Arthur Beeston statue unveiled
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UNDER WRAPS: Dean Rusling with the bronze statue of Arthur Beetson at his Brendale foundry ahead of its unveiling. Photo: Nick Kuhn. Source: Quest Newspapers
Dean Rusling of Strathpine owns the art foundry where Gold Coast artist Liam Hardy made the bronze statue of Arthur Beetson. Source: Quest Newspapers
Befitting rugby league royalty, the 220kg bronze statue of Artie Beetson was unveiled at Lang Park on Tuesday.
The statue, created at Brendale's Chalkos Art Foundry, was unveiled this morning on the eve of State of Origin III.
As reported earlier today, it held under the protection of an armed guard overnight ahead of this morning's unveiling.
Foundry owner Dean Rusling of Strathpine said he opened the art business 18 years ago and received work from around Australia, even from dreaded Blues country.
``I just had a piece dropped off from New South Wales,'' Mr Rusling said.
He was quick to add the Blues job was strictly business and he had won an Arts Alliance Pine Rivers award for his sculpture of a Queensland mud crab.
The bronze statue of league legend Darren Lockyer, unveiled at Suncorp Stadium this morning, was made in Brendale.
Family and friends will farewell rugby league great Arthur Beetson at a memorial service at Dolphin Oval on Friday and the Redcliffe Dolphins board will soon discuss a permanent tribute. End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
``There is no doubt where my loyalties lie,'' the Maroons supporter said.
Mr Rusling has worked for more than a decade with the Beetson statue creator, Gold Coast artist Liam Hardy.
Hardy, like much of Queensland, is excited at the prospect of Wednesday night's decider.
``I enjoy watching rugby league and State of Origin is the highlight,'' Hardy said.
Before starting his sculpture, he believed he saw every published photo of Beetson during his football career on and off the field.
``The Beetson family even brought in some of their private photos,'' the artist said.
What impressed the sculptor was the determination written on the face of the Maroons first State of Origin captain (1980) during each and every match he played.
``I always saw the determined look and the concentration,'' Hardy said.
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