Four finalists picked to vie for D.C. statue

Friday, Oct. 10, 2003 | 9:55 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- Four artists, including one from Nevada, have been selected as finalists to create a bronze sculpture of Indian leader Sarah Winnemucca to represent Nevada in the National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol.

A six-member Statue Selection Committee chose Sarah Sweetwater of Elko, Gareth Curtiss of Olympia, Wash., Ed Dwight of Denver and Benjamin Victor of Aberdeen, S.D., as finalists.

State Librarian Sara Jones said Wednesday there were 16 applications, and the finalists were selected based on their background and slides of their work. The finalists will each create a small-scale version of the proposed statue, and the winner will be chosen Feb. 20.

Jones said the Nevada Women's History Project has raised about $70,000 in private donations and has a target of $100,000 to complete the project.

Each state is allowed two statues in the national hall, but Nevada has only one -- former Sen. Pat McCarran. The 2001 Legislature passed a bill designating Sarah Winnemucca as the state's second statue.

To make a donation to the Nevada Women's History Project call (702) 456 9242.