Lightfoot Bust-HAMILTON, Ont.

[joveski]

hmm, i see he was born in Melbourne! small world!

[charlene]

well I guess we all have to be born somewhere..

[imported_Next_Saturday]

http://www.orilliapacket.com/Article...aspx?e=1538181

Lightfoot Lightfoot -- or bust
ARTS AND CULTURE: What a relief for hometown hero
Posted By IAN SHELTON, SPECIAL TO THE PACKET AND TIMES
Posted 3 hours ago


Gordon Lightfoot immortalized the stories he sang about. But the Hamilton artist who sculpted Lightfoot says that in his face you can read the stories of the troubadour's own life.

"Faces are like road maps that tell about a person's victories and defeats," Gino Cavicchioli said yesterday. "His (Lightfoot's) face is extremely expressive. There are so many experiences and stories in there."

For Cavicchioli, a widely commissioned artist who barely finishes one project before starting another, sculpting the Orilliaborn folk hero's bust was more

Submitted photo

Gino Cavicchioli sculpted this 350-pound bust of Orillia's own Gordon Lightfoot.

personal. Each year, he takes time out of his commissioned work to sculpt something that is, as he said, "near and dear" to him.

"Mr. Lightfoot is someone I admired my whole life. He's just an incredible poet."

Though in fact, it was not until Cavicchioli immigrated to Canada as a 13-year-old that he first heard

Lightfoot's music.

Though Born in Australia, Cavicchioli spent his formative years serving mass in a small church 24 kilometres from the Vatican, and was occasionally called up to the big show for special holidays.

He says he spent many of these years in close contact

Continued After Advertisement Below

[charlene]

here's the rest of the story:
with the works of the great classical

artists, and also soaking up the folk music of Naples, Sicily

and other regions of Italy.

He said one day, his father, who was an engineer, called from a business trip to Burlington and

informed the family that they would be relocating to the southern Ontario town. Cavicchioli said the move was a shock, one that left him struggling in a school where he didn't understand the language. But he also found something he loved in Canada's musicians.

"When I heard Gordon Lightfoot, it was a different sound, a sound I wasn't really familiar with," he said. "But it really was love at first sound."

It was also a comforting sound one afternoon in Tobermory. Having survived a stormy night on Georgian Bay in a boat that had lost power and drifted dangerously close to rocks, Cavicchioli and his friend stepped into a small tavern to eat.

"When we walked in, a folk singer was playing Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald."

"Being in safety, with the assurance of food and this national anthem playing, I nearly wept."

In September, Cavicchioli contacted Lightfoot's manager. Two months later, the two artists met and Lightfoot sat at Cavicchioli's table to be sculpted.

The result is a bust almost three times life-sized and weighing in at 350 pounds of clay, in addition to steel armature and foam filling.

Cavicchioli is pleased with his work. It is more than a replica of the singer's face, he said. "It has to feel like Gordon. It's got to have his heart and soul."

The artist certainly seems to have succeeded in that. Apart from Lightfoot's own approval, Cavicchioli said he has received praise from fans as far away as Australia.

Negotiations for the sculpture's purchase are ongoing. But wherever it ends up, Cavicchioli said he hopes to see a casting in Orillia one day.

[johnfowles]

I don't know about the rest of you but I cannot get enough of seeing this remarkable sculpture
so here is the picture of it in that Orillia Packet article
I noted that "Negotiations for the sculpture's purchase are ongoing"
Susan and I were wondering if anybody would be possibly be able to buy the original
Best of luck with the negotiations Val!!

[Gitchigumee]

Originally Posted by johnfowles

I don't know about the rest of you but I cannot get enough of seeing this remarkable sculpture

Me neither John, it's really beautiful.

My heart skips a beat each time I view it anew. I cannot imagine how impressive it must be in person.

[RM]

Just so you know: I find it "creepy". I don't like it.

[charlene]

Originally Posted by RM

Just so you know: I find it "creepy". I don't like it.

At times I too find it a bit disconcerting to look at..not sure why. Perhaps it's the hair..perhaps it's just an emotional jolt at looking at an image of an aged Lightfoot that is not a photograph..

[RM]

Originally Posted by charlene

At times I too find it a bit disconcerting to look at..not sure why.

I've just never been a fan of this type of art. There's nothing wrong with it, except that 1/2 of the torso has been removed, and the arms and legs amputated.

Just not my cup o' tea.

[jj]

Gino seems like a wonderful new friend, char...and full of talent

who could have that in their house (unless you have a Gordian mansion)? that thing is larger than my wood stove and probably weighs more

it does give me the same willies i got, at a tender age, when i first saw a deceased relative in a casket, with what i still remember as a very clay-like face...yeah, they somehow even gave him (the deceased) a nice thick head of hair

i never noticed straps like those before on Gord's black leather jacket

nice story...Tobermory is where i decided to head when Gord got ill (i guess it eventually brought good luck)...i lost my keys swimming in mid Sept on the very chilly Georgian Bay side but the water was so clear I was able to find them the next day, about 100m out...i will not buy swim trunks with pockets again

[charlene]

maybe it's the missing arms and rest of his body..
I like a man with arms and a body..

[Gitchigumee]

Originally Posted by charlene

maybe it's the missing arms and rest of his body..
I like a man with arms and a body..

it's always nice when men have all their parts, but...

I still love the bust

[charlene]

[johnfowles]

Originally Posted by Gitchigumee

I still love the bust

Is that some sort of reference to Jimmy's

Originally Posted by jj

btw, i now know what a wonder bra is...amazing

[charlene]

val sent this thru her e-mail list:

Gordon Lightfoot will Attend "L'Aquila is in my heart" Art Exhibition and the unveiling of his bust by Sculptor Gino Cavicchioli

Canadian music icon Gordon Lightfoot will be in Hamilton on September 6th from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., at Michelangelo's Banquet & Convention Center, Upper Ottawa St., to support the Hamilton Earthquake Relief Fundraiser organized by the National Congress of Italian Canadians-Hamilton District and Gino Cavicchioli.

The singer/songwriter penned many memorable Canadian classics: "If you Could Read My Mind", "Carefree Highway", "Canadian Railroad Trilogy", "Sundown" and the ever-popular "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" among many others.

This is not a concert stop for Lightfoot; he is attending to support the Hamilton Earthquake Relief and his friend Gino Cavicchioli, will officially unveil the Gordon Lightfoot portrait bust, when asked if he would please sing a song or two, he replied, "I will bring my guitar!"

Valerie Tryon, noted Canadian pianist, is a special guest at this event she will be playing 3 of her favourite musical pieces.

Other special guests are: Charles and Margaret Juravinski, Canadian Football League Stars: Matt Dunigan, John Bonk. Ben Zambiasi, Angelo Mosca, Mark DeNobile, Ex. Dir. Canadian Football Hall of Fame Museum and the Hon. Lincoln M. Alexander.

Gino Cavicchioli has donated twelve original artist's signed A/P prints which will be drawn as door prizes during the event.

The cost of admission is $10 and it includes wine and cheese reception. This event is sponsored by Michelangelo Banquet & Convention Center and the Ciancone family, The Framing Warehouse and Sterling Print Solutions.

Admission is limited to 1000 people. Tickets may be purchased from Miriam Olivieri (905-388-6434), Fabrizio Angelici (905-560-6094), Michelangelo Banquet & Convention Center on Upper Ottawa, Enzo Galano (905-528-0144).

[brink-]

Gee, I wonder who would go to that? I wonder if anyone from Corfid will attend.....nah probably not.

[charlene]

hmmm...I wonder...I wonder, wonder who....

[buzzard]

This event looked too interesting to miss and the price is certainly right. I ordered a pair of tickets today. The fellow I spoke with, Enzo, seemed quite surprised that someone from Sarnia (a couple of hours away) would be calling for tickets.
He was quite confident that they would not have difficulty selling 1,000 tickets.

Brian

[Minstrel Man]

Hey everyone:

It's been a long time since I've posted. I still lurk often though. Anyway, I picked up my tickets today. It's great to have Gord around in my neighbourhood. There's still lots of tickets left.

MM

[T.G.]

Well, hats off to Gordon again for his good heart in donating his time to this event helping people across the ocean. Perhaps not every famous musician would have been willing to lend his name to such an occasion. I look forward to seeing him there.

[SherylKat]

Originally Posted by charlene

At times I too find it a bit disconcerting to look at..not sure why. Perhaps it's the hair..perhaps it's just an emotional jolt at looking at an image of an aged Lightfoot that is not a photograph..

Wish the sculptor had used themid-to-late 70s likeness - the curly hair, the beard, like on that poster you have, Char! (Keep your doors locked, I know where you live and would be EXTREMELY TEMPTED to "requisition: it! )

At the Riverboat plaque ceremony, there was a tall, cute reporter (baby-boomer age) who had on a handmade Lightfoot t-shirt which had a large photo of Lightfoot during the mid-70s. When the ceremony concluded and I walked back into the Hazelton, I passed the reporter and said, "Like the shirt!" He replied, "So did Lightfoot. He came up to me and said, 'I wore that beard and haircut for 17 years.' " I said, "Wish he still did" and laughed. He smiled and said, "So do I!" Oh well, I wish I look like I did 30 plus years ago - don't we all...


Sheryl

[bjm7777]

Originally Posted by charlene

At times I too find it a bit disconcerting to look at..not sure why. Perhaps it's the hair..perhaps it's just an emotional jolt at looking at an image of an aged Lightfoot that is not a photograph..

Like a "life mask" (or "death mask", like the one done to Beethoven). What jars me is that the face seems alive to me - but I guess that's the point of a bust. Almost expect it to start talking......

[Minstrel Man]

Hi everyone:

I can't stay here long, but just thought I'd tell you that the earthquake relief fundraiser appearance by Gord was awesome. He played two songs acoustically, no Mic (IYCRMM, and Diamond Joe). He was literally 10 feet in front of me. I've caught it all on video tape. The whole event was casual and thoroughly enjoyable. Pictures and video to follow. I did notice Char was there to so I'm sure that she will write another of her wonderful reports. Everyone there had a chance to talk to Gord too (and get an autograph). Someone had a vinyl disc of "Lightfoot." I had my picture from Massey a few years ago. A number of touching moments. More later. Bye.

MM

[charlene]

Yep! I was there..It was wonderful! The bust is amazing and Gord loved it.
I took some very amateur video as well..and some pics. Gord was more than generous with his time after he sang two songs , staying for more than an hour signing autographs and having pics taken.
thanks to Brian for being my driver today - ever appreciated!
more later!

[jj]

thanks for attending on 'our' behalf, char, mm and brian

those are 3 wonderful smiles in that photo

and i'm sure there were 3 equally radiant ones in the audience at that moment