After Austin statue, sculptor's next stop is Beatlemania

In Angleton this afternoon they put the head on top of Stephen F. Austin's body, statue-torily speaking.

The was a round of applause from a dozen or so onlookers. The Lone Star flag fluttered atop Austin's head.

The project that began in April 2004 is now complete, except for patching in the holes and seams with cement, putting on a coat of primer and slapping on two coats of white paint.

Among the onlookers was sculptor David Adickes. He was taking photos and video of the topping-off.

How's it look, he was asked.

"It looks like Stephen F. Austin," the Houston sculptor said.

There will be a birthday party for Austin on Nov. 3, and they're still selling $100 raffle tickets for a new Mustang to pay for the project.

As for Adickes' next project, he said he'll make a 36-foot-high sculpture of John, Paul, George and Ringo -- The Beatles -- and place it on a feeder road of Interstate 10. (Thirty-six feet high is roughly half the height of the Austin statue.)

Everyone in Angleton seems real pleased with the Austin statue. Look for some photos of the project here on The Brazosport News and on our official photoblog tonight or this weekend. A computer SNAFU has kept me offline for the past week but I hope it is resolved forthwith.