Marblehead is dotted with stunning public artwork that we walk past almost every day. Among these are five gorgeous bronze statues that stand all around town.
From a harbor seal greeting dogwalkers and swimmers at Crocker Park, to a drummer boy watching over the students at the Marblehead High School, these statues have quietly become an iconic part of Marblehead culture and an irreplaceable symbol of our rich arts.
These five iconic sculptures were crafted by renowned Marblehead sculptor Beverly Benson Seamans, whose work has been displayed at galleries, parks and cathedrals all around the world.
Seamans was born in Cohasset in 1928. She studied at the Milton Academy and the School of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and eventually settled in Marblehead after getting married in 1950.
Seamans always had a deep love for art, but in the 1960s she developed a passion for sculpting. Since then, she has created many famous sculptures that are displayed all around the world. One of her most famous is “And a Little Child Shall Lead Them” at the American Cathedral in Paris.
Seamans spent most of her time creating sculptures that depict peaceful scenes of children playing, animals running and birds gliding gracefully through the air.
Although Seamans died in 2012, her legacy still benefits any Marbleheader who stops to admire her work.
The five pieces of Seamans’ beloved work installed around her hometown are:
— “Drummer Boy” at Marblehead High School.
— “Winslow II” at Crocker Park.
— “Wendy” at Abbot Library.
— “Seagulls in Flight” outside Boston Yacht Club.
— “A Time of Wonder” at Tower School.
Her bronze sculpture “Drummer Boy” depicts a child in a Revolutionary War uniform drumming at the front circle of MHS. The sculpture was based off of the drummer boy in the famous “Spirit of ’76” painting, which was created in 1876 and now resides at Abbot Hall. Seamans created her sculpture for the construction of the new Marblehead High, which was completed in 2001. It has been an iconic landmark ever since.
Seamans’ “Drummer Boy” was created to herald the opening of the new Marblehead High School in 2001. CURRENT PHOTOS/GREY COLLINS
Seamans also crafted a beautiful bronze harbor seal, which she named “WInslow II.” After her passing, the seal statue was given to the town of Marblehead by John Seamans, the sculptor’s son, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Marblehead Festival of Arts in July 2015 and the abundance of arts in the community. Winslow now sits on his rock at Crocker Park and greets every dogwalker and festival goer who passes by.
Seamans’ “WInslow II” greets visitors to Crocker Park. CURRENT PHOTOS/GREY COLLINS
Another sculpture, “Wendy,” which now sits in Abbot Public Library, depicts the character from “Peter Pan” sitting on a rock while thoughtfully reading a book as the fairy Tinkerbell flies above her. The statue is a beautiful reminder of the wonder that children have and the adventures that books can lead us on.
Beverly Seamans’ statue “Wendy” is on display at Abbot Hall. CURRENT PHOTOS/GREY COLLINS
Another familiar statue, called “Seagulls in Flight,” stands just outside the front door of the Boston Yacht Club. Through her sculpting of three seagulls gracefully gliding through the air, Seamans makes an ordinary Marblehead sight seem almost magical.
Seamans’ “Seagulls in Flight” can be found just outside the front door of the Boston Yacht Club. CURRENT PHOTOS/GREY COLLINS
“A Time of Wonder,” a bronze sculpture showing a boy and a girl playing with a turtle, sits next to the playground at Tower School. This sculpture, like much of her work, captures the beauty found in small moments and childlike wonder.
Seamans’ “A Time of Wonder” sits next to the playground at Tower School. CURRENT PHOTOS/GREY COLLINS
