Forest ’91 Story

Item #5151

(April, 1991) Forest Gnome ’91 has a Lincoln head penny from the year I sculpted my first gnome, known only as the Forest Gnome. This is my third rendition of the same pose. My first Forest Gnome (1978) was 16 inches tall and sported a very smooth tunic. By 1982 I had wrinkled his tunic and given him new boots. Forest Gnome ’91 is the latest update of my initial statue. He is listening and looking , the qualities of a good leader. He has many roles in the Woodspirit community: traffic controller, playground supervisor, school superintendent and forest administrator. A squirrel has just dropped the nut he was eating—Forest Gnome ’91 also guards the animals that share his woody home. One of his chief responsibilities is to warn Gnomes and Woodspirits of the safe times to venture forth. Some think Forest Gnome ’91 resembles a conductor. Indeed, there is no sweeter sound than the footstep that says all family members are safely home.

Dr. Thomas F. Clark