- Sculptor, November Sprinter, 1976
- Sculptor, in collaboration with Weltzin Blix, Sprague Fountain, 1979
About Morandi
Tom Morandi’s interest in art began early in life, when as a young child he observed his mother drawing. His fascination with metal sculpture started in college as a student. He moved to La Grande, Oregon in 1971, after accepting a teaching position at Eastern Oregon University. Once in Oregon, like many other artists, he balanced teaching with commissioned works. In 1974, he held an exhibition of his sculpture at Arlene Schnitzer’s Fountain Gallery in Portland, where he met Weltzin “Bill” Blix, who would become a collaborator, friend, and someone with whom he shared a “visual fluency.”
In the recording, Morandi discusses his artistic career, but focuses primarily on two works in Salem – November Sprinter and Sprague Fountain. The latter was a partnership between Morandi and Blix. Much of the interview centers on the conceptualization, creation and installation of November Sprinter.
In 1976, Morandi’s proposal for a new sculpture at the south entrance to the Oregon State Capitol was selected, becoming the first major commission under the Percent for Art program. He describes in detail how his concept for the sculpture evolved from the proposal to what is visible today, including the construction and installation of the piece. Morandi speaks repeatedly about the importance of visual language and that everything in the work has been seen by people before, just not in that particular arrangement. He refers to the sculpture as “the Salem piece,” but shares that he was asked to title it. As he shares, “It seemed appropriate to call it November Sprinter. November being election month. Politicians wanting to get elected tend to jack up their game a little over the last few days. Hence, November Sprinter, relative to, let’s say political aspirations.”
– Interview recorded June 27, 2024