Sculptor John Leon recently completed “A Peaceable Kingdom”, a wood-carved, bas-relief sculpture for the reredos in the Centennial Chapel of Christ Church Cathedral, 4th Street, downtown.
John’s piece consists of five separate panels made of basswood, filled with symbolism. The impressive work is five-and-a-half feet tall, spans about seven feet and took 13 months to complete.
His primary source of inspiration for the imagery was Isaiah 11, prophesying the coming of peace, love, and prosperity for the world. The lyrics to “Down By the Riverside” brought out an emphasis on peace vs. war. The middle area symbolically depics the baptism of Christ. The Tree of Life is surrounded with dancers, representing celebratory humanity. Two shorter panels alongside the center section depict a sword being beaten into a plowshare and broken spears being forged into pruning hooks.
John Leon is a sculptor who works primarily in bronze, stone, and wood. Since 1980 he has created awards, plaques, portrait busts, and monuments for public, private, and corporate patrons; plus a large body of personal works totaling over five hundred bronzes, forty carvings in stone & wood, and works in gypsum, ceramics, resin, & steel that can be found on five continents.
Story Telling Artist 