Rosalie
Trombley
The Artwork
The Rosalie Trombley Commemorative Sculpture
Created by sculptor Donna Jean Mayne
Finished sculpture stands approximately 70” tall.
Cast in bronze using the time-honoured lost wax method at Fine Art Sculpture Centre
Monolith Number ‘8’ in Gray Indiana Limestone. Cut at Genessee Cut Stone & Marble Co.
Conceptual Drawing
Conceptual Drawing for 2023, Bronze & Limestone
Throughout 2021, working from her conceptual drawings and the clay study bust she had created, Mayne completed a full sculpture of Trombley out of clay. To ensure accuracy and to capture her subject’s persona, the artist worked with members of the Trombley family to arrive at the design, look, dimensions and positioning of the final sculpture.
In 2021, artist Donna Jean Mayne was focused on creating a sculptural tribute to music industry pioneer Rosalie Trombley. She first applied for and received a grant from the City of Windsor’s Arts, Culture & Heritage Fund (ACHF) grant program to complete conceptual drawings and a clay study of Trombley. News of the grant received wide and positive coverage in the news, inspiring Mayne to go further.
Mayne appeared before the City of Windsor’s Public Art Advisory Committee to request endorsement and support for the sculptural tribute to Trombley. The committee noted there were significant artistic and financial components to the proposal, applauded the project’s subject and intent, and ultimately endorsed and approved the artist’s proposal.
On November 23, 2021, Rosalie Trombley passed away. Shortly before her death, she spoke with Mayne, and was truly honoured and excited to see images of Donna’s work in progress. Her death inspired Mayne, who met with Mayor Drew Dilkens and members of City administration to discuss her progress on the statue and fundraising efforts, and to formally request the City consider contributing funds from the Public Art Endowment Fund, and work with her to seek additional donations and supports for the project. Following the meeting, Mayor Dilkens connected with St. Clair College’s John Fairley and requested support and partnership between the City and the college to see the project realized. From 2021 to 2023, Mayne completed the sculpture and had it cast in bronze. She also completed its companion piece, a monolith number ‘8’, in limestone. Simultaneously, the City selected the intersection of Riverside Drive and McDougall Street as the location of the statue, intending to see Rosalie positioned with southwest Windsor at her back, looking out over the Riverfront Festival Plaza – a site of many music festivals – and across the Detroit River, at the nearby City of Detroit. In this way, Rosalie will stand forever, linking two cities and two countries, in a proud legacy of shaping the music and culture of Canada and the US in truly extraordinary ways. The Rosalie Trombley Commemorative Sculpture was unveiled on September 17th, 2023 as part of Open Streets Windsor – ‘The Big 8’ Kilometre Edition, one day before what would have been Rosalie’s 84th birthday. The sculpture is now a key part of Windsor’s extensive public art collection, which includes pieces in the Windsor Sculpture Park, and throughout the community. The Windsor Sculpture Park is the City’s ‘museum without walls’, and is a unique park showcasing more than 30 large-scale, internationally recognized works of contemporary sculpture by world-renowned artists. The park is maintained by the City, through the Community Services portfolio that includes Parks, Recreation & Culture, and Facilities. The sculptures within the park, are located mainly on the shores of the Detroit River within Ambassador and Centennial Parks, between the Ambassador Bridge (at Riverside Drive and Huron Church Road) and the facility that houses Museum Windsor’s Chimczuk Museum and the Art Windsor-Essex (AWE) gallery (at Riverside Drive and Church Street). Additional sculptures, some owned by the City and some privately owned, are located in various city parks, including several bronze sculptures depicting famous local community-builders including: Hiram Walker (corner of Riverside Drive and Devonshire Road) Mary Ann Shadd Cary (corner of Ferry Street and Chatham Street West) Alton C. Parker (Alton C. Parker Park at 420 Brodhead Street) The Right. Hon. Herb Gray Bust (Dieppe Gardens) Tecumseh and Brock Monument (Roundabout at Riverside Drive and Sandwich Street).