As Oxford residents stroll previous Rick Momeyer’s home, they might miss the intricate artistic endeavors that lie simply past the bumpy driveway.

Momeyer, a former professor of philosophy on the College of Miami, has been constructing sculptures since his retirement in 2012.

On the opposite aspect of the courtyard, Momeyer displays greater than 10 items. Some are available units of three, some are interactive and a few are supposed to enable the viewer to seek for that means of their life.

Due to his coaching and his curiosity in “deep thought”, a number of of the items have a philosophical connotation. A group of sculptures on the very entrance of the courtyard bodily embodies the creation of historical past, the philosophical deconstruction of historical past and, lastly, the reconstruction of historical past by human civility.

“Human beings should not glad with the work of intellectuals, who inform tales and deconstruct them,” Momeyer mentioned. “So that they yearn for extra.”

Along with philosophy, Momeyer is captivated with journey. His love for artwork blossomed when he and his spouse, Sue, visited artwork museums and sculpture parks world wide. After educating for 44 years, Momeyer retired and located himself in want of a technique to move the time.

“Once I did not have [philosophy] to do extra and I did not have a category to arrange, ”mentioned Rick,“ and I’ve at all times admired sculpture, thought I ought to strive, strive a couple of issues.

After the pandemic hit, Momeyer had much more free time to work on his artwork.

“You are locked in and you may’t journey, you possibly can’t see folks… and I am a energetic sufficient individual that I am unable to sit and skim on a regular basis,” Rick mentioned. “So I’ve at all times appreciated working with my fingers and constructing issues.”

For 60 years, Rick’s most important passion has been swimming on the Miami Rec Heart. In a typical week, he swims 5 to 10 miles. As a result of pandemic, nevertheless, Sue and Rick stayed indoors for months. Sue mentioned Rick’s work has been a reduction for each of them within the wake of COVID-19.

“He is been so busy and busy throughout this pandemic,” Sue mentioned. “It was a lifeline, really.

Though they’ve been married for over 55 years, Sue mentioned she was blinded by this a part of Rick.

“I am a little bit shocked as a result of I’ve by no means seen this at Rick’s,” Sue mentioned. “I by no means noticed him as somebody who would try this type of factor.”

For greater than 30 years, Sue labored at Deliberate Parenthood and lately retired as CEO of its regional chapter.

When Rick takes a fee, he asks for the price of supplies and a charitable donation. Prospects have the choice to donate to Deliberate Parenthood Southwest Ohio Area, Oxford Group Arts Heart, or Miami Oxford Natural Community (MOON co-op).

Tad Liechtenstein, a 1973 Miami graduate and longtime Oxford resident, bought one in all Rick’s items in December.

As Liechtenstein and her husband handed by town through the years, they usually discovered the Momeyers’ court docket a subject of debate.

Sooner or later, the Liechtensteinies observed a field on the finish of Momeyer’s alley with leaflets explaining the artwork. After visiting and chatting with Momeyer’s Mini Sculpture Park, Liechtenstein found that she had identified Rick since she was a scholar in Miami.

“He was type of one of many younger, radical, socially lively professors on the time,” Liechtenstein mentioned.

As a supporter of Deliberate Parenthood, Liechtenstein appreciated the charitable giving side of Rick’s marketing strategy.

“[Planned Parenthood] is a corporation that I assist, and I will be utterly sincere, I used to be on the lookout for a spot to donate the stimulus cash that I received as a result of I wished to place that cash again into the group, ”Liechtenstein mentioned. “So I assumed this is able to be a very good place for that.”

Liechtenstein purchased a coin for her husband’s seventieth birthday. The colourful piece accommodates six concentric cubes nestled inside one another and sits on a stump within the Liechtys’ courtyard.

“It is only a enjoyable, whimsical, completely satisfied factor to see,” Liechtenstein mentioned.

Though he has moved a few half-dozen rooms off the property and loved his quarter-hour of Fb fame, Rick nonetheless holds his title of “former thinker, budding artist.”

“I do not faux to be an artist very a lot,” Rick mentioned. “What I really like is constructing issues, and these are issues that I can construct and that I can typically impose on different folks.”

Regardless of his creative denial, Momeyer acknowledges that his works generally is a vibrant spot for town.

“I am completely satisfied to share them, so as to add some shade to this winter’s uninteresting season,” Rick mentioned.

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