Messiah Painted, Cast Aluminum Processional Cross

MT. IRON - Messiah Lutheran Church is holding the dedication of a new processional cross on Sunday, Dec. 1, at 10 a.m. The public is invited.

The processional cross is an original wood carving by local artist Gareth Andrews of Zim, MN. Messiah commissioned Andrews to carve a cross that would display the eight core stories of the Bible on the arms of the cross. The cross is being given by Messiah member Jack Mattila, in memory of his wife, Peggy Mattila.

Gareth Andrews will be the guest speaker during morning worship  to explain the connection between the carvings on the cross and the stories they represent. A reception will follow the service. Messiah Lutheran Church is located at 8590 Enterprise Drive South off of Highway 53 in Mountain Iron. 

St. Paul--The 175-pound miniature model of "Shoulder to Shoulder, Even the Fallen Stand Tall" Iron Range Veterans Memorial was dedicated on May 16th in the Governor's Office at the State Capitol in St. Paul. 

Governor Mark Dayton, Senators Tom Bakk and Dave Tomassoni, St. Louis County Commissioner Keith Nelson, Tom and Lori Berrigan of the Iron Range Veterans Memorial Committee, members of the Iron Mining Association, and others took part in the dedication ceremony.

The maquette was the model used to create the full size, 27 foot long sculpture that now stands in Virginia's Veterans Memorial Park. It shows an eagle with its wings wrapped protectively around eight servicemen and women.

A $50,000 donation from the Iron Mining Association last month to the Iron Range Veterans Memorial Committee helped pay off the final costs associated with creating the memorial and made it possible for the miniature model to be delivered to the State Capitol. It will be displayed in the governor's reception area as a gift to all Minnesotans in honor of the men and women of the armed forces as well as the state's iron miners whose hard work and sacrifices contributed to the Allied victories in two World Wars and subsequent wars in the 20th century.

Gareth Andrews' sculpture will be featured at the Cornerstone Gallery of Fine Art Grand Opening Gala, March 22-31, 2013, Reception Friday, March 22, 6:00-9:00 p.m., at 175 S. Main Street, Suite 100, Salt Lake City, Utah  84111. Parking is available. Call the Cornerstone Gallery of Fine Art at 801-441-1900 for more information

Gareth Andrews has been selected to receive the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council's 15th Annual George Morrison Artist Award. This award recognizes an individual artist whose body of work has made a significant contribution to the arts over an extended period of time. This award is named for the internationally acclaimed visual artist George Morrison who was an important member of the second generation of American abstract expressionist artists and was heralded for successfully synthesizing American Indian themes with abstraction and surrealism. Morrison was a long time resident of the Arrowhead Region.

"Shoulder to Shoulder" will be dedicated on August 25, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. Bring a lawn chair.