"Hi, yes I did these 3 panels along with the 2 benches as part of the whole installation. I did these for Columbia Power to do with the Waneta Dam Expansion. They asked me to come up with something for them to recognize what they accomplished and they used this for an official celebration for the project. Many dignitaries were there. I was asked to depict 3 scenes, 1 recognizing the indigenous people of the area, another to represent something from the construction of the project itself and another to represent something to show the benefits of the project. I did them in steel and worked with a couple of local companies that fabricated them etc."
Excepts from personal email.
Denis Kleine is a very well known artist and a metal casting instructor at Selkirk College in Castlegar. Mr. Kleine has maintained an active professional studio sculpting in bronze and stone for over 30 years.
We are familiar with his work in Kelowna, Nelson and as part of the Castlegar Sculpture Walk and winner of the Peoples Choice award in 2010 for
Peace Sign
First Peoples
The Waneta area was home to First Nations who utilized the Pend d' Oreille River and Columbia River for their resources.
Construction
Between 2010 and 2015 over 1,400 workers built the Waneta expansion project, including the power tunnel depicted here.
Community
The hydro-electricity generated by the Waneta expansion at the confluence of the Pend d'Oreille and Columbia rivers helps power communities.
Columbia power Columbia Power, Columbia Basin Trust, Fortis Inc.