Jane DeDecker (born 30 August 1961) is a sculptor from

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

. She specializes in

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloid ...

work and her pieces often feature family groups or children. Statue of Harriet Tubman Ypsilanti Michigan

DeDecker was born in

Marengo, Iowa Marengo is a city in and the county seat of Iowa County, Iowa, Iowa County, Iowa, United States. It has served as the county seat since August 1845, even though it was not incorporated until July 1859. The population was 2,435 in the 2020 United ...

on 30 August 1961 and attended the

University of Northern Colorado The University of Northern Colorado (UNCO or UNC) is a public university in Greeley, Colorado, United States. It was founded in 1889 as the State Normal School of Colorado and has a long history in teacher education. The institution has offi ...

from 1979 to 1982. She initially studied painting but a teacher introduced her to sculpture and she began to study sculpting. She also studied weaving and textiles and travelled to Paris to study at the Goeblins School of Tapestry. After graduating, she was an apprentice to sculptor George Lundeen at his sculpture studio in

Loveland, Colorado Loveland is a List of cities and towns in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule municipality and the List of cities and towns in Colorado, second most populous municipality in Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Loveland is situated n ...

. She learned the techniques of bronze casting, and after two years became a master craftsman at the studio. She also worked with Robert Zimmerman at his bronze studio where she assisted in the production of bronze monuments. DeDecker has also taught sculpture courses at the Loveland Arts Academy and the Denver Arts Students League. In 2007 she became a Fellow of the

National Sculpture Society Founded in 1893, the National Sculpture Society (NSS) was the first organization of professional sculptors formed in the United States. The purpose of the organization was to promote the welfare of American sculptors, although its founding member ...

, New York, NY. In 2008, she won the C. Percival Dietsch Prize for Sculpture in the Round. In 2022, DeDecker was named as one of ''

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s Women of the Year, which recognizes women who have made a significant impact.

Selected works

Statue of Harriet Tubman A statue of Harriet Tubman created by artist Jane DeDecker honors the life of abolitionist Harriet Tubman. The bronze statue depicts Tubman walking and holding the hand of a young boy. There are several installations of identical copies of the ...

, installed in

Gainesville, Georgia Gainesville is a city and the county seat of Hall County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 42,296. Because of its large number of poultry processing plants, it has been calle ...

Ypsilanti, Michigan Ypsilanti ( ), commonly shortened to Ypsi ( ), is a college town and city located on the Huron River in Washtenaw County, Michigan, Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city's popu ...

and

Little Rock, Arkansas Little Rock is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Arkansas, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city's population was 202,591 as of the 2020 census. The six-county Central Arkan ...

* ''

Through the Shelter of Love ''Through the Shelter of Love'' is a 1994 bronze sculpture by Jane DeDecker, installed in Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and ...

'', Salt Lake City * Fountain at Cerritos Sculpture Garden,

Cerritos, California Cerritos (; Spanish for "Little hills") is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and is one of several cities that constitute the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. It was municipal corporation, incorporated on ...

* Works in the Dale Nicholson Sculpture Garden,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:DeDecker, Jane 1961 births Living people People from Marengo, Iowa University of Northern Colorado alumni 21st-century American women sculptors 21st-century American sculptors