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Island artist Nathan Scott lends talent to project on P.E.I.

The Central Saanich sculptor behind some of Victoria’s best known public artworks has won a $120,000 commission in Prince Edward Island.
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Nathan Scott is best known for his Terry Fox sculpture at Mile Zero.

The Central Saanich sculptor behind some of Victoria’s best known public artworks has won a $120,000 commission in Prince Edward Island.

Nathan Scott, who created the bronze Terry Fox sculpture at Mile Zero, and The Homecoming, depicting a soldier’s reunion with his daughter in the Inner Harbour, will now focus his energy on a piece of East Coast history.

The new sculpture will show a meeting between John Hamilton Gray of Prince Edward Island and John Hamilton Gray of New Brunswick during the Charlottetown Conference of 1864. The two Grays will be shown leaning over a barrel and some crates, taking a break from the preliminary talks that led to Confederation.

“I don’t want it to be dry,” Scott said. “I’m going to add a bit of flair.”

Scott has created more than 20 public sculptures, in addition to Terry Fox and The Homecoming, as well as pieces he sells privately. He said he gets an extra thrill out of public works.

“To privately sell pieces is great, but when it comes to a public piece, suddenly more people enjoy it.”

“And there’s something about doing historical figures where you’re able to bring back something to that community. A lot of Canadians probably don’t know much about the conference, so to be able to bring these historical people back into the present is exciting,” he said.

Scott will craft the sculpture in his Central Saanich foundry and studio. It is set to be unveiled in September 2014. The Charlottetown Area Development Corporation commissioned the piece.

“I’ve got public sculptures on the West Coast and East Coast now,” Scott said. “I’ve just got to work the middle.”

asmart@timescolonist.com