Our Projects: J.P. Patches and Gertrude go Bronze to raise funds for Children's Hospital!
Kids growing up in the Northwest counted on J.P. Patches to put them in the mood for fun each morning before school from 1958 to 1981. Gertrude and all of her/his alter egos filled the show with guest characters. Today, J.P.'s carpenter Carl Lovgren and author Bryan Johnston are leading a team to honor these characters with a bronze statue which will include a coin bank collecting donations for Children's Hospital, J.P.'s favorite charity.
To learn more about the project, go to www.JPPatches.com. We made our goal and the statue has been installed. $80,000 in excess was donated to Childrens Hospital, Chris Wedes' favorite charity.
Check out the Photo Chronology of the Sculpture Progress:
Our Heroes who earned their places in history!
Thanks to our artist's connection to our heroes and his genius for capturing personalities we're going to have a wonderful dynamic tribute to our heroes. It's called "Late for the Interurban" since it will be near the "Waiting for the Interurban" statue. The sculpture captures the zany energy we remember JP and Gertrude for.
Our sculptor Kevin Pettelle is a Patches Pal! You can be luckier than that! Here he is with Fabulous Bob Newman (Gertrude)
His wife and muse, Su Pettelle, gets in on the action - mugging with Chris Wedes (J.P. himself)
The statue, including the ICU2TV, will collect donations for Children's Hospital - JP's favorite charity, so please give generously so we get this statue working for Children's. Any extra money raised beyond the cost of the statue installation will go to Children's Hospital, which will make Chris Wedes and Bob Newman immensely happy. (From the book JP Patches*NORTHWEST ICON* by Bryan Johnston and Julius Pierpont Patches)
For inspiration, Kevin pulled frames like these from the few recorded episodes of the show.
JP leaping
JP dancing with Ketchikan the Animal Man
To determine life size dimensions and clothing details, project leader Bryan Johnston dressed up as JP and project founder Carl Lovgren dressed up as Gertrude
Now for the details of making such a sculpture.
Make a small maquette to get the ideas worked out.
Figure out from the sketch and Maquette where the armature will go.
Make a sturdy armature that will hold the clay
Start slapping on the clay, giving our heroes their youthful figures back.
Sculpt their heads and faces using old images to keep them forever young - like us!
Give them their dynamic clothes - first in rough form, then in increasing detail.
Then run the half size sculpture by the experts to see if they feel represented. It is a rare opportunity to have the subjects of a statue available to consult on their own images. Both Chris Wedes and Bob Newman have been great to work with. They are both completely modest about their personal importance and yet they are enthusiastic about helping to accurately portray their characters as a further gift to the kids of Seattle and to Children's Hospital.
