Sacajawea the Making of a Monument
The Inspiration

For an artist inspiration is the driving force that lights the fire within.

Since childhood, I have loved the story of Lewis and Clark. I was born 150 years to the day when the Corps of Discovery was on the Clearwater River near Kooskia, Idaho where we lived. Born into a family who loved the outdoors I hiked, fished and rode horses along the trails.

Adventures with my mother Lila and my sister Janene were common; we spent many summers in the mountains as my father Dale Grende was a Civil Engineer pioneering many roads into those mountains. Before I was born, he punched the first road through to the Lochsa Ranger Station in 1953, along the Lochsa River. This is just down river from where the Corps of Discovery made the accent to the Lolo Trail in September of 1805. In what is now present day Idaho.

I have lived most all of my life along the Lewis and Clark trail. I attended Sacajawea Jr. High School in Lewiston, Idaho graduating from Lewiston High School in 1974.

The trails to me are sacred they are my favorite places to be. Along them walk the spirits of so many who have gone before us. When you are out there by yourself as I often am my imagination runs wild with images of the past. I believe the spirits there guiding me, protecting me from danger; I feel their presence as I ride horseback the same fresh wind blows across my face.

My sculpture, “Sacajawea Arduous Journey”, exemplifies the feelings that are stirred within my soul. I have seen her in my minds eye, a woman of great strength and perseverance. In her face is great determination.

Creating this work of art has brought tears to the eyes of some who have seen her; to me this is the best compliment.

“When They Shook Hands,
the Lewis and Clark Expedition Began.”
Stephen Ambrose “Undaunted Courage”

A monument placed at the Falls of the Ohio State Park in Clarksville, Indiana

In the spring of 2003 I met a wonderful person named Phyllis Yeager. She came to the C.M. Russell art show and saw the sculpture I did titled “Sacajawea Arduous Journey”.

She expressed the need for a monument in her community by that fall of 2003… I said, it could be done… Only with the faith I have in the foundry I use and my desire to sculpt historical monuments could I promise such a huge task in such a short length of time.
Many people helped in the sculpting of this monument, I employed several
Artists-in-residence to help with this monumental task. The foundry worked very hard and had the bronze ready to go only a few days before it was to be 2300 miles away. My husband David Carmona and Brad Hamlett my promoter, loaded the huge sculpture and drove 36 hours strait to get to Clarksville by October 23rd . This was the Bicentennial celebration of Lewis and Clark leaving the Falls of the Ohio where they had recruited many men for the Expedition including the nine young men from Kentucky.

During the event; on October 26th 2003 there was a wonderful Tribute with many notable personalities, descendants of the explorers and scholars.

Then on October 28th 2004 the bronze was permanently placed, a Dedication took place along the shore of the Ohio River at  in Clarksville, Indiana in front of the Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center. The sculpture is mounted on a 16 ton Jefferson Limestone base it stands over fourteen foot tall overall.

“We Will Never Forget ”
Veterans Memorial, Kalispell, MT

The Flathead County Veterans and the Kalispell Elks Logde commissioned local artist C. A. Grende to sculpt this memorial in honor of our brave local veterans who sacrificed so much.  And this comes at a price also. 

Not one of blood and glory but of hard earned money.  Anyone who wishes to purchase a brick may do so.  You can have your name or show your support, or purchase a brick to honor deceased veterans with bricks which will be engraved with their name and used for the walkways in front and around the memorial. 

Or you may simply give by sending a tax deductible donation for this great cause to Elks Fund c/o BPOE, PO Box 790, Kalispell, MT, 59903