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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday February 21, 2007 - 9 Chuvalo's bronze statue ready for action By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Standing ringside in a Toronto gym Monday, George Chuvalo felt right at home. Minutes later, though, when a life-size bronze sculpture of the former Canadian Heavyweight Champion was unveiled showing his fist ready for action, Chuvalo didn't know how to react. "What a cute profile," he said, smiling, and checking out the bronze version of himself from all angles. "You're just not used to seeing yourself like this. It's interesting. You see yourself and it's kind of, I don't know what to say. It's cool. It really captures a part of me." The woman who did the capturing is Oakville's Gabrielle Horvath. A veteran artist, Horvath used a technique employed by just a handful of people in the world: open sand cast bronze sculpting. The work is made by splashing several layers of molten bronze onto a sand mold of the subject. As Horvath puts it, "it's painting with fire." The Chuvalo bust she created shows a fist poised and a tough yet almost pained expression on his face. It captures, Horvath says, both ASHLEA WESSEL/ SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER READY FOR AUCTION: Local bronze artist Gabrielle Horvath (right) made a bronze sculpture of boxer George Chuvalo which was unveiled Monday morning at the Bloor Street Boxing Gym. The pair hope to find a place to auction it off, with proceeds going to Chuvalo's Fight Against Drugs organization. Chuvalo's boxing career and what he now champions outside the ring: The Fight Against Drugs. Chuvalo's wife and three of four sons died of substance abuse. He has since been travelling across the country to spread awareness about the dangers of drugs. "He's got all this power that I think is obviously very evident, and I think given the history of his family life and everything else, I think it also depicts the torment, perhaps, or the tragedies that have befallen him," Horvath said of the sculpture. "It shows both, I think, because of this format." Chuvalo's youngest son, Jesse, died 22 years ago this week. He shot himself because he couldn't live with his addiction. "If three of my sons didn't die, I wouldn't be doing this," Chuvalo said of his Fight Against Drugs endeavour. "But because they died, I think I can help some of the young people to think twice about using drugs. "If I didn't do what I'm doing now, my sons would have died in vain. And I don't ever want that to happen," added Chuvalo, who retired in 1979 as the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of Canada. The proceeds from the sale of the sculpture ­ Chuvalo and Horvath are hoping an organization will come forward to auction it off at an event ­ will go to The Fight Against Drugs, minus about $1,000 for Horvath's materials cost. "It's my contribution to the Fight against Drugs and George's work," said Horvath. "I've always been a big fan of his." A long-time fan of boxing who spent the 1990s in Long Island, New York, Horvath started sculpting athletes after meeting champions of the ring including Jake LaMotta, Ken Norton and Archie Moore. She created sculptures of the fists of all three boxers, and at LaMotta's urging, Horvath contacted Chuvalo to do a direct impression of his face and fist. "I think it's artistic but I think it's just as historic," she said of the result. "It has I think wonderful credibility in the fact that I've See A first page 16 LOOK INSIDE GREAT OFFERS! THIS MONTH'S BONUSPAK ENVELOPE FOR LOOK FOR SPECIAL OFFERS FROM THESE ADVERTISERS IN YOUR FEBRUARY BONUSPAK A Ad nis dine in or take out INSTANT TAX SERVICES 416 4 For Information call Marie Gallagher at 905-845-4549 ext 232 Family Karate & Fitness Centre The Oakville Beaver BONUSPAK PAK