The names of a father and son sculpting team will be emblazoned on history.
Noted sculptor Rip Caswell didn’t have to look far for an apprentice after being picked for a prestigious honor. The Naval Order of the United States commissioned Rip last year to create a towering bronze statue of former U.S. Navy five-star Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz.
He found his helper just one branch away on the family tree.
Rip brought his 20-year-old son, Chad Caswell, of Hockinson, on board for the nearly yearlong process of designing and building a monument to the WWII-era admiral, who died in 1966. It’s now being cast in bronze and will be unveiled during the annual “End of World War II” ceremony on Sept. 2 in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
“He felt that I was ready for it. I took the challenge,” Chad said.
Chad grew up around his family’s Troutdale, Ore., gallery, naturally following his father down an artistic life path. Chad is studying business at Clark College, gathering knowledge he plans to one day use to run his own sculpting company or gallery.
For years, Chad has been tinkering around the shop, helping his father as an assistant and even creating a few of his own realistic sculptures of frogs and turtles. His finished pieces are showcased in the Caswell Gallery and at http://www.chadcaswell.com.