahead and get things done."

"He was intense and complicated," she said. "He loved this community."

Reim was a strong proponent of University Place's incorporation and wanted to grow the tax base of the fledgling city - a goal officials aim to realize when their Town Center project finally opens on Bridgeport Way.

Plans for Town Center were just starting to take shape when Reim died at age 61 in April 2003. He fell off a ladder while remodeling his home.

Reim couldn't have anticipated that a sculpture built in his honor would be one of the first completed pieces of the development.

The first major tenant arrives in February, when The Pierce County Library System plans to open its new 15,000-square-foot library inside a civic building.

Meanwhile, construction continues on that building, which also will feature the future City Hall, ground-floor retail space and underground parking. The city also plans to sell about a dozen lots slated for mixed-use development around the building.

Drawing on his background as a developer and home builder, Reim led the city's economic development task force and its local chamber of commerce.

Councilman Ken Grassi recalled that Reim once promised cherries at the farmers market. When the vendor couldn't make it, Reim drove to Eastern Washington to pick up the cherries, drove back and ran the booth himself.

"He was a man of his word," Grassi said. "If he said it, he would do it, no matter what it took."

The sculpture captures Reim's deliberative manner, featuring a 41/2-foot-high male duck marching forward with a young duck on his back, its wings held out to keep balance. Walking beside the male duck is another duckling.

The nonprofit group UP for Art, working with Reim's widow and the city, commissioned sculptor Georgia Gerber to create the piece after an open competition.

The sculpture's cost is $30,000. UP for Art and the Terry Reim Memorial Fund donated $15,000. The city is contributing the remaining half from a state grant dedicated for the market square development.

Gerber, a sculptor from Whidbey Island, said the statue symbolizes Reim's drive and the whimsy of the events he helped create. She said her work also touches on themes of family and is "for the public to enjoy forever and embrace as a part of their community."

Reim McCaffree is pleased with Gerber's work. "I can't say enough about her. She took it to the whole next level."

The Reims were fixtures in University Place for the better part of their 40-year marriage, well before UP became a city in 1995.

The couple rented a home there in 1965, after Terry was drafted and ordered to report to Fort Lewis. After he completed his military service, the couple returned in 1968 to raise their family.

Reim McCaffree said the sculpture can be a metaphor for the city of nearly 31,000 residents.

"We're scrambling ... We're working hard to become a top-notch city for the people who live here and come here," she said. "I think the duck symbolizes that spirit, as well."




If you like ducks or other waterfowl we can help. At bigbronze.com we have a great selection of wild bird sculptures and fountains at wholesale pricing. We can also do custom pieces upon request if you'd like something bigger, like the piece by Ms. Gerber. You can see all our available pieces here!


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Buying Bronze Sculpture 101: Accent or Impact?

When you make the decision to purchase a bronze sculpture, statue, or fountain the most important question to ask yourself is, "What am I going for?" This simple question can go a long way to helping you narrow down your search and make the process much less stressful. There's basically two trains of thought, " Do I want a subtle yet pleasing accent or do I want to make an impact!?" You should sit down and take a look at your specific need to figure this out. A small garden with a water feature? You may want to get a piece like the heron, pictured, that will add beauty yet not overpower the landscape. Have a business you'd like to see get more attention? A large bronze statue like our charging bull, pictured above, would be the way to go. A piece like that is sure to get the attention of passers by as well as your clientele. A piece that large will make much more of an impact than a flat sign, no matter how fancy. And often, it's cheaper than a sign! The same holds true with a bronze fountain. Is it going to be the focal point of the space it's in or add to the overall ambience? Just a quick evaluation will help you to decide which direction you need to go in and make the buying process a good one!

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Hawaiian Hula Girls used for VH1's My Antonio

This is one of our original designs, a hawaiian aloha girl. It, and our other version, were used on the set of the VH1 reality show "My Antonio". You can see the video below. These unique sculptures are our original design. They were inspired by a famous postcard from the 60's. Since the show was filmed in Hawaii the producers thought they were a perfect fit. They are also the perfect addition to any tropical themed room, home, or hotel. These lovely ladies are just a sample of the many unique items you can find at our website, bigbronze.com.



You can see a great shot of one of our girls at the 9:36 mark of the episode.

Top Ten Reasons to Buy a Bronze Sculpture, Statue, or Fountain

10. Limited Production

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Bronze Sculpture Statue Patina Application Process

This video was taken on our last trip to the foundry. It shows part of the patina process for the bronze statues and sculptures we have. It's a very cool process as you can actually see the metal change before your eyes. People don't always realize the amount of work that goes into creating these pieces but they are all individually hand colored. Just another reason our pricing is so fantastic. You just won't find better prices for truly hand made sculptures or statues.