It鈥檚 been a relationship forged in bronze.
Don Begg and his wife Shirley have worked side-by-side for 54 years at Studio West Bronze Foundry & Art Gallery, their vast space in Cochrane, Alta., northwest of Calgary.
Their combined works include 160 statues on display throughout Canada, the United States, Germany and France. Hundreds of other smaller pieces have been created for private collectors.
鈥淪he鈥檒l get in there and do anything that is possible. She鈥檒l work on one leg on one side and I鈥檒l work on the other leg on the other side. We鈥檝e worked together for all of our life,鈥� Begg told The Canadian Press in an interview.
Among those are the 430-kilogram bronze statue of hockey great Wayne Gretzky holding the Stanley Cup over his head. That piece was on display at Rexall Place in Edmonton and then given a facelift before being placed downtown at Rogers Place, now the Oilers鈥� home arena.
Their most recent high-profile creation was a 2 1/2-metre bronze rifleman, weighing 450-kilograms, dedicated to the soldiers from the Royal Regina Rifles. It was unveiled by Princess Anne in June at la Place des Canadiens in Bretteville-l鈥橭rgueilleuse in France, near the beaches of Normandy.
It took nine months to complete and cost $300,000.
鈥淚t was a real honour to be asked to do it and when the fella phoned and said 鈥楢re you interested?鈥� I didn鈥檛 even think about it for more than a millionth of a second. I said, 鈥楢bsolutely. We鈥檙e in,鈥欌�� Begg said.
鈥淲hat we kind of specialize in is realistic sculptures.鈥�
The massive model of the rifleman, covered with an inch of clay over a metal frame, sits in the workshop.
Others include a First World War soldier and the first immigrants to Western Canada represented by a man in a bowler hat, a woman in a fancy hat, a boy and a girl with pigtails.
The couple has also specialized in creating Indigenous figures, including a more than three-metre statue of Sitting Eagle, the chief of the Stoney First Nation, in downtown Calgary.
Begg says he is equally proud of all their works.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e all favourites. You learn something about every piece and we do bronze work that鈥檚 going to last for a thousand years, so you always want to do your very best that you can because you won鈥檛 be around forever to make excuses,鈥� he said with a chuckle.
Shirley Begg said they won鈥檛 ever settle for second-best.
鈥淧erfect is good enough. Actually if you were here all day you would hear that perfect is good enough,鈥� she said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no seconds. There鈥檚 no redo. Perfect is what we aim for and it鈥檚 the only thing that is acceptable.鈥�
In the forge itself, a molten brew of brass ingots bubbles in the crucible before the lava-like liquid is carefully poured into the ceramic shell of the statue.
It鈥檚 backbreaking work but Begg said with the use of cranes attached to the ceiling he鈥檚 still managing.
鈥淢aybe another 25 years,鈥� he said.
鈥淢aybe 30. No desire to retire.鈥�
Other works include identical statues of Northwest Mounted Police Commissioner James Macleod in both Calgary and Ottawa, four larger-than-life statues of four fallen RCMP officers in Mayerthorpe, Alta. and one depicting Nellie McClung circa 1929, as a member of the 鈥淔amous Five鈥� who endeavoured to make women 鈥減ersons鈥� under the law.
Begg is to receive the Alberta Order of Excellence in October to celebrate women and men 鈥渨ho have contributed so much for the greater good.鈥�
鈥淲hen they talk about we have about four million people in Alberta now鈥nd they only have about 220 of them鈥hat鈥檚 quite an honour in itself. I鈥檓 looking forward to it,鈥� he said.
But in the meantime, he has plenty to do before that happens.
鈥淧robably have about 80 bronzes on order right now so we just keeping plugging away.鈥�
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Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press
