Artist creates symbolic sculpture for B-Line Trail

An eagle sculpture, WFHB’s firehouse dog Spot, the angel at Rachael’s Café and the giant guitar on the parking garage at Seventh and Walnut streets all share a common birthplace.

They were built right outside community radio WFHB’s headquarters on Fourth and
Walnut streets.

Local collaborative artist Joe LaMantia constructed those sculptures, and he’s building another angel. He builds it in the open air so passersby can join and learn.

“It becomes a classroom on the street, and tuition is free,” LaMantia said.

Once completed, the angel will be fastened to Auto Heaven Auto Parts located on the B-Line Trail.

Auto Heaven owner Chuck Forney said the angel will be a great fit for his business.

“We’re big recyclers,” Forney said. “Repurposing works well. Joe’s done some neat stuff with sustainability and recycled auto parts. It’s great.”

Split into two halves, the angel presents both a woman and a man. The faces join together in the center.

“Being whole is having both those entities,” LaMantia said. “I like that. It makes a peaceful human being.”

The angel will hold a book with a red heart in the center, and each feather on the wings will be from an Indiana license plate.

LaMantia needs more donated license plates.

Al Feitl of Ellettsville, Ind., and member No. 5947 of the Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, dropped by LaMantia’s work station to deliver a bagful of plates.

Feitl has 3,000 stored in a room above his garage, which he said was a small collection. He knows people who have 70,000 and bring small trailers to conventions.

“I haven’t been involved in an art project like this before, although I’ve seen people use license plates for birdhouses,” Feitl said. “This is a good cause, this angel.”

LaMantia said he found Feitl through a mutual acquaintance.

“I keep on telling people, networking is a type of empowerment,” LaMantia said. “People feel like a part of it, and they are. Every part is essential.”

LaMantia said he enjoys the interchanges with people and hopes to encourage them to push themselves with new opportunities.

Until the project is done, LaMantia will be outside WFHB from 9 a.m. to about 5 or 6 p.m., weather permitting, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

He will also work on the project from 9 a.m. to about 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

People can stop by to donate license plates, help cut out and put on feathers or offer a word of compassion in any language to include on the angel’s book.

“A public art piece is like this radio station,” LaMantia said. “It’s community-based, people come together to share an interest in music they like and it’s run by local people.”

Using the analogy of a boomerang, LaMantia said he tries to be ready and receptive for the idea he puts out to return with more input.

“The boomerang comes back, but not exactly to where you are,” LaMantia noted.

The idea of the angel developed further when his wife suggested he dedicate it to the late Jeanne Walters, a local realtor who was compassionate and involved in the community.

The concept of compassion solidified the design, LaMantia said.

“I realized an angel is a messenger, a symbolic icon,” LaMantia said.

He also enjoys the problem-solving aspect of projects.

For instance, he initially planned for the angel’s halo to be a bicycle wheel but realized he will need something larger.

A couple from Washington, Ind., stopped by and brainstormed with him. They mentioned that manufacturing carts have large wheels.

LaMantia hopes to have the project complete by mid-October.

People interested in contributing license plates or money can contact him through his website, lamantiastudio.com.

“It does take a village,” LaMantia said. “It wouldn’t be much fun just buying materials.”