When Meggen Watt agreed to lend her front yard for the first “Arts in Foggy Bot­tom” out­door sculp­ture project last year, she never antic­i­pated what would fol­low: involve­ment in the sculpture’s cre­ation and its effect on the neigh­bor­hood would lead to her sub­se­quent pur­chase of this extra­or­di­nary, “com­mis­sioned” one-ton sculpture.

Watt teamed with inter­na­tion­ally rec­og­nized sculp­tor Craig Schaf­fer. The bond­ing process between artist and prop­erty owner started with a con­ver­sa­tion and space sur­vey. Watt received a draw­ing from Schaf­fer of the design, from which point Schaf­fer went to his stu­dio to do the con­struc­tion. Months later, Watt returned from a busi­ness trip to find— presto—“Gallo Grande,” a ton of tow­er­ing steel that appeared to sit lightly in the front of the painted brick rowhouse.

The de-installation of the work last Octo­ber at exhibition’s end brought mixed emo­tions. Not only had the event brought a new dynamic to the com­mu­nity, but also Watt loved “her” sculp­ture. And though the econ­omy was of con­cern, by March she decided to “cel­e­brate.” She emailed Schaf­fer and bought “Gallo Grande” both for her­self and as a gift to the neigh­bor­hood, as well. Artist, sculp­ture and crane returned for the final re-installation in April.

Watt, a busy 40-something pro­fes­sional, told the FBN about the sur­pris­ing amount of foot traf­fic along the 800 and 900 blocks of 25th Street—the heart of FB’s His­toric District—which she finds the most beau­ti­ful street in the Dis­trict. “So many peo­ple stop and talk to me about the sculp­ture,” Watt says. There are even more “what do you think it is” con­ver­sa­tions that she hears, lit­er­ally, in pass­ing. Then, there are the neigh­bors who stop by, want­ing to get on the list to be one of the “hosts” for the next event.

Thank you, Meggen, for your won­der­ful “Gallo Grande” gift to FB.

You can visit “Gallo Grande” at 912 1/2 25th Street NW and learn more about the inter­na­tion­ally com­mis­sioned and col­lected works of Schaf­fer at www.craigschaffer.com