David S. Seagraves
Elizabeth, Illinois
David Seagraves was born in 1946 in Saint Louis, Missouri. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from Washington University School of Fine Arts in St. Louis in 1969, Mr. Seagraves completed his Master of Fine Arts at California College of Arts and Design, Oakland, in 1972.
In 1973, David moved to rural Elizabeth, Illinois and began working on house restorations, cabinetmaking and woodcarving. Several years later Mr. Seagraves established a woodworking shop in Elizabeth. Here he specialized in carved furniture, architectural carvings and small sculptures.
WORKS
1981 Saints Mary & Anne : 3.5’ high, walnut. St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Morrison, Illinois
1982 Holy Family : 3’ high, basswood. Holy Cross Catholic Church, Stockton, Illinois
1983 Farrell Memorial : 3’ high, walnut. Pius X Catholic Church, Rock Island, Illinois
1984 Our Lady of Grace : 3.5’ high, walnut. Grace Episcopal Church, Galena, Illinois
1984 Saints Mary & Anne : 3’ high, basswood. Highcrest center, Rockford, Illinois
1985 Crucifix : corpus 5.5’ high, walnut. St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Morrison, Illinois
1986 Mary Praying : Life-size, limestone. St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Elizabeth, Illinois
1987 Crucifix : corpus 5’ high, mahogany. St. John’s Episcopal Church, Lockport, Illinois
1988 John the Baptist : 4.5’ high, walnut. Trinity Cathedral, Davenport, Iowa
1989 John the Baptist : 5’ kneeling figure, mahogany. St. John’s Cemetery, Johnsburg, Illinois
1990 Robert Funderburg : Life-size relief portrait, bronze. YMCA, Belvidere, Illinois
1990 Crucifix : corpus 7’ high, mahogany. Holy Nativity Episcopal Church, Clarendon Hills, Illinois
1991 Holy Family : 9’ high, limestone. St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Oregon, Illinois
1991 Albert Robin : Life-size relief portrait, bronze. Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois
1992 Shepherd Christ : 7’ high, mahogany. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Garnavillo, Iowa
1992 Edward the Confessor : 6’ high, Colorado marble. St. Edward’s Catholic Church, Rockford, Illinois
1993 Pieta : Life-size, Colorado marble. St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Elizabeth, Illinois
1993 Careers : 13’ high, relief carving, mahogany. Highland Community College, Freeport, Illinois
1994 Holy Family : Life-size, limestone. St. Daniel’s Catholic Church, Wheaton, Illinois
1994 Mary, Anne & Joachim : Life-size, limestone. St. Daniel’s Catholic Church, Wheaton, Illinois
1995 Risen Christ : 8’ high figure, basswood. St. Thomas Catholic Church, Freeport, Illinois
1995 Holy Family : Life-size, basswood. St. Thomas Catholic Church, Freeport, Illinois
1996 Holy Family : 8’ high, mahogany. Saints Mary & Joseph Catholic Church, Carlinville, Illinois
1997 Crucifix : Life-size, polychrome, basswood. St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Dixon, Illinois
1997 Our Lady of Grace : Life-size, polychrome, basswood. St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Dixon, Illinois
1997 Three Angels : 5’ figures, basswood. St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Dixon, Illinois
1998 St. Andrew in Boat : 7’ high, limestone. St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, Rock Falls, Illinois
1998 Archangel Altar Rail : Four 5’ figures, walnut. St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Morrison, Illinois
1998 Blackhawk : Over life-size bust, mahogany. Apple River Fort, Elizabeth, Illinois
1999 Christ with Children : Life-size, limestone. St. Mary’s School. Sterling, Illinois
1999 Annunciation : 4.5’ figure, rock surround, basswood. St. John’s Catholic Church, Hanover, Illinois
2000 Three supporting Angels : Life-size, mahogany. St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Schereville, Indiana
2000 Christ the Servant : 5’ high, mahogany. St. Anne’s Catholic Church, Barrington, Illinois
2000 Pregnant Mary : 5’ high, mahogany. St. Anne’s Catholic Church, Barrington, Illinois
2001 Water & Air : Two 6’x4’x1’ relief carvings, limestone. Neuropsychiatric Institute, UIC, Chicago
2001-2004 United Armories : 32 bronze relief panels, each 2’x3’. Camp Lincoln, Springfield, Illinois
2005 Shepherd Christ : Life-size, limestone. Good Samaritan Nursing Home, Prophetstown, Illinois
2005 Welcoming Christ : Life-size, limestone. St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Morrison, Illinois
2006 Battle of Virden : 6.5’x12’ relief, bronze. Town Square, Virden, Illinois
2006 Demeter : Life-size, bronze. Ogle County Courthouse, Oregon, Illinois
2007-2008 Dillon Family : 3 figures, life-size, bronze. Dillon Home, Sterling, Illinois
2007 Our Lady of Fatima & Children : Life-size, marble. St. Patrick’s School, Dixon, Illinois
2007 John Dixon : 30” high, relief portrait, bronze. Oakwood Cemetery, Dixon, Illinois
2008 Mounder : Life-size mountain sheep ram, bronze. Mt. Morris School, Mt. Morris, Illinois
2008 Mary&Child, flanking angels : 4’ figures, bronze. St. Francis Catholic Church, LaCross, Wisconsin
2009 Our Lady of Medjugorje in arbor : 4’ high, limestone. Neisewander Home, Dixon, Illinois
2009 Union Soldier : Life-size, bronze. Logan County Courthouse, Lincoln, Illinois
2010 John Bloom Tribute : Two 10’x10’ relief carvings, limestone. Main St. DeWitt, Iowa
2010 Joe Marino (Mr. 4th of July) : Life-size, bronze. State St. Rockford, Illinois
2011 Bishop Lane : 8’ high, limestone. Bishop Lane Retreat, Rockford, Illinois
2012 Cor Mariae : 8’ high, limestone. Cor Mariae Nursing Home, Rockford, Illinois
2013 Mahogany Mural : 4” thick, 20’x10’ relief. Swedish-American Cancer Hospital, Rockford, Illinois
2013 Fountain Nymph : 18” high, bronze. Town Square, Mt. Morris, Illinois
2014 St. William & Wolf : Life-size, basswood. St. William’s Catholic Church, Naples, Florida
2014 Wally Thurow (Mr. Pumpkin) : Life-size, bronze. Sycamore, Illinois
2014 Betty : Life-size relief portrait, bronze & marble. St. Mary’s Cemetery, Elizabeth, Illinois
2015 Derinda House : 4’ high relief, bronze. Derinda Rd. Elizabeth, Illinois
2015 Artemis : Life-size, mahogany. Collection of the artist
2015 Lincoln Rallies the People : Life-size, bronze. Logan County Courthouse, Lincoln, Illinois
2016-2017 Fluorspar Miner & Wife : 7.5’ & 7’ figures, bronze. On the Ohio, Rosiclare, Illinois
2018 Elihu Washburne : Over life-size bust, Tennessee marble. Washburne Park, Galena, Illinois
2018 Ely Parker : Over life-size bust, Tennessee marble. Old Post Office, Galena, Illinois
2019 Lincoln’s Challenge : 8’x5.5’ carved limestone panel, bronze reliefs. Lincoln’s Challenge Academy,
Rantoul, Illinois
References
Rhonda Belford
Ohio River Scenic Byway, Illinois Chair
P. O. Box 746
Rosiclare, IL 62982
(618) 525-1855
belstar@shawneelink.net
Terry Miller
Site Superintendent at Galena Historic Sites
500 Bouthillier Street
Galena, IL 61036
(815) 281-1285
Terryj.miller@att.net
John Alexander
Chairman, Battle of Virden Monument Committee
153 E. Jackson Street, Virden, IL 62690
(217) 965-5443
bksonsqr@royell.net
George Atkinson
Assistant Coordinator, Art in Architecture, Illinois CDB (retired)
2000 Lee Street, Springfield, IL 62703
(217) 529-8615
Mike Falese
Elgin Fire Barn # 5 Museum
533 St. Charles Street
Elgin, IL 60120
(224) 242-6310
mikefalese@bluepointalert.com