{{short description|American sculptor}}
{{Infobox artist | name = Tom Tsuchiya | image = Tom Tsuchiya Sculpting Big Cat.jpg | image_size = 200px | birth_date = {{Birth date|1972|8|3|mf=y}} | field = sculpture | training = Apprentice to Richard J. Miller | website = www.tomsculptor.com [http://www.tomsculptor.com] }} '''Tom Tsuchiya''' also known as '''Norikazu''' (born August 3, 1972) is an American artist who creates public sculpture. He is best known for bronze sculptures for Major League Baseball and the National Football League.<ref name = "Pahigian" >Pahigian, Josh, & O’Connell, Kevin. “The Ultimate Baseball Road Trip, 2nd: A Fan's Guide to Major League Stadiums”. P. 201. Lyons Press, 2012. {{ISBN|978-0-7627-7340-4}}></ref><ref>Fine, Larry. "New 'Madden Award' to Honor Best Offensive Line." ''ABC News/ESPN Sports''. November 12, 2009. [https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=9070349]</ref><ref>Erardi, John. "Local Sculptor Crafts Tribute to Blockers." ''The Cincinnati Enquirer''. December 16, 2009. [http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20091215/SPT02/912160379/Local-sculptor-crafts-tribute-to-blockers]</ref> In 2016, Tom was commissioned by Josh Rooney, the Director of Sports & Entertainment at Matthews International to produce the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum plaque bas-reliefs for Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza.<ref>Rosecrans, Trent "Cincinnati sculptor Tsuchiya's work to hang on Cooperstown Hall's walls." ''Cincinnati Enquirer''. February 4, 2016.[http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/2016/02/04/cincinnati-sculptor-tsuchiyas-work-hang-cooperstown-halls-walls/79829980/]</ref><ref>Augustine, Bernie "EXCLUSIVE: Inside the creation of Mike Piazza's Hall of Fame plaque." ''The New York Daily News''. July 22, 2016. [http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/exclusive-creation-mike-piazza-hall-fame-plaque-article-1.2721198]</ref>
==Works==
=== Reds Legends of Crosley Field === {{Main|Reds Legends of Crosley Field}} Tsuchiya created four life-size bronze sculptures of Cincinnati Reds players at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.. These sculptures, depicting Crosley Field era players involved in an imaginary ballgame, represent Joe Nuxhall pitching to Frank Robinson, Ernie Lombardi catching and Ted Kluszewski on deck.<ref name = "Stupp" >Stupp, Dan. ''Opening Day at Great American Ball Park'', p. 58. Sports Publishing L.L.C., 2003. {{ISBN|1-58261-724-4}} ></ref> All four sculptures were completed by 2004.<ref name = "NYT baseball">{{cite news |work= The New York Times| title=In Baseball's Bronze Age, Statues are Becoming Bigger Part of the Landscape| date=2011-09-21|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/21/sports/baseball/baseballs-bronze-age.html?pagewanted=all | accessdate=2012-07-19}}</ref><ref name = CN >{{cite news |work= The Cincinnati Enquirer |title= Photo Gallery|date=2004-06-28 | url = http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2004/06/28/reds0627/photomain.html| accessdate=2012-07-20}}</ref>
===Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award=== {{Main|Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award}}
In 2009, Tsuchiya was commissioned to design and sculpt the Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award to honor the NFL's best offensive line.<ref>Sandomir, Richard. "For Madden, at 73, The Game's Still On." ''The New York Times''. December 16, 2009.[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/sports/football/17madden.html]</ref><ref>[http://www.nfl.com/partner?partnerType=most-valuable-protectors NFL.com. "Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award"]</ref> He created this bronze trophy as a departure from the traditional award design, integrating figures of the players into the trophy's base.<ref>Erardi, John. "Local Sculptor Crafts Tribute to Blockers." The Cincinnati Enquirer. December 16, 2009. [http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20091215/SPT02/912160379/Local-sculptor-crafts-tribute-to-blockers]</ref> On February 3, 2010, the offensive line of New Orleans Saints became the inaugural winner of the trophy.
===Lux Mundi=== {{Main|Lux Mundi (statue)}}
In September 2012, Tsuchiya completed ''Lux Mundi'', a 15.8 meter (52 feet) tall statue of Jesus for Solid Rock Church in Monroe, Ohio. This work replaces the statue of Jesus that was destroyed by a lightning strike in June, 2010.<ref name="NYT lux mundi">{{cite news |work=New York Times |title=Giant Jesus statue keeps watch over Ohio interstate |date=2005-11-18 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/17/national/17statue.html?_r=1&emc=eta1 | first=Chris | last=Maag }}</ref><ref name=WCPO>{{cite news |work=WCPO |title=Construction progressing on new Jesus statue along I-75|date=June 15, 2012 |url=http://www.wcpo.com/dpp/news/region_north_cincinnati/monroe/Construction-to-begin-on-new-Jesus-statue-along-I-75#ixzz1y1CWlU3h| accessdate=2012-09-07}}</ref><ref name= CNN>{{cite news| work = CNN.com| title= Jesus: He's Back! And he wants a Hug! |date= 2012-09-19 |url= http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-844062|accessdate=2012-09-26}}</ref><ref name= USA>{{cite news| work = USA Today| title= Ohio town ready to welcome Jesus with open arms |date= August 16, 2012 |url= https://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2012-16-08/jesus-statue-ohio/57102030/1|accessdate=2012-09-26}}</ref>
===Atlas Recycled===
In March 2010, Tsuchiya created ''Atlas Recycled'', a sustainable art sculpture that doubles as a recycling container for aluminum cans and plastic bottles.<ref name= WP >{{cite news| newspaper= The Washington Post| title= Celebrating Earth Day Around the World| date=2012-04-20|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/celebrating-earth-day-around-the-world/2012/04/20/gIQAG7QLWT_gallery.html#photo=2 | accessdate=2012-08-24}}</ref><ref name= GT >{{cite news| work= The Georgetowner| title= Rain Does Not Dampen Spirits on Earth Day| date=2012-04-23|url= http://www.georgetowner.com/articles/2012/apr/23/earth-brings-pouring-rain-earth-day/| accessdate=2012-08-24}}</ref> The 2.1 meter (7 feet) tall sculpture depicts the mythical Greek Titan Atlas bearing the earth on his shoulders. In addition to being a recycling aid, ''Atlas'' itself is made mainly from reused materials. Pieces of 14 used atlases and road maps cover the entire surface of the sculpture.<ref name= GT/> Most of the polymer and steel that form the structure were reused from the creation of some of the artist's previous sculptures. To celebrate Earth Day, ''Atlas'' has been exhibited in Cincinnati's Fountain Square, New York City's Grand Central Terminal and Washington D.C.'s National Mall.<ref name= WP/><ref name= CC >{{cite news| work= Cincinnati.com| title= Eco-Sculptures Go Up on Square| date=2011-08-04|url= http://news.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20110408/ENT07/104090342/EcoSculptures-go-up-Square| accessdate=2012-08-24}}</ref>
===National Baseball Hall of Fame===
In December 2015, artist Mindy Ellis who produced a total of 76 bas-relief likeness for the National Baseball Hall of Fame induction plaques retired her commission after 20 years of service. In February 2016 Tom Tsuchiya was commissioned by Josh Rooney, the Director of Sports and Entertainment at Matthews International to produce the bas-relief likeness for Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza, and has been serving since.<ref>"New Hall of Fame sculptor Tom Tsuchiya to debut in 2016." "The National Baseball Hall of Fame". February 16, 2016.[http://baseballhall.org/news/mathews-tom-tsuchiya-named-new-sculptor-hall-of-fame-plaques]</ref>
=== Pete Rose statue === In 2017, Tsuchiya created a statue of prominent Reds outfielder Pete Rose. The larger-than-life bronze sculpture shows him in his trademark headfirst slide into base. To create this gravity-defying piece, Tsuchiya worked with GE Aviation engineers Tom Wallace and Brent Tholke on the more practical aspects.<ref>{{Cite web |title= Pete Rose|url=https://www.sculpturecenter.org/oosi/items/show/2037}}</ref> The sculpture was revealed in June 2017<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reds honor Rose with statue, ceremony |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/reds-to-honor-pete-rose-with-bronze-statue-c236876586 |access-date=2025-12-15 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref> and joins fellow Reds greats Frank Robinson, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez on Crosley Terrace at the Great American Ball Park.
===Other works===
Other notable works by Tsuchiya include the sculpture to honor slain baseball coach Cleveland Parker III. This sculpture features a relief portrait of Parker, a poem and a spiraling arrangement of representations of home plate, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd bases. At night, this sculpture announces its presence by emitting pulsating light created by digitally controlled LEDs located inside the sculpture's body. Tsuchiya collaborated with American poet Nikki Giovanni on this memorial who wrote a poem celebrating Cleveland Parker's life that is inscribed on the north side of the sculpture. Cleveland Parker was a Cincinnati youth baseball coach who was fatally struck by a stray bullet on July 12, 2005.<ref>Mauch, Lisa. "Eastern Hills Journal." July 12, 2006.</ref>
In September 17, 2011, the Cincinnati Reds unveiled Tsuchiya's statue of the great Reds catcher, Johnny Bench. Tsuchiya's fifth statue for Great American Ball Park is located near the entrance of the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum. The statue represents Bench in the act of throwing out a base runner.<ref name= CE>{{cite news| work=The Cincinnati Enquirer| title= Johnny Bench: Bronze Age| date=2011-09-17|url= http://news.cincinnati.com/videonetwork/1163895329001/Johnny-Bench-Statue| accessdate=2012-08-24}}</ref> Johnny Bench stated that the unveiling of his statue was "his greatest moment."<ref name= MLB>{{cite news|work=MLB.com| title=Bench calls statue his 'greatest moment' |date=2011-09-17|url= http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110917&content_id=24847440&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140328205514/http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110917&content_id=24847440&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb |url-status= dead |archive-date= March 28, 2014 | accessdate=2012-08-24}}</ref>
Tsuchiya also made a statue of Joe Morgan that was dedicated in summer 2013.<ref name= L12>{{cite news|work= Local 12.com| title= Joe Morgan Statue Planned for Great American Ball Park |date=2012-06-27|url= http://www.local12.com/news/local/story/Joe-Morgan-Statue-Planned-For-Great-American-Ball/A1GuDCmHU0GkHlqtFMbOTA.cspx |accessdate =2012-08-24}}</ref>
In 2024, Tsuchiya unveiled a 5-foot translucent fiberglass sculpture entitled "Embrace No Evil".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Embrace No Evil {{!}} Tom Tsuchiya's Permanent BLINK Cincinnati Sculpture |url=https://tomsculptor.com/project/embrace-no-evil/ |access-date=2025-11-21 |website=tomsculptor.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The sculpture features an LED core and music built from live Cincinnati Zoo gibbon recordings. It was installed on Court Street<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weldon |first=Casey |date=2024-10-07 |title=New Tsuchiya sculpture to shine bright during BLINK |url=https://moversmakers.org/2024/10/07/new-tsuchiya-sculpture-to-shine-bright-during-blink/ |access-date=2025-11-21 |website=Movers & Makers |language=en-US}}</ref> as the first permanent BLINK installation.
==Gallery== <gallery> File:Reds Legends of Crosley Field rev.jpg|''Reds Legends of Crosley Field'' File:RSTProtectorsAward 1.jpg|''Madden Most Valuable Protectors Award'' File:Atlas Recycled at the National Mall.jpg|''Atlas Recycled'' File:Johnny Bench Statue at Great American Ball Park.jpg|''Johnny Bench: Baseball's Greatest Catcher'' File:MarianSpencerStatue.jpg|''Marian Spencer Statue'' File:Lux Mundi, the sculpture of Jesus at Solid Rock Church.jpg|''Lux Mundi, the sculpture of Jesus at Solid Rock Church'' File:Pete Rose Statue by Tom Tsuchiya.jpg|''Pete Rose Statue'' File:Catamount at Mount St Joseph by Tom Tsuchiya 2022.jpg|''Catamount at Mount St Joseph'' </gallery>
== References == {{reflist|30em}}
== External links == *[http://www.tomtsuchiya.com Official website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tsuchiya, Tom}} Category:20th-century American sculptors Category:1972 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American sculptors Category:American artists of Japanese descent Category:American sports sculptors