Loveland-based team restores recovered Greeley statue

GREELEY — A beloved bronze statue in Greeley’s Glenmere Park stands proudly again, thanks to a Loveland-based restoration specialist and art historian.

The statue, “The Prize Catch” by artist Kurt Jungblut, depicts a young boy holding a fish. It was commissioned in 1999 by the Greeley Art Commission. On the afternoon of May 12, the 150-pound sculpture was sawed off at the ankles by thieves, and witnesses told police they had seen a white box truck in the immediate area.

However, the next day, staffers at Rocky Mountain Recycling in Commerce City recognized it from a police alert and notified Greeley detectives. It was recovered and returned to Greeley – and that’s when Jo DeDecker and her team went to work.

DeDecker, co-owner of Sculpture Services of Colorado LLC, led the repair and restoration work onsite at the park, carefully welding the severed sections, filing and refining the repaired surfaces and applying a new patina to restore the sculpture’s appearance while preserving Jungblut’s original artistic vision.

Work on the statue was completed July 3, and it was returned to public view Saturday in time for the Independence Day holiday.
The statue was returned to public view Saturday in time for the Independence Day holiday.

Founded in 2017, DeDecker’s company specializes in cleaning, repairing and re-waxing both public and private monumental sculptures across the United States. The business is well-known for its work taking care of outdoor bronzes, including other public art in Greeley and the Bernson Sculpture Garden in Loveland.

News accounts depict her work over the years in such places as Grand Junction, Wichita, Kansas and Naperville, Illinois. In that Chicago suburb, she and her brother, David, spent two days scrubbing and polishing 17 sculptures in the “Century Walk.” Earlier that morning, when the DeDeckers set about cleaning “Veterans’ Valor” in Naperville’s Central Park, three mice came scurrying out from under the boots of the five military figures represented by the sculpture.

Although restoring a stolen sculpture is an extreme example, her company also works to restore artworks that have lost their luster because of mineral deposits, improper cleaning substances, rust spots, oxidized paint, graffiti, tree sap, pollen, mildew, bird droppings, plugged weep holes, carbon monoxide and urine.

Their restoration work on sculptures usually involves a vigorous power wash, a once-over with a blowtorch and an application of conservator’s wax that bonds with the original lacquer finish on the sculptures to protect against fresh damage.

DeDecker’s work has been certified by the National Park Service, American Institute for Conservations of Historic and Artistic Works, and the Getty Museum.

According to a news release, “the successful restoration reflects the City of Greeley’s ongoing commitment to preserving public art and investing in the long-term care of its cultural assets. Through regular maintenance, conservation and restoration, the city works to ensure that its public art collection remains safe, accessible and inspiring for residents and visitors alike.

“The city also recognizes the collaborative efforts of the community, law enforcement and city staff whose work contributed to the sculpture’s recovery, restoration and reinstallation,” the statement said. “We’re grateful for the exceptional craftsmanship of Sculpture Services of Colorado LLC and proud to return this beloved sculpture to the public. Residents are encouraged to visit Glenmere Park to welcome ‘The Prize Catch’ back to its home and experience this restored work by Kurt Jungblut once again.”

The theft case remains unsolved, and anyone with information is asked to contact Greeley Police detective Lisa LaBracke at 970-350-9671 or  [email protected].  

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