“The statue will remind people of the history of Arizona and will promote the city at a nominal cost,” said Goode.
The Prescott City Council voted unanimously March 28 to approve $125,000 for Nebeker’s creation. The statue is funded by the Arizona Community Foundation and Friends of the Airport. The statue is expected to be placed there by April 30, 2024.
Prescott Mayor Phil Goode said the statue will be a great addition to the airport, placed in front of the new terminal. The old terminal was built in the 1940s. Prescott Airport was built in 1928 and was the second in Arizona, with Tucson having the first in 1919.
“The statue will remind people of the history of Arizona and will promote the city at a nominal cost,” said Goode. “Bill is a world-renowned sculptor. It’s fortunate that we have someone of his caliber who combines Western art and aviation.”
Nebeker said he was honored that the Art in Public Places Committee selected him. The hardest part, he said, was researching Love so he knew how to authentically portray him in bronze. “Love was an amazing young man.”
Nebeker learned that Love excelled in athletics and academics at Prescott High School. He studied engineering at Stanford for three years and was at the top of his class. He quit during his third year because of his fascination with airplanes. He was sent to flight school in San Diego.
Nebeker also learned that Love wrote home to his parents every week. Nebeker read those letters for his research, which are stored at Sharlot Hall. A book about him, written by a second-generation cousin, is in the Prescott Library.
Love was severely wounded when his plane was shot down over France. He died a few days later. This happened two months before the war ended. Love was considered to be missing in action for several months. Later, his body was buried at Arlington Cemetery.
Nebeker is known nationally for his bronze statue creations. He sculpted the one by the roundabout near Phippen Museum. He has another one on Courthouse Plaza that pays tribute to fallen officers. His statue of early settlers is in Glendale and a statue of a territorial marshal is located at the Arizona Department of Public Safety headquarters in Phoenix. He also makes coffee-table sized bronze statues.
Nebeker started working in a bronze foundry in 1967 and remained there for eight years. He has been an independent artist since that time. His work can be found at Mountain Spirit Gallery on Whiskey Row. It is also online and in galleries throughout the country. QCBN
By Ray Newton and Stan Bindell, QCBN
Photo by Stan Bindell: Bronze sculptor Bill Nebecker displays a lot of love with a miniature and larger-than-life statue of Presoctt World War I fighter pilot Ernest A. Love.
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