Monument to land at Pioneer Tech Pioneer Technology Center is anxiously awaiting the arrival of the bronze monument, The Power of Thought. The sculpture has been donated by Bill and Katie Bliss and is ten feet high. The Power of Thought creator, Victor Issa, currently has the piece displayed and touring areas such as New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona. The inspirational sculpture depicts the importance of technology and innovation to the progress of today. Accordingly, the fitting home for The Power of Thought will be on the Pioneer Technology Center campus. The Power of Thoughttm life-sized monument will be coming to Pioneer Technology Center in the summer of 2010 thanks to Bill and Katie Bliss. It won’t be placed however, until it has toured parts of the United States inspiring people to realize the power of every thought. “The monument itself is very fitting for education,” said Bill Bliss. “The name is Power of Thoughttm. Everything starts from thought. An original thought was the wheel and we are on to a lot more high-powered stuff now. To educate these students to learn how to think we have to stress to them that this power of thought is a big issue and they don’t want to throw any thought away because each one may be important.“ The sculptor, Victor Issa, was inspired to form the piece by the drive that has led men and women through the ages to expand the human experience. He believes the monument is an acknowledgement and a celebration of the extraordinary experience and the related achievements. “We really wanted something that represents the way Bill and I feel about education,” said Katie Bliss. “Something that would be durable and lasting that represents us and our feelings,” Bill Bliss has been hiring graduates from Pioneer Technology Center for more than 20 years. “I’ve hired people most of my working life,” said Bill. “There are so many people who aren’t ready to go into work. They need a trade or something to be able to go out and do a day’s work for a day’s pay. The tech center has such a broad educational process that I’m impressed with. We’ve gotten graduates from there that have really done well. Very dedicated students.” Katie has also been involved in education for many years. She continues to be a member of the Newkirk Education Foundation Board and has been involved in distributing scholarships and assistance to students who need help. The Bliss couple purchased a sculpture of the Power of Thought in a smaller size for their home. They chose to purchase the full-sized monument about nine months later after discussing the project with Pioneer Tech. The final decision on placement of the monument has not been made but the couple hopes it will be placed in a location that as many people can see it as possible. The monument will be touring New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona, on its way to Oklahoma. The monument is scheduled to be on display at Denver International Airport, an art show in Arizona, and the Colorado School of Mines before finishing its journey home to Ponca City. The ten foot high monument, “Power of Thoughttm,” features more than twenty details telling stories of the human journey. A wheel on the sculpture turns into a steam engine, which becomes the bullet train hurdling up a track that is being pulled by the athletic figure, and is transformed into the unraveling of a DNA sequence. The figure’s left arm is lifted up releasing the Wright flier, followed by the most beautiful aircraft ever built, the Super Sonic Transport with its sleek body and its elegantly swept wings. Below the monument are representations of architectural, engineering, scientific and artistic achievements. Included are representations of Jordan’s Petra, the Roman Coliseum, The Hoover Dam, Sydney’s Opera House, Shakespeare, Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Taj Mahal, Toronto’s CN Tower, The Great Wall of China, The Pyramids, Michelangelo’s Creation, and Rodin’s the Thinker. There are only two of the full-sized monuments currently made and the artist plans an edition of only 12 total. “I would like people to take time in their mind and consider the thought leaders of our world and country who push the envelope and put themselves at risk, or at risk of ridicule,” said Issa. “They do it because they really believe in what they are doing and as a result they make our world so much richer.” Victor Issa is one of the foremost figurative sculptors in America today, and is heralded for his remarkable ability to make bronze appear alive. His artistic hallmark “Creative Living Bronze” is the embodiment of his life-focused spirituality, respect for the human figure, love of life, passion for perfection, and undaunted perseverance. Victor has been sculpting professionally for nearly two decades. His works have been featured in shows and exhibitions across America since 1985. Victor’s sculptures are displayed in private and public collections worldwide.

Posted on Friday, December 18, 2009 (Archive on Monday, February 01, 2010) Posted by ljackson  Contributed by ljackson

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