A life-size bronze sculpture titled A New Beginning was installed at Zuma Natural Foods on May 13.
The sculpture depicts a Victorian era woman dressed in period traveling clothes and is the creation of Mancos artist Veryl Goodnight.
The intent of the sculptures placement in Mancos is to recognize the important role history plays in our community, to help beautify the downtown area and to emphasize that Mancos is a vibrant arts community, Goodnight Trail Gallery Director Jamie Bade said in a written statement about the art.
Zuma Natural Foods recently moved to the old U.S. Forest Service building on the corner of U.S. Highway 160 and Main Avenue.
The loan of this sculpture adds a historical note to the already historical nature of our new location, Zumas owner Cynthia Klumker said in the written statement. Please stop by to view the sculpture and to see how we refurbished this long vacant building to bring out its original character.
Artist Veryl Goodnight created the life-sized sculpture as a limited edition of nine castings. Casting No. 1 is permanently displayed at the Union Pacific Railroad Museum in downtown Cheyenne, Wyo. A second casting was recently installed at the new History Colorado Center in downtown Denver.
The West was settled by strong men and by equally strong women, Goodnight said in the written statement. We owe a great deal of gratitude to the pioneers who sacrificed to create our cities, towns, ranches and farms. In the latter part of the nineteenth century, the Victorian Era ushered in a greater sense of cultural sophistication in Colorados cities and towns.
The bronze sculpture A New Beginning, depicts the arrival of the modern woman in Western society. Dressed in period traveling attire, she is surveying her new surroundings with the same can do attitude that exemplifies todays Western women.
The life-size sculpture represents a new chapter in the development of the West, as women gained a more powerful voice in shaping culture and politics. On Nov. 7, 1893, Colorado became the second state to provide women the right to vote and the first state to do so by popular vote. It was 26 years later when this same right was granted to all women by the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.
Goodnight Trail Gallery is located two blocks south of Zuma, at 100 W. Grand Ave. in Mancos. The fine art gallery offers oil paintings and bronze sculpture by Veryl Goodnight and several other very well known artists as well as Navajo jewelry, pencil drawings, photography, pottery and rugs. More of Goodnights work can be seen at www.goodnighttrailgallery.com.