Perry Study Club hosts regular meeting

Perry Study Club met on Nov.1 at the sculpting studio of local artist, Jim Franklin, with 16 members present and two guests.

Renee Bisher was introduced as a new member. Hostesses were Patti Sylvester and Marilyn Branen. Former members Ann Pollman and Elham Shaheen were welcomed as guests.

Franklin came to Perry in 1980 and worked at Ditch Witch for 20 years. Sculpting was just a hobby with him at first, but now it is a full-time business with pieces of his work present in Perry and all over the United States.

His main two-hometown works are at the Perry Public Library featuring Tom Sawyer to honor the centennial of the library and the Perry Wrestling Monument featuring Danny Hodge and Jack VanBebber, Olympic wrestlers.

Other wellknown sculptures in Oklahoma that Franklin has done are in the Hugo, Oklahoma library, Billy Sims on the O.U. campus and a full-sized sculpture of Leon Russell, musician, at The Church Studio in Tulsa.

The Church Studio was a recording studio in the 1970s and was renovated in 2016. A slide show was shown of examples of different pieces of artwork from artists around the world.

He now does bronze statues and dedication plaques on commission. Franklin showed the process of bas relief and other casting methods he has used.

He is currently working on twenty bas reliefs for a church meditation garden.

The annual tea for senior girls at Perry High School will be held on Nov. 15 at the First United Methodist Church.

Patti Sylvester and Norma Hughes will be the hosts. Reminders were made to attend the Christmas Auction on December 6 and to bring finger foods.

Members present were Carol Bluethman, Gina Bolay, Karen Demory, Norma Jerome, Norma Hughes Klingaman, Cindy St. Clair, Patti Sylvester, Marilynn Voise, Suzanne Voise, Marilyn Branen, Bev Crowe, Mary Louise Dolezal, Juana Hall, Laura Kemnitz, Karen Wilcox and Renee Bisher.