One popular dolphin statue in 麻豆精选 will soon be joined by another.
Sculptor Robert Dow Reid waterproofed one of his old statues, a black three-dolphin piece titled Harmony, to sit outside of the Dolphins鈥� highrise on Sunset Drive.
The 4.6 metre-tall statue adds more dolphins near the already popular white dolphin sculpture called Rhapsody on display at the entrance to Waterfront Park.
The fibreglass structure was originally placed in the Grand Okanagan, before being offered by the Delta Grand to the Dolphin building after the sculpture didn鈥檛 suit the renovations which took place a few years ago.
The statue is worth more than $100,000 and was given to the highrise for free.
According to Dolphin strata member Clifford Ames, 鈥淩eid鈥檚 restored it at his own cost and he鈥檚 really done a marvellous job.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 being placed so it鈥檚 part of the landscape of Waterfront Park,鈥� he said, adding the statue will also be lit at night.
Residents of the building have also put funds towards the base and lighting of the statue.
鈥淭he people in the Dolphins have been really supportive. It鈥檚 going to enhance the Dolphins. How many buildings have an original piece of art?鈥� said Ames.
Harmony鈥檚 unveiling date has yet to be determined.
There鈥檚 a certain distinguishable look to Reid鈥檚 art, whose sculptures sit at various places around 麻豆精选, Regina, Vancouver, Surrey and in 麻豆精选鈥檚 sister city, Kasugai, Japan.
His statues are smooth and feature birds and sea creatures which comes from his past experience being on the ocean.
鈥淒olphins are very gregarious, as most humans are. They鈥檙e fun loving, they have an affinity with sailors and they鈥檙e loved all over the world. So what a nice thing for a tourist town like 麻豆精选 to have, a sculpture that represents all these things,鈥� said Reid.
Reid explained there鈥檚 triangulation throughout Rhapsody, each dolphin is connected and supported through three points.
He attributes his technical skills to the time he spent as a marine engineer apprentice in the Scotland shipyards. Reid remembered his early beginnings, carving sculptures out of cow horn. He was always handy with his hands, showing a tiny copper anvil he made while working in the shipyards.
Born in Glasgow, in 1933, he followed in his grandfather鈥檚 sea captain footsteps after deciding engineering wasn鈥檛 for him.
He jumped onboard a ship destined for the Southern Ocean and the seven-month trip turned into a seven-year-long career.
鈥淎 lot of my work is inspired by being at sea. I mean I lived on the Island of South Georgia at the whaling station. I spent part of two years on the island and there was lots of seals and penguins and stuff like that. So that became an introduction into that with the ivory,鈥� said Reid.
鈥淭hen I was working with the ivory鈥� people forget it was 1950 and that was still after the war and half of Europe was starving and we sold whale meat to eat,鈥� he said.
Reid and his wife, Isobel immigrated to Canada in 1968 and he worked in Regina for six years for the Saskatchewan government, testing farm machinery.
His sculpting career took off after the federal government offered to show his work in Los Angeles.
He quit his old job, came home to his wife, Isobel and brought her the news he would be a sculptor full time.
鈥淭he first words out of her mouth were 鈥榶ou鈥檒l flood the market,鈥欌�� he laughed.
The family moved to 麻豆精选鈥檚 Mission area in 1964, purchasing his house on three and a half acres of land. He lived there with Isobel and his three children, Lesley, Kenneth and Allan.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a struggle, but you鈥檙e working for yourself,鈥� he said.
To create large pieces, Reid carves wooden models of his big sculptures first, preferring it over pen and paper.
鈥淚 gave up drawing years and years ago. You see this as three dimensional; a drawing is two dimensional,鈥� he said.
Reid鈥檚 other notable work includes The Spirit of Sails or The Sails, 麻豆精选鈥檚 most famous landmark. In 2013, he was awarded with the Okanagan Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement.
