By Tena L. Cook, Marketing Coordinator, CSC
CHADRON, Neb. — Chadron State College Art Associate Professor Trudy Denham recently completed a nearly life-size sculpture of Mary, Joseph and Jesus for a new Catholic educational building near the Assumption Arena in Chadron. The sculpture is the largest project of her career.
Denham said fellow faculty member Mary Donahue first approached her about the commission. After meeting with a planning committee, Denham began developing sketches and researching other religious sculptures in 2024, followed by about 18 months of hands-on work.
She credited the project’s committee for its support and flexibility.
“The committee was wonderful in supporting me and being willing to work with me on logistics,” she said.
Denham also worked closely with Father Todd Philipsen whom she described as passionate about both the building and the sculpture. When leadership changed near the end of the project, she said the new priest, Father Matthew Nash, was equally supportive.
To prepare for the endeavor, Denham experimented with several types of clay before consulting a supplier who recommended a sculptural clay. The material contains grog, or small particles, which improve stability during building and firing.
“You need something that has a bit of a grip to it for a large project like this,” she said.
Rather than purchasing pre-mixed clay, which can dry out within a year, Denham ordered dry powder and mixed batches with water, as needed. She covered the in-progress sculpture with large, damp fabric sheets and plastic tarps to maintain moisture throughout the process.
Constructing the piece required building a large frame, using metal rods and newspaper. She layered clay over the structure, then removed the armature once the sculpture reached the leather-hard stage.
“When everything is finished and I have the sculpture exactly the way I want it, I let it dry a bit so it can hold its own body weight,” she said.
From the beginning, the committee emphasized the importance of emotional connection among the figures, which guided Denham’s design.
“I thought of it as a family portrait,” she said. “I wanted to capture that loving embrace of the mother looking at the baby and also Joseph looking down.”
To achieve precise alignment, Denham used a rod to fasten the gaze between Mary and the infant Jesus.
“I think that kind of attention to detail brings a feeling of warmth,” she said.
Throughout the project, Denham’s students observed the process, including her moments of frustration and problem-solving. This semester, they are creating life-size clay self-portraits.
“They got to see real-life problem solving for a project,” she said. “Sometimes even small things like sketches prompted them to ask, ‘Why do I need to do this?’ Compared to theory, it was very concrete for them.”
For the final appearance, she sanded rough areas caused by the grog, refined edges and applied primer before painting. She chose a paint that resembled the natural fired clay color, a warm terra-cotta tone with a stone-like finish.
Finding models also presented challenges. After scheduling conflicts with an initial group, Denham selected new models and photographed them in staged poses. She used draped fabric to study how clothing would fall and took detailed measurements to maintain accurate facial and body proportions.
Working with an infant model proved difficult, so she used dolls as references, one for handling and another with more realistic features for close study. She later brought models back for additional photographs to capture facial details and the downward gaze central to the composition.
Some of those connections came unexpectedly. Denham spotted the model for Mary at her daughter’s dance rehearsal, while the dance instructor helped her find a model for Joseph.
The project also required daily commitment. Beginning at the end of the fall 2024 semester, Denham came to campus every day to maintain the sculpture’s moisture, including holidays.
“From that point forward, every single day I came to moisten the sculpture. Holidays, every day. On Christmas I came in and wrapped it,” she said. “That’s when I started to realize it was going to be my life for the next year.”
After months of steady work, Denham’s dedication paid off when the sculpture was completed and unveiled.
“It was very nice to see people like it,” said Denham referring to an open house at the facility where the sculpture is displayed.
She credited Donahue and the committee for their encouragement and feedback throughout the process.
“I couldn't have done it without Mary and the committee. They were a huge help. They were my cheerleaders,” she said. “Many times I asked Mary for feedback. That's how artists work, you get critiques so you can improve. It also gave me a chance to step back and critique it myself. She provided valuable insight and a lot of great advice.”
Reflecting on the experience, Denham said the project extended her beyond her comfort zone and expanded her skills.
“I’m very thankful for the opportunity. I may never be asked to do something like this again,” she said. “But it was a great experience. It challenged me in ways I probably would have never encountered otherwise. It pushed me and made me want to try something like this again.”