The Hiker: detail

This artistic memorial mosaic is created of natural stone. It rests over the grave of John Ledbetter in Asheville’s historic Riverside Cemetery. John Winslow LedBetter was a beloved husband, father, doctor and Scoutmaster. He passed away in March 2011 and is dearly missed by family and friends. His widow Gwenda approached me about creating a memorial to him. During the first conversation we had about the project, Gwenda gave me a simple card that was shared with everyone at John’s funeral. She noted with some pride that the sketch was a logo that John had drawn for his Scout troop. The iconic hiker image became the starting point of my stone memorial mosaic design.

The Hiker: Source design

The memorial mosaic design

The gravesite, in the historic Riverside Cemetery in the Montford section of Asheville, is long and lean, at 4′ by 10′. This had a significant impact on how I drew the stone memorial design. The hiker rests briefly, taking in the sun setting over the Blue Ridge Mountains. The original artwork has an everyman silhouette, which I have replaced with John’s profile, drawn from pictures his family provided.

Mosaic laid out in truck bed

The Hiker: Done!

I would be honored to work with you to create a Memorial Mosaic to tell the story and celebrate the life of your beloved. Please call me at (828) 337-7582 or e-mail me.

In July 2012, WNCW interviewed me about the piece and the story behind it. Check it out!