Celebrating 100 years of women's votes: Open house to support public sculpture Saturday
Photo by NINA CULVER Well-known artist Terry Lee stands next to his latest work-in-progress, a suffragette, to be donated to the city of Coeur d’Alene (sponsors are needed for costs — bronze is expensive). Some suffragettes sacrificed their lives to gain women the right to vote in 1920.
Renowned local artist Terry Lee’s life-size suffragette, the latest of his public art creations commissioned by the city of Coeur d’Alene, will soon be immortalized in bronze (a multistep process which takes months). While Lee’s considerable time in creating the sculpture is donated, the material costs involved run tens of thousands of dollars.
Supporters invite the public to an open house at his studio, 1506 W. Lacey Ave. in Hayden, from 2-4 p.m. Saturday.
The statue is a representation of the women who fought for their right to vote, known as suffrage. Many suffragettes endured imprisonment, assault, and in some cases, died before the vote was finally granted in 1920 by the 19th Amendment. In honor of the amendment’s 100th anniversary, the city plans to install the suffragette at a public event in August. She will join the existing statues of a logger, builder, and farmer on the terrace above McEuen Park.
Friends of Terry Lee ask those who can’t attend but wish to support the project to consider tax-deductible donations.
Checks may be made out to the City of Coeur d’Alene (please note “suffragette” on the check) and mailed or delivered to “c/o Amy Ferguson,” 710 E. Mullan Ave., Coeur d’Alene 83814.