MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Standing in the center of the new Courthouse Square in downtown Morgantown is a fountain sculpted by local renowned artist Jamie Lester.
Lester’s creations are already spotted all around the city, with statues of Jerry West, Don Knotts and Hot Rod Hundley, but this newest addition to his portfolio was more about rehabilitating art from the past than creating new art from scratch.
The fountain called the Courthouse Square many years ago, which was discovered recently in historic photos.
“I understand the story right, from those photos, Phil Cole recognized the fountain base in Westover,” Lester said. “No one really knew where it was or what had happened to it, and they actually just happened upon it.”
Under the gazebo of the Westover Park, Lester said the fountain was only a shadow of the beautiful creation it once was.
“It had been plumbed at one point, but really it had just fallen into ruin,” he said. “It’s a really great thing that we were able to capture it, store it and put it in its rightful place.”
Many pieces of the fountain were broken or gone and several layers of paint chipped away the first time Lester saw the piece.
“I honestly thought that that thing was just going to explode in a cloud of rust when we picked it up,” he said.
But it didn’t take long for Lester to imagine something beautiful.
“We wanted to create this cascading effect for the water to sort of dribble out of the top into the blossoms, kind of like a stamen pistil,” he said.
The top of the fountain, which once resembled a pinecone, now holds a “larger than life size” sculpture of the state rhododendron flower.
Unveiling the repaired fountain at the Courthouse Square opening Wednesday was a milestone Lester had awaited since December, though not a new experience. Lester’s statues have become icons throughout Morgantown — the city he’s called home for over 20 years.
“It’s my adopted hometown,” he said. “I love to be a part of the community and to hopefully add something to the legacy of the community. It’s just a great honor for me to be a part of it.”
But Lester doesn’t want to be the only one a part of it. He’d love to see more artwork displayed throughout the city.
“We have so many talented people in this town, and I think we need to show more of that because the more art a city shows, the more pride they show to visitors to the city,” he said.
As for his own works, Lester admits he does have a favorite.
“I still love the Jerry West (statue), maybe because it was my first piece here. It means so much to me,” he said. “It holds so much nostalgia and emotional power. I really do love that piece.”
To learn more about Jamie Lester and his art, click here.