Larger-than-life sculptures are monumental undertaking

Back when Ann Fraughton met her husband, Ed — while they were both students at the University of Utah — one of the things that drew her to him was that he thought big. "He always thought monumentally; he had monuments in his heart."

So, it doesn't surprise her at all that Ed Fraughton has created a niche for himself in the world of monumental art. "I kid him now, telling him I'm sure glad he turned out to be good. Because, you just don't know. There are a lot of people out there who want to be artists, and not all of them make it."

Fraughton started out studying to be a civil engineer, switching to sculpture when he had a chance to study with Avard Fairbanks. But he was always artistic.

Fraughton grew up in Park City, the son of parents who encouraged his early interest in art. His earliest claim to fame was winning the 1949 Milton Bradley Company's "America the Beautiful" Crayon Art Competition with a drawing of the Park City train depot. It was judged the best work done by any fourth-grader in the country.

Even back then, he says, "I was awestruck by sculpture."

Awestruck may be exactly how viewers feel when they see Fraughton's latest project — a multi-ton, 360-foot-long pioneer monument that will cover a city block and then some in Omaha, Neb.

No question that it is the largest thing Fraughton has worked on. "I've not done anything this big before, and neither has anyone else. When it is done, this will be the largest sculptured monument in North America."

The monument, commissioned by the First National Bank in Omaha, is a tribute to all the pioneers who came across the plains, whether on the Mormon Trail, the Oregon Trail or the California Trail.

Phase I, which has been in production for about four years, has just been completed. Finished pieces, which were cast by Metal Arts foundry in Lehi, were shipped to Nebraska early in September. They include a horse-drawn wagon and several pioneer figures, both walking and driving.

Phase II, currently in the clay-model stage, will add another wagon train to the tableau. The finished project will also include a section of wildlife sculpture.

Because of the scope of the monument, the client felt more than one artist should be involved. Fraughton has partnered with Blair Buswell, a sculptor based in Highland and known especially for his Western and sports figures. Texas sculptor Kent Ullberg is doing the wildlife portion of the monument, which includes stampeding buffalo as well as a flock of geese.

"The geese morph into stainless steel as they fly "through" a wall and into an atrium," Fraughton explained. "It gives it a wonderful sense of timelessness."