Elmwood Park Zoo Sculpture Fountain

Elmwood Park Zoo Sculpture Fountain includes four larger-than-life bronze sculptures. A large buck stands atop the rock crest above a small waterfall, a doe drinks from the fountain stream while her fawn is on the walkway where children interact with it. Behind the rocky hill awaits a large jaguar cast in bronze.

The zoo started with three white-tailed deer, 16 acres of land and a great idea. That was 1924. No extensive crowds, no jungle cats—just a parcel of green in Norristown and the quiet ambition to preserve something wild.

Today, Elmwood Park Zoo is larger, and more alive than ever with residents of over 100 species from around the globe. Highlights of the collection include giraffes, zebras, bald and golden eagles, jaguars, and red pandas. 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of Elmwood Park Zoo and in celebration there are plans to expand with Asian, North America, Rainforest and African exhibits. The Veterinary Health Center and Welcome Center Entrance Plaza have now been built.

The sculpture fountain welcomes visitors in the Entrance Plaza. A buck stands atop the stone crest, while his doe wades in the fountain as her fawn watches. It’s a moment of life paused, as if history itself stopped to catch its breath. It’s not just a tribute, it’s a reminder: this is where it all began.

Dedicated to fostering appreciation for wildlife and inspiring conservation, the sculpture fountain is a part of the continuing developments at Elmwood Park Zoo.

Sculpture Fountain: Fountain and bronze sculptures designed by Zenos Frudakis
Sculptures: four larger-than-life sculptures of a buck, doe (Harmony), fawn and jaguar
Media: Bronze
Dedication: May 2, 2025 Dedication of Harmony the doe
Jaguar bronze sculpture will be added in the next year
Location: Elmwood Park Zoo

Benjamin Franklin, "Father of the American Enlightenment"

Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706 – April 17, 1790) one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman and diplomat, sculpted by Zenos Frudakis. Franklin was a major figure in the American Enlightenment and the history of physics and noted for his experiments and discoveries regarding electricity. Among his many inventions, Franklin is highly known for lightning rod, bifocals and the Franklin stove. 

Monumental Sculpture / Portrait Statue
Size: 7-feet high
Media: Clay. Final to be cast in bronze.
Dedication: TBD
Location / Collection: TBD

More Information 

• Benjamin, Wikipedia

• Benjamin Franklin, Biography

• Benjamin Franklin Museum

• Benjamin Franklin, PBS

Over Life-Size Busts of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Over Life-Size Busts of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy portrait busts by Zenos Frudakis.

Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy (born 25 January 1978) is a Ukrainian politician and former entertainer who has served as the sixth and current president of Ukraine since 2019, most notably during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has been ongoing since February 2022.

Portrait Bust / Work in Progress
Size: Over-Life size
Media: Bronze
Location:  Private Collection

Related Links

• Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, Wikipedia

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “The Wartime President”

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, “The Wartime President” portrait bust by Zenos Frudakis.

Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy (born 25 January 1978) is a Ukrainian politician and former entertainer who has served as the sixth and current president of Ukraine since 2019, most notably during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has been ongoing since February 2022.

Portrait Bust / Work in Progress
Size: Life size
Media: Patinaed plaster
Location:  Frudakis Studio

Related Links

• Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy, Wikipedia

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali, Monumental 10-foot Statue

Muhammad Ali (January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) The nation’s largest full-body statue of Muhammad Ali by Zenos Frudakis stands 10-feet tall in Lewiston, Maine. Muhammad Ali, professional boxer and social activist, is often called “The Greatest” and referred to as the greatest heavyweight boxer of all time. Ali’s life was poised between the physicality of his boxing career and his opposition to fighting in the Vietnam War.

This monumental statue commemorates a key moment in boxing championship history, when in 1965, Ali is declared Heavyweight Champion in his knock-out fight against Sonny Liston in Lewiston, Maine. Extensive research has gone into the development of the sculpture—Ali’s boxing attire, shoes and gloves are sculpted from the exact styles he wore in the fight.

Created by renowned Philadelphia-based sculptor Zenos Frudakis, the statue captures a young Ali in a moment of poised triumph and courage, standing as a tribute not only to his boxing legacy but also to his enduring social impact.

“This sculpture reflects Ali’s grace, strength, and moral courage,” said Frudakis. “He was a true original—a man who stood firm in his convictions and inspired the world through his words and actions as much as his fists.”

Artist and Lewiston native Charlie Hewitt, who co-initiated the project with Lewiston architect and developer Tom Platz over a decade ago, emphasized the statue’s deeper meaning. “This is more than a tribute to a great athlete,” said Hewitt. “It’s a recognition of resilience, transformation, and dignity. To bring a monumental sculpture of a young Black Muslim man to a town with its own history of discrimination and exclusion is an act of healing and connection.”

Platz, who attended the May 25th, 1965, fight as a seventh-grader with his father, led the fundraising effort through private donations from local banks, businesses, and individuals. “Ali was a major part of Lewiston’s history,” said Platz. “This statue celebrates our roots in diversity, immigration, and resilience. There’s no better time to honor that.”

The statue will be installed at the entrance to Bates Mill No. 5 at 65 Main St.— just 200 feet from the Auburn bridge—positioned as a gateway to the city and visible to more than 32,000 vehicles daily. Ali’s sculpture will be unveiled on May 31, 2025 at 2 pm in downtown Lewiston, Maine—celebrating the 60th anniversary of this historic boxing championship fight.

Monumental Sculpture / Public Art
Size: 10-foot high sculpture set on 4-foot base
Media: Bronze
Theme: Commemorating Ali's 1965 knockout of Sonny Liston
Meaning: Symbol of community resilience, pride and a celebration of Ali's boxing career
Dedication: May 31, 2025
Location: Entrance to Bates Mill No.5, 65 Main Street, Lewiston, Maine

In the News

• After 60 years, Lewiston’s place in boxing lore will be cast in bronze, The Boston Globe (pdf)

• Zenos Frudakis’ Statue of Muhammad Ali Set for Lewiston, Maine Unveiling May 31, The National Herald

• Statue of Boxing Legend Muhammad Ali Set for Lewiston Unveiling May 31, CBS 42

• Muhammad Ali statue coming to Lewiston later this month, WMTW ABC (unveiling changed to March 31, 2pm)

• Statue of Boxing Legend Muhammad Ali Set for Lewiston Unveiling May 31, WJBF

• Sculptor reflects on work on Lewiston's Muhammad Ali statue, Spectrum News

• Muhammad Ali statue to reflect a ‘timeless’ pose for the anniversary of bout with Sonny Liston in Lewiston, Sun Journal (pdf)

William Thaddeus Coleman Jr.

William Thaddeus Coleman Jr., portrait relief sculpture

Portrait bas-relief sculpture of William Thaddeus Coleman, Jr. (July 7, 1920 – March 31, 2017) by Zenos Frudakis. Coleman was an American attorney and judge, who was appointed by President Ford to serve as the fourth United States Secretary of Transportation, and was the second African American to serve in the United States Cabinet. He served as a member of the NAACP’s national legal committee, director and member of its executive committee, and president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Coleman was a member of President Eisenhower’s Committee on Government Employment Policy, a senior consultant and assistant counsel to the President’s Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, and a consultant to the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. He served as member of the NAACP’s national legal committee, director and member of its executive committee, and president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

As senior partner in the law firm of Dilworth, Paxson, Lalish, Levy & Coleman, he played a major role in significant civil rights cases. At the time of his death, Coleman was the oldest living former Cabinet member.

Portrait Bas-Relief
Size: Life size, 24” wide, by 36” tall, by 3” deep
Media: Bronze
Dedication: June 2024
Location:  Kimmel Theater, The National Constitution Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Related Links

• William Thaddeus Coleman, Jr., Wikipedia

• Biography at AmericanPresident.org

The Pennsylvania Gazette

My alumni magazine, The Pennsylvania Gazette, published an interview with me titled Sculpting a Life Story. Here are links to some of the sculptures featured in the article, as well as to the article itself.

Sculpting a Life Story
Download a PDF of the article >

Some of the sculptures in the article:

• Mike Schmidt

• Steve Carlton

• Robin Roberts

• Richie Ashburn

• Payne Stewart, Pinehurst

• Martin Luther King, Jr

• Thomas Paine

• Frederick Lay Olmsted

• Nina Simone

• W. Wilson Goode

• Frederick Douglass

• Ulysses S. Grant

• Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg

• Don McLean

• Mark Twain

• Freedom Sculpture

Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab, portrait statue

Charles R. Schwab, American investor and financial executive, founded his San Francisco-based firm in 1971 as a traditional brokerage company and became a pioneer in the discount brokerage business in 1974. Mr. Schwab gained an early advantage by offering a combination of low prices and fast, efficient order execution, quickly establishing himself as the nation’s largest discount broker. Today, the company ranks among the leading financial services firms in the United States and is headquartered in Westlake, Texas. Schwab delivers a full-service investing experience to clients through domestic offices, online platforms, and multilingual international offices. Additionally, Mr. Schwab serves as Chairman of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. and Charles Schwab Bank, and is a trustee of The Charles Schwab Family of Funds, Schwab Investments, Schwab Capital Trust, and Schwab Annuity Portfolios, all registered investment companies.

Monumental Sculpture / Portrait Statue
Size: 8-feet high, 3-feet wide, 20-inches deep
Weight: 720 pounds
Installation: 2024
Media: Bronze
Collection: Charles Schwab Headquarters
Location: Charles Schwab Headquarters, Corporate Campus, Westlake, Texas

Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass (February 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer and statesman. Son of a slave woman and an unknown white man, "Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey" was born on Maryland's eastern shore. At the age of eight he was sent to Baltimore to live with a ship carpenter named Hugh Auld where he learned to read and first learned about abolition and abolitionists. "Going to live at Baltimore," Douglass would later say, "laid the foundation, and opened the gateway, to all my subsequent prosperity." After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York, becoming famous for his oratory and antislavery writings. He was described by abolitionists in his time as a living counterexample to enslavers' arguments that enslaved people lacked the intellectual capacity to function as independent American citizens. At this time, Northerners found it difficult to believe that such a great orator had once been enslaved. In 1845, in response to this disbelief, Douglass published his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.

Portrait Bust / Work in Progress
Size: Over life size
Media: Clay
Location:  Frudakis Studio

Related Links 

• Frederick Douglass, Wikipedia

• Africans in America, Frederick Douglass, PBS

Margaret Sanger

Margaret Sanger

Margaret Higgins Sanger (September 14, 1879 – September 6, 1966) was an American birth control activist, sex educator, writer, and nurse. Sanger popularized the term "birth control", opened the first birth control clinic in the United States, and established organizations that evolved into the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Relief Portrait Sculpture
Size: Bas-relief portrait
Media: Bronze
Created: 2023
Collection: Freedom from Religion Foundation
Location: FFRF Offices, Madison, Wisconsin

Related Links 

• Margaret Sanger, Wikipedia

• What Margaret Sanger Really Said About Eugenics and Race, Time Magazine

• American Experience, Margaret Sanger, PBS

Jack Kilby

Jack Kilby, portrait statue

Nobel prize winner, Jack Kilby (November 8, 1923 – June 20, 2005), is recognized for his patent in 1959 for the first integrated circuit, also known as the microchip. Jack Kilby’s work as an American electrical engineer at Texas Instruments also resulted in the first handheld calculator, the “Pocketronic,” as well as the invention of the first thermal printer. In December 10 of 2000, Kilby was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. Other honers include the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology. To honor Jack Kilby’s contributions to science and engineering, the portrait statue of Kilby holds a diagram of the integrated circuit in one hand, and a handheld calculator in the other.

Monumental Sculpture / Portrait Statue
Size: 7-feet high
Installation: 2021
Media: Bronze
Collection: University of Texas
Location: Texas Instruments Plaza, Univeristy of Texas, Dallas, Texas

Related Links

• The Nobel Prize — Jack Kilby

• History — Computer, Jack Kilby

• The Bullock Texas State History Museum

• Kansas Historical Society

• Texas Instruments, Jack Kilby

• Jack Kilby, Wikipedia

• Jack Kilby, Britannica

• What’s the Story? The TI Plaza Statue

Jacques Pépin, Relief Sculpture

Jacques Pépin

Jacques Pépin relief portrait by Zenos Frudakis. Pépin’s extraordinary career includes his work as chef in numerous prestigious restaurants in Paris and America, and he when living in France he was personal chef of French President Charles de Gaulle. Pépin has authored more than 30 cookbooks, and has written for The New York Times, Food & Wine and other publications. He is an educator of the culinary arts, appearing in numerous American television programs. Pépin was a longtime friend of the American chef Julia Child, and their 1999 PBS series Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home won a Daytime Emmy Award. He holds a BA and a MA from Columbia University in French literature. Today, Pépin also works as an artist, exhibiting limited edition prints and original artwork.

Relief Portrait Sculpture
Size: 18 inches high, 12 inches wide, approx. 2 inch frame
Media: Bronze
Created: 2023
Collection: The Yale Club
Location: The Yale Club, New York, New York

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Related Sculpture

Jacques Pépin, Portrait Bust

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Related Links

• Jacques Pépin

• Jacques Pépin, Wikipedia

• Harvest Tribute and Installation at Stone Acres Farm, Stonington, CT

Forward Award

Forward Award Sculpture

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has tailored special recognition awards for deserving supporters of freethought or the separation of church and state. Zenos Frudakis created the Foward Award sculpture award that is given to each award recipient. Shown in photo: Cecile Richards (on right), the former President of Planned Parenthood received the Forward Award, and sculptor Zenos Frudakis.

Award Figure Sculpture
Size: Award
Media: Bronze
Location: Private Collection of Award Winners

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Past Recipients

• 2023 – Mary Ziegler

• 2022 – Amy Hagstrom Miller

• 2021 – Gloria Steinem

• 2021 – Margaret Atwood

• 2019 – Nancy Northup

• 2018 – Cecile Richards

• 2017 – Katha Pollitt

• 2016 – Rafida Bonya Ahmed

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Related Links

Forward Award, FFRF

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In the Media

• Abortion Rights Expert on FFRF Sunday TV Show

• Leading Abortion Rights Activist on FFRF Sunday TV Show

• Gloria Steinem showcases FFRF’s 2020 convention

• Secular Survivor of Terror Attack

Jacques Pépin

Jacques Pépin

The portrait bronze of Jacques Pépin, installed at Stone Acres Farm in Stonington, Connecticut, is a permanent tribute to this iconic French chef and his his lifelong influence in the culinary arts and home cooking. Pépin’s extraordinary career includes his work as chef in numerous prestigious restaurants in Paris and America, and he when living in France he was personal chef of French President Charles de Gaulle. Pépin has authored more than 30 cookbooks, and has written for The New York Times, Food & Wine and other publications. He is an educator of the culinary arts, appearing in numerous American television programs. Pépin was a longtime friend of the American chef Julia Child, and their 1999 PBS series Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home won a Daytime Emmy Award. He holds a BA and a MA from Columbia University in French literature. Today, Pépin also works as an artist, exhibiting limited edition prints and original artwork.

Portrait Sculpture
Size: Life size
Media: Bronze, mounted on pink granite sourced from Stoney Creek, CT
Installed: October 13, 2019
Location: Stone Acres Farm, Stonington, Connecticut

Related Sculpture

Jacques Pépin, Relief Sculpture

Related Links

• Jacques Pépin

• Jacques Pépin, Wikipedia

• Harvest Tribute and Installation at Stone Acres Farm, Stonington, CT

In the News

• Jacques Pépin, National Sculpture Society

Richard Dawkins

Richard Dawkins, portrait sculpture

Richard Dawkins is a British evolutionary biologist and author. He is an emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford, and was Professor for Public Understanding of Science in the University of Oxford from 1995 to 2008. He has received academic and writing awards, and has written numerous books including The Selfish Gene, The Blind Watchmaker, The God Delusion, An Appetite for Wonder and Brief Candle in the Dark. He founded the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science in 2006.

Portrait Sculpture / Work in Progress
Size: Life size
Media: Clay
Location: Private Frudakis Studio

Related Links

• Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason & Science

• Richard Dawkins, Wikipedia

The U.S. Air Force Memorial Honor Guard, Imperial War Museum Duxford

The U.S. Air Force Memorial Honor Guard,
Imperial War Museum Duxford

The U.S. Air Force Memorial Honor Guard sculpture by Zenos Frudakis. The monument depicts the Colours Flight of the US Honor Guard. The 8-foot high bronze figures reflect the diversity in the US military. Left to right, they are a Caucasian male, an Afro-American male, a Hispanic male and a Caucasian female. The two figures at the center are the flag-bearers, one holding the American flag and the other holding the Air Force flag complete with battle streamers that represent the campaigns in which the US Air Force has taken part. The two flanking figures are the arms bearers who guard the flag.

Monumental Sculpture
Size: Four 8-foot high figures with 8-foot high flags and battle streamers
Media: Bronze
Installed: 2004
Location: Imperial War Museum, Duxford Airfield, Great Britain

Related Links

• American War Memorials Overseas

• Imperial War Museum, Memorials

Michael D. Yon

Michael D. Yon

Relief sculpture of Michael Yon, former LOTOS Club President by sculptor  Zenos Frudakis. The books on the upper shelf of the relief sculpture are dinner guests of the club, the books behind Yon and alongside him are autobiographical.

Relief Portrait Sculpture
Size: Portrait bas-relief, 24” wide by 36” tall
Media: Bronze
Installation: 2022
Collection: LOTOS Club
Location:  Library, LOTOS Club, New York, New York

Ludwig von Mises

Ludwig Von Mises, portrait sculpture

Ludwig von Mises was (September 29, 1881 – October 10, 1973) was an Austrian School economist, historian, logician, and sociologist. He wrote and lectured extensively on the societal contributions of classical liberalism. Mises is best known for his work on praxeology studies comparing communism and capitalism.

Portrait Sculpture
Size: Life size
Media: Bronze
Created: 2023
Location/Collection: Private Collection

Related Links

• Ludwig von Mises, Wikipedia

• Ludwig Elder von Mises, Britannica

• Mises Major Writings

Sandy Tatum and First Tee

Sandy Tatum and First Tee

Frank “Sandy’ Tatum Jr. (July 7, 1920 – June 22, 2017) was an attorney, golf administrator, golf course architect, promoter, and an accomplished golfer. The Rhodes Scholar attended Stanford University where he was a member of Cypress Point Club and Stanford's golf team, winning the 1942 NCAA individual title and leading Stanford to team titles in 1941 and 1942. Tatum is a member of the Stanford Athletic Hall of Fame.

He led the restoration of San Francisco's municipal Harding Park, now called TPC Harding Park, successfully restoring it to PGA standards and it has since held high-profile golf events. Tatum worked on the design and development of numerous California courses, including The Links at Spanish Bay golf course in Pebble Beach, as well as co-designed The Preserve Golf Club in Carmel, Lockeford Springs Golf Course, Lodi, and Mount Shasta Resort in Mount Shasta.

Tatum supported and influenced young golfers as chairman of the First Tee of San Francisco chapter out of Harding Park and hosted "Sandy's Circle" to help fund the Youth on Course program through the Northern California Golf Association.

In April 2011, Tatum was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame.

The commemorative Sandy Tatum statuary, created by Zenos and cast at the Laran Bronze Foundry in Chester, Pa., includes a seven-foot likeness of Tatum standing in front of two youths flanking a staircase, which represents The First Tee’s nine core values – Honesty, Integrity, Sportsmanship, Respect, Confidence, Responsibility, Perseverance, Courtesy, and Judgement.

Monumental Sculpture
Size: 7-feet High, 3 figure composition
Media: Bronze
Dedication: August 2020
Location: TPC Harding Park, San Francisco

Related Links

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Tatum

• Commemorative Bronze Statue Of Frank “Sandy” Tatum By Philadelphia Sculptor Zenos Frudakis Installed At Harding Park In Time For PGA Championship

In the Media

A Golf Sculpture’s Trip from Chester to San Francisco, Philadelphia Inquirer

PGA Champoinship Drama: Sandy Tatum Statue, San Francisco Chronicle

There is a crazy story involving a rollover truck crash as Sandy Tatum statues made their way to Harding Park, Golf