CONTACT: Tory Olson, 515-271-1834, tory.olson@drake.edu
Not only will Jan Fleming’s book — “Grotesques in Des
Moines…Iowa and Abroad” — take readers on a worldwide journey to find
famous stonework, but it will also benefit Drake students.
All profits from Fleming’s book, which will be available
this weekend at Heart Fest 2009, an annual fine art show at Valley West Mall in
West Des Moines, will fund scholarships for fine arts students at Drake.
The festival, which began on on Saturday, Feb. 7, will continue on Sunday,
Feb. 8. Show hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
In addition, Fleming will give a presentation about
gargoyles, grotesques and green men, and will make a special appearance as a
living statue.
This spring, the book’s sequel (Book II) will be published
and its profits will also go to Drake scholarships.
Fleming, who graduated from Drake with a bachelor’s degree
in 1963 and a master’s degree in 1979, published Book I in 2005.
The book, full of nearly 200 pages of photos and commentary,
features gargoyles, grotesques, green men, chimera, griffins and commemorative
statuary throughout the world. Fleming showcases these, sometimes unnoticed,
pieces of art that adorn churches and public buildings from Des Moines to
Paris.
To purchase Book I, which is $30.95, visit www.gargoylesandgrotesques.com.
Orders for Book II and $30.95 should be sent to: Grotesque Book, 1800 Grand Ave #259,
Des Moines, IA 50265, or call 515-226-1550.