Avard T. Fairbanks created many dozens of medals, medallions and reliefs during his long career. This book illustrates the diversity of his work, and gives some instructional information about them. An idealistic and comprehensive definition of Art is: An Endeavor Towards Perfection. The purpose of all fine arts is a means of communication, and the finer the art, the more effective is the communication. The purpose is to render a message, an impression, or a mood to an observer and to the observing public. Relief sculpture, fortunately offers better opportunities to present messages and transmit concepts more readily about persons, events, or emotions than free standing statuary, because there is usually a printed message or title. It can express moments in history or individual accomplishments. In addition, there is an opportunity to compose a story or explain an event with figures, symbols or by lettered words in the background or along the composition's borders. More than 150 photos and illustrations.
About the Author: Eugene Fox Fairbanks, the second son of Maude Fox and Avard T. Fairbanks, was born 1921 in Eugene, Oregon. He was involved in the studio at an early age. When the family was in Florence Italy, he modeled his first sculpture under the direction of Dante Sodini, one of Italy's most famous sculptors at that time. When Sculptor Avard Fairbanks was appointed to the faculty of the University of Michigan in 1930, his sons often helped at the studio. They did some modeling, assisted the plaster caster, retouched casts, and were taught photography for sculpture. There was a progressive increased expectation in skill and responsibility. This continued from grade school through high school and into college. An older brother chose engineering as a vocation. Younger brothers studied engineering, art, and medicine. Eugene chose to study medicine. He married Florence Sundwall in 1944 in his last year at the University of Michigan Medical School, and graduated in 1945. He interned at Wayne County General Hospital near Detroit, Michigan. Subsequently, he served in the Army Medical Corps as a transport surgeon on a troop transport which sailed from the Seattle Port of Embarkation. Following military service he practiced medicine as a family physician in Pasco and Kennewick, Washington. After an Anesthesiology residency in Seattle, he moved to Bellingham, Washington, and practiced Anesthesiology and Family Practice. He was certified as a diplomat of the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American Board of Family Physicians. In 1995 he was asked to create a heroic bronze monument honoring fishermen of Bellingham who have been lost at sea. This was titled 'A Safe Return, ' and was dedicated on Memorial Day 1999 in Zuanich Point Park in Bellingham, Washington. With Dr. Charles J. Flora he co-authored an invertebrate marine biology species identification handbook for the shores of Pacific Northwest ocean and Salish Sea (Puget Sound), titled The Sound and The Sea, published in 1966 and 1977. Over many years he collected photographs of Avard Fairbanks' sculpture for a series of books about the work of his father, and documentary and instructional books about the work and teaching of his father. There are now ten books in the series.