Stogie-smoker to grace campus

By Colleen McGinness
Collegian Reporter

The overweight, cigar-toting image of one of the world’s most prominent leaders, Winston Churchill, comes to life as sculptor Heather Tritchka carefully crafts a statue to grace the campus as part of the college’s “Liberty Walk” project.

Tritchka has just recently finished a 21-inch scale model of the seven-foot statue that will be used in the Liberty Walk. The model will be cast, and the first copy will be given to the donor of the large statue, the second copy going to Mary Soames, Churchill’s youngest daughter.

Tritchka is now working on completing the seven-foot model, which, some 300 to 400 pounds of clay later, will then be sent to the foundry to be cast into the figure designed for the Liberty Walk.

Tritchka, a ’99 Hillsdale graduate and biology major, began the project in June 2001, after a few years of study under art professor Anthony Frudakis. After the college sent her to London to study famous sculptures of Churchill as well as his life, Tritchka began her undertaking with a broad base of knowledge on the qualities enabling Churchill to lead a nation.

After creating four rough clay model sketches of Churchill, the choice for the Walk was narrowed down to a likeness of Churchill leaning over his desk in his office, cigar in one hand, a pair of spectacles lying on the desk, and a crooked grin adorning his determined face.

“I wanted to convey strength and determination while still showing his humanity,” Tritchka said. “I wanted to show his humor, wit and intellect – really just the genius of the man.”

At first, the model was finished to make Churchill look rougher, more determined. After Sir Martin Gilbert, Winston’s official biographer and well-known historian, saw the statue, he thought a more effective expression would look a bit softer. The sculpture now is modeled after a the cover art of one of Gilbert’s books, entitled A Life.

“We’re trying not to collect that sort of bulldog expression most people sculpt,” Tritchka said. “ We’re trying to capture Churchill as the man he really was. We’re trying to get a more honest interpretation.”

The statue’s furniture element requires it be placed somewhere indoors, and possible plans place it inside the new student center. In the meantime, the statue will probably end up in front of Mossey Library, Tritchka said.

Tritchka’s goal is to share with viewers the qualities of a man who garnered great respect and success throughout his lifetime both as a political figure, as well as a man. One of the most memorable symbols of Churchill’s character is illustrated best in a picture taken of the man after he was captured, Tritchka said.

Churchill was traveling with a group of soldiers as a journalist when the Boers captured his group on Nov. 18, 1899. He was detained in Pretoria, where he later became one of the only prisoners to escape.

“In the picture, everyone was standing around looking defeated, while Churchill was standing tall, looking confident,” Tritchka said. “He was not easily defeated, very brave and persistent. He didn’t give up.”

After taking a sculpting class her senior year, Tritchka was hooked. Her innate talent was obvious as she began working closely alongside Frudakis for nearly two years.

Graduating at the top of her class with a Bachelor of Science degree, Tritchka took a big step when she began sculpting full time. She received a few small sculpting commissions before finally being commissioned to do the Churchill piece.

“I want to make a statement with my work,” Tritchka said. “I want people to know the little spark that makes my work good is a God-given talent. That spark of life that makes a statue come alive is God working through my hands, because I don’t know how it happens.”

Courtesy of Heather Tritchka

Heather Tritchka has made a model of the soon-to-be completed statue of Winston Churchill. The statue will eventually be placed in the new student center.