|
 |
| Judy Gilbert Levey (left) and Daphne Shye's terrapin stands outside the
Benjamin building on campus. |
The inspiration for Tuxudo came from
Daphne Shye's ninth-grade daughter, who came up
with the name and the theme.
Shye had wanted to design a turtle but could not decide on how to
clothe it. Her
daughter thought up an outfit in an instant, Shye says. "Do a turtle in a
tuxedo," Shye remembers her daughter telling her.
Shye, an occupational therapist from Rockville, Md., and Judy Gilbert
Levey, an artist from Bethesda, Md., worked on the sculpture together.
The women said they had to search for materials that
would withstand outdoor weather.
The duo used acrylic paint for the body, a PVC pipe for the hat and
epoxy putty for the academic and sports figures on the hat.
"It gives you a lot of respect for outdoor artists," says Shye.
"It's easy
to draw something on paper."
She adds, "It took a lot of creativity that we didn't expect." | 
