Sculptor Ray Kaskey

Raymond Caskey, courtesy of Caskey Studios.

Born in 1943, Raymond Kaskey is the artist responsible for the sculpture elements in the World War II Memorial. He went to school at Carnegie Mellon University in his hometown of Pittsburgh, and Yale University. Among his noted works are the statue of owner and founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Art Rooney at Heinz Field as well as the lion sculptures at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Initially, Mr. Kaskey was part of a failed submission of a group in their effort to design the World War II Memorial. Although his group did not emerge from the more than 400 entrants, he was recognized by a member of the team headed by Friedrich St.Florian and agreed to be added to their number. St. Florian’s team was among the six finalists, and ultimately chosen to craft the new memorial.

Mr. Kaskey’s art permeates St.Florian’s overall design. The Freedom Wall with its 4,048 gold stars; the eagles holding aloft the laurel wreath of victory; the wreaths, which bedeck the state and territorial pillars; the bases of the flagpoles; and the 24 bas reliefs which depict the home front and battle fronts which define the American experience are all the work of Kaskey’s studio based in Brentwood, Maryland. Live models were used to depict the scenes in each relief. Even something which may be considered an afterthought, the storm drain grates are depicted in a star and stripes design which carry away rainwater from the memorial are also Kaskey originals.