Sculpted by Don Wiegand
I'm lucky enough to have a dear friend who also happens to be a world class sculpter. His name is Don Wiegand, and his studio is located in Chesterfield, Missouri. He's sculpted the likeness of such notables as Bob Hope, Cliff Robertson, Pope John Paul, Charles Lindbergh, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, August Busch, and Stan Musial, just to name a few.
Don is not only exceptionally talented, he's one of the most humble and down-to-earth people you could ever meet. Yet he knows everyone (and I do mean everyone) from the White House right on down the line. One day when I was at his place he put in a quick phone call to Loretta Swit out in Hollywood so the whole group of us could seranade her for her birthday. He says Miss Swit enjoyed our song, but I'm not deaf and imagine that she was just being polite.
Don lives in an incredible place that started out as an old slaughterhouse. He's worked on it from the time he was 16 years old and it's become an impressive structure that now serves as both home and studio. The place reminds me of an old castle with 20+ foot tall ceilings and oversized gothic furniture. Truly amazing.
While Don really doesn't sculpt animals, he does have a colorful menagerie of ducks, geese, and peacocks that share his spacious yard. They have their own little house complete with heat for those cold Missouri winters.
And with the cacophony of honks, quacks, and screeches, they make a pretty effective natural doorbell.
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