How was Jay Hall Carpenter chosen as the sculptor?
A – The university held a national competition. In December of 2000, a committee made up of university representatives, the class of 1998 and the Henson family chose the Carpenter design from three finalists. Jim’s widow, Jane Henson, said of Carpenter at the time “His grasp of Jims work and spirit makes him the ideal artist to create this statue of Jim Henson and Kermit the Frog.” Go back to the top of the page Q – How does the Carpenter design differ from the original concept for the statue? A – Originally, the design called for Kermit resting on Jim Henson’s knee. Carpenter’s vision was to have Jim Henson sitting on a bench looking at his most famous creation sitting on top of the bench and looking back. As Carpenter said upon his selection, “This sculpture will capture the personality of both Jim Henson and his created partner Kermit.” He added, “Their whimsy and humor will be conveyed through the depiction of their light-hearted interaction.” Go back to the top of the page Q – Whe
