George Llewelyn Lloyd - My Great, Great, Great Uncle
George was born in 1879 in Wales, UK and lived in Llanelli where he learned the art of stone cutting and engraving from his father, George Henry Lloyd. George Llewelyn Lloyd followed the family trade of Stone Masons and Monumental Sculptors and specialised in typography and drawing to perfect his craft.
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George started creating the Capitol model in 1929 and recorded that having met with architect. David Lynn, he felt inspired to construct the model. David Lynn would prove to be essential for George by providing the necessary blueprints and measurements of the Capitol Building. The Depression era made paid work hard to come by and it was this that drove George to focus on something positive rather than the depression surrounding him.
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The scale he envisioned for the building was set at 3/16 inch to the foot. The stone he chose for his model was French Caen Stone, light creamy-yellow Jurassic limestone quarried in north-western France near the city of Caen. The fine texture of this stone allowed George to carve very detailed and fine lines in the model. This particular type of stone gives the finished work a rich, warm colour and texture of natural stone. George stated that the softness of the Caen stone was about four degrees harder than chalk. He worked up to 16 hours a day on the model until it was complete.
(C)MsBlackInk
The United States Capitol Model​
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The model of the Dome of the Capitol created by George L Lloyd was carved from a single piece of limestone and is 16ft in diameter
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The building model consists of more than 500 pieces of carved stone
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The model was begun in 1929 and took 3 ½ years to complete
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It was made in eight different sections, which enabled it to be safely moved and transported around the United States for display
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The model is lit from within to highlight its form
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My Own Connection to George Lloyd
The fact that I have a familial link with George Llewelyn Lloyd has made a significant impact on me, my work and life. Being a trained artist myself, I admire the determination he showed, against significant financial hardships, to make a living in his creative avenue. His hard work, combined with passion and craft, is something every artist needs in the often-rocky path in a creative career.
It could be argued that during the 19th century, pursuing an artistic career would have been more difficult that it is at present. Having to travel to different locations in search of work and advancement was certainly more difficult in those times.
George Llewelyn Lloyd is a role model to me in many ways, but especially the connection of a shared hometown is something I reinforce in my own art career. If George could make a career within the arts from his hometown, it is possible, with hard work, determination and skill that I may be able to do the same.
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Through my research and the power of the internet I have reached people such as Mike Westby (author) of several books, Jason from Disney Geeks and tracked down relatives of George who have helped me to get a more detailed understanding of my Great Great Great Uncle, George Llewelyn Lloyd.
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If you would like to read my more in-depth study which is available to view on Disney Geek's website Click Here
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If you would like to learn more about the secrets of Disney visit www.Disney-Secrets.com
where author Mike Westby delves into more detail.