When he was a kid, Kirk Hoefling started
sketching horses. He didn't lack for models -- they were running
around on his family's farm north of Hinton, Iowa.
"Art was
my favorite class in school," he recalled. "I can go back to
kindergarten and I saw myself as an artist. My identical twin
brother, Kevin, also is artistic."
A few years earlier,
Steven Blenderman spent a lot of painting.
"A nun at Immaculate Conception gave me private
lessons. I was painting already. I have members on both sides of my
family who have artistic abilities. I started copying a lot of the
old masters' paintings."
Blenderman is an established artist,
who has exhibited in London and Paris. Hoefling has completed a
number of projects as a sculptor and made a number of bronze pieces
and busts.
Blenderman, a 1969 graduate of Heelan High School,
and Hoefling, a 1981 graduate of Hinton High School, have been
friends and worked on some smaller projects together, including
painting a 1914 historic barn on the Hoefling farm.
The
creation of The Roth Fountain marks their first major collaboration.
They have formed Blenderman-Hoefling Design.
Blendersman's
artistic bent took him to Europe.
"When I was an exchange
student to Germany, I realized that being an artist was a legitimate
profession in Europe," he said. "Before, I thought I was going to
major in architecture. I have developed a great love for
architecture as well."
Back in Iowa, he attended the
University of Iowa for two years. Then, he felt his future was in
Europe.
"I lived in Berlin for 3 1/2 years, then moved to
London where I lived for two years and finally spent five years in
Paris."
He became fluent in German and learned French. In
1983, after 10 years in Europe, returned to his home town and opened
a studio.
"I became prolific here," Blenderman said. "I found
the slower pace in a smaller town gave me the time to reflect. I
have become very prolific at drawings, but I primarily concentrate
on oils."
He received an undergraduate degree in French, with
a minor in art, from Morningside College.
His Peters Park
home now also serves as his studio and is filled with completed and
partially completed drawings and paintings. A bust Hoefling did of a
French professor at Morningside College is featured in his living
room. He is a member of the Historic Preservation
Commission.
Hoefling received his bachelor of fine arts
degree from the University of South Dakota.
He works in
plasticine or clay to form his original models and creates much of
his work in his studio in downtown Sioux City. He has made
commissioned pieces, including designing and constructing the atrium
display for the Scheel's All Sports Store at Southern Hills
Mall.
"The pieces I sell are limited editions in bronze.
Portraits are important to me. My subject matter deals with the
human figure and horses."
Information about The Roth
Fountain and other projects may be found on their Web page at
www.Blenderman-HoeflingDesign.com.
