As you spend time exploring Loveland’s public art scene, you’ll begin to recognize the work of Jane DeDecker. Her sculptures are part of the fabric of the city. You can find them in Benson Sculpture Garden, outside the Civic Center, along First Street and perhaps most memorably, near Lake Loveland, where a group of children carefully balances across a log. It’s a piece that has become a favorite for both locals and visitors and one that helped launch her career.
Today, DeDecker is one of the many artists who have helped shape Loveland into what it is known for across the country: a place where sculpture isn’t just displayed, it’s experienced as part of everyday life.
A creative path rooted in Loveland
DeDecker was raised in a creative environment where art was part of each day. Her mother, an artist, made sure creativity was always encouraged. With 10 kids in the house, drawing and painting were simply part of growing up.
DeDecker’s connection to sculpture came through community. A friend’s father, Robert Zimmerman, started Art Castings of Colorado, introducing her to the world of bronze at a young age.
That early exposure naturally led DeDecker to pursue sculpture more seriously and eventually to hands-on experience working alongside other artists in Loveland. One summer, when DeDecker came home from college, she ended up working in none other than George Lundeen’s studio. What started out as helping out over summer break turned into eight years of collaboration, until DeDecker went out to start her own studio.
A process that brings sculpture to life
What DeDecker learned in Lundeen’s studio isn’t something often taught in art school. Figurative sculpting is both an art and a science, best learned by working alongside other sculptors. DeDecker’s work begins in clay, where forms are built up in layers to capture movement and expression. In the clay portion of the process, one can see her influence from Impressionist painters and the sculpture of Alberto Giacometti—all utilizing broader brushstrokes and a less polished finish.
From there, pieces move through the casting process at local foundries before returning to her studio in sections to be welded, refined and finished with patina.
She typically has two to three pieces in progress at a time and works carefully to avoid over-refining them. Because her style is impressionistic, the earliest marks often carry the most energy, and part of her process is knowing when to step back and stop.
Building a body of work that spans the country
DeDecker has created about a dozen larger-than-life pieces and between 250 and 300 sculptures that are publicly installed across 40 states. About two-thirds of those public works are commissions, while others have been sold through galleries or selected through competitive calls for entry.
DeDecker said she enjoys that balance. Commissions allow her to collaborate with communities and bring their vision to life, while her personal work gives her space to explore ideas and moments that resonate on a more individual level.
Telling stories that matter
She believes her work reflects a deeper purpose; she has spent much of her career focusing on women’s stories, both historical and contemporary. Early on, DeDecker created portrait sculptures of figures like Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth and Amelia Earhart and quickly recognized how limited female representation was in public art.
That realization shaped the direction of her work. She became a strong advocate for increasing exemplification of women in sculpture, using her work to highlight contributions that have often been overlooked.
In 2018, DeDecker was a finalist for a women’s monument in Central Park in New York. Of the 90 finalists, 60 had connections to Loveland, a reflection of the city’s influence in the sculpture world.
Today, she is working on a portrait of Josephine Baker, a dancer and singer who made her life in Paris, became a pilot, served as a spy in the French Resistance and later spoke alongside Martin Luther King Jr. during the first March on Washington.
Experiencing DeDecker’s work in Loveland
One of the best ways to understand DeDecker’s work is simply to explore Loveland. Her sculptures are intentionally placed in public spaces where people can encounter them naturally:
- Lake Loveland: Crossings: Her signature piece and the work that launched her career
- Benson Sculpture Garden: Keep the Ball Rolling, Tree and Unsteady Steadiness: Three pieces that reflect movement, balance and everyday moments
- Loveland Civic Center Sculptures: Four installations integrated into the surrounding public space
- Larimer County Loveland Campus building: Two additional works that expand her presence across the city
- The Muse Coffee Shop: Quirky, cozy and inviting, The Muse is owned and operated by DeDecker’s husband, Kyle, and has a number of DeDecker’s pieces inside
The creative spirit that defines Loveland
DeDecker’s work is a reflection of something larger happening in Loveland.
This is a place where artists can build careers, stay connected to their craft and be part of a broader creative community. Sculptors work closely with local foundries, connect through events like Sculpture in the Park and the Colorado Governor’s Art Show and continue to refine ideas and processes together.
That environment is part of what has made Loveland the bronze sculpture capital of the world and continues to draw artists from across the country.
For visitors, that creative energy is something you can experience firsthand. It shows up in the number of sculptures throughout the city, in the accessibility of the art and in the way it is integrated into everyday spaces.
“I call Loveland my home, I love this city,” DeDecker said. “I hope it keeps its charm and creative synergy.”
Explore Loveland through sculpture
If you’re planning a visit to Loveland, experiencing DeDecker’s work is a natural place to start.
Spend time at Benson Sculpture Garden, then explore Chapungu Sculpture Park and the Loveland Museum. Walk through downtown and take time to notice the details along the way.
In Loveland, art isn’t tucked away. It’s part of the experience. And it’s artists like Jane DeDecker who make that experience feel personal, meaningful and worth returning to.