This story is jointly published by nonprofits Amplify Utah and The Salt Lake Tribune, in collaboration with Salt Lake Community College, to elevate diverse perspectives in local media through student journalism.
Dispersed throughout the Peace and Justice Garden stand various relics designed to represent and foster tranquility at Salt Lake Community College.
As water flows through a cement channel in the garden, located on the college’s South City Campus at 1535 S. Edison St. in Salt Lake City, the SLCC community can discover a haven that features five four-sided peace posts with a hopeful message, six statues of prominent women in history, a mural and a large volumetric metal work.
Iconic trailblazers in U.S. history
The statues took a year to complete and were installed in June, thanks to an anonymous donor. The statues were made by Stan Watts and Tami Brooks of Atlas Bronze Casting.
“I love reading biographies. There are so many women in our history,” said Brooks, who developed her talents in oil painting and drawing before switching to sculpture. “When you get an inspiration, you have to be passionate about it.”
The women depicted are: Abolitionist Harriet Tubman, aviator Amelia Earhart, journalist and activist Ida B. Wells-Barnett, educator Helen Keller, civil-rights activist Rosa Parks, and Sacagawea, who accompanied the Lewis & Clark expedition through the West.
Several of the women depicted persevered against all odds to develop their capabilities and skills. While discussing the inspiration behind these women, Brooks explained how their stories possess a mythological feel.
“There are these women — in spite of everything going against them, with no privilege — everything was pushing them away from developing their gifts or talents. If I had to come up with a logo, it would be the phoenix,” Brooks said. “Everything was against them, burned down to the ground, and they come back and make themselves. It’s so inspirational. …
“Today, we think, ‘Oh, we’re having such a hard day’ and it’s nothing compared to a hard day for a Black woman between the time period of the Civil War into civil rights. These women created and did amazing things. They had so much grit,” Brooks continued.
Depicting famous figures accurately
Using textbooks to get accurate measurements and proportions for body parts, Watts and Brooks created drafts freehand and shared ideas based on what each other sees in the photos they have printed.
“We print off a ton of pictures of every angle we can get. We zoom in. It’s drawing in 3D. We measure a lot. We have a book, ‘Human Proportions for Artists’ by Avard Fairbanks. He did all the measuring of human anatomy,” Brooks said.
Brooks made an analogy of a photo to a painting when describing the difference between a photo and a statue.
“If [a subject] is computer-generated or a mold, you put on a wax figure. There is something uncanny about it. It just feels weird. It feels more like a doll,” Brooks said. “I’ve seen sculptures in parks, and you can tell they just put a wax figure in an outfit and poured a mold over it. And the fabric looks kind of wet. It doesn’t have that feeling of art like an impressionist painting versus a photo. They are different media.”
Watts, who has been making bronze monuments and statues for almost half a century, serves as the chronicler and is a perfectionist for ensuring they get the history correct.
“I’m a stickler for that. You’re not really doing just the statue, you’re also recording history in terms of a period of time and what they are wearing,” he said.
James Walton, the college’s gallery and art collection specialist, said SLCC hopes to have plaques describing the statues fabricated and installed.
Peace poles, a mural and more
• The Peace Pole Project, started in Japan more than 50 years ago, plants poles worldwide to support of a universal message of peace and foster a grassroots movement for global peace and consciousness. The poles, first installed in SLCC’s garden in May 2022, display the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in several languages.
• Roots Art Kollective — owned by SLCC alumni Miguel Galaz, Alan Ochoa, and Luis Novoa — painted the mural commissioned by SLCC in August 2022. A spray paint and acrylic on panel, the mural depicts a hand holding a flower and a monarch butterfly in view. Titled “Respira y Inspira” — “Breathe and Inspire” in English — the mural spans 138 inches tall by 288 inches wide. Roots Art Kollective’s mission is to “expand public art to create vibrant environments that allow people to learn about the cultures that enrich our communities.”
• An 8-foot, 4¾-inch volumetric metal sculpture, “Intent,” was acquired and installed in the garden in 2020. It’s the creation of Nathan Brimhall, a University of Utah graduate. According to his website, Enembe, Brimhall loves the three-dimensional experience in sculpting. He writes that “feelings can change as one’s perspective does. Each interaction may lead to new discoveries. The light, time of day, weather and seasons can bring new insights. I love the universality of it. I find my ‘favorite’ perspective often changes with time.”
A tranquil retreat
Yamileth Rivera, a freshman videography student, said she visits the garden to study. The area, she said, provides a pleasant retreat where she can unwind and relax.
“I just like being out here. It’s really peaceful,” Rivera said. “I like hearing the water and having all the trees around here. It’s a nature moment. Just to get away. I think it is really nice to be out here and take a breather.”
A plaque located in the garden summarizes the goal of the Peace and Justice Garden: “A peaceful space for art, justice, civil dialogue and community healing.”
Teresa Chaikowsky wrote this story as a journalism student at Salt Lake Community College. It is published as part of a collaborative including nonprofits Amplify Utah and The Salt Lake Tribune.
