Painting of the Allamakee County Freedom Rock gets underway

Allamakee County home to 92nd Freedom Rock

by Joe Moses

With the arrival of artist Ray “Bubba” Sorensen II, painting of the Allamakee County Freedom Rock has begun in the Waukon City Park as of Thursday, August 20. Upon completion, the Freedom Rock in Waukon will be part of the 99-County Freedom Rock Tour, a statewide tourism attraction honoring military veterans.

The large white tent noticeable on the east edge of Waukon City Park serves as a temporary shelter for the rock and the painting process from weather elements. It also allows Sorenson to work on his creation without interruption.

Sorensen shared with The Standard that the original Freedom Rock is located in Adair County southwest of Des Moines, just north of Greenfield where Sorensen resides, and is approximately 12 feet tall and is a 60-plus ton boulder he painted in 1999 after being inspired by the film “Saving Private Ryan.” Sorensen explained that he received permission to move forward with painting the original Freedom Rock, with that original painting depicting the U.S. flag being raised during the Battle of Iwo Jima with the text “Thank You Veterans for our Freedom”.

Sorensen said that original project grew into an annual tradition where each May before Memorial Day, that original Freedom Rock is repainted with a new mural honoring veterans. Sorensen shared that the original Freedom Rock is completely repainted each year except for a section on the north side depicting a green helicopter which was created using paint that has been mixed with the ashes of over 120 Vietnam veterans from around the United States.

EXPANSION INTO THE FREEDOM ROCK TOUR
Sorensen and his wife started a photography and art studio, Sorensen Studios, in 2008 while continuing the annual repainting of the original Freedom Rock near Greenfield and painting murals for a variety of businesses, organizations and individuals. Around 2011, Sorensen began thinking of ways to expand upon that original Freedom Rock in some capacity and originally thought of creating U.S. flag murals for American Legions and other veterans organizations as an early concept.

By 2013, Sorensen introduced the Freedom Rock Tour as an opportunity for each of Iowa’s 99 counties to have their own Freedom Rock as a tourism attraction that honors military veterans. Within the first year of that announcement, Sorensen was able to book the first 60 counties to be included in the Freedom Rock Tour. For additional information about the original Freedom Rock and the Freedom Rock Tour created by Sorenson visit www.thefreedomrock.com.

ALLAMAKEE COUNTY’S FREEDOM ROCK
Allamakee County is the 92nd county to be included in the Freedom Rock Tour. Sorensen shared his plans that once the 99th Freedom Rock is completed - which is scheduled to be within the next year’s time, one additional Freedom Rock opportunity will be made available through an auction process for any Iowa community that did not receive one, with the proceeds from that auction then distributed to a veterans charity.

Sorensen explained that each Freedom Rock takes a week to 10 days to paint, with that process involving a primer coat, painting of the image on the rock, curing and sealant to preserve the image. Sorensen commented that Allamakee County’s Freedom Rock is not the biggest rock he’s ever painted but definitely falls in the large category in comparison to the other boulders that are part of Iowa’s Freedom Rock Tour. Due to this being one of the larger rocks chosen, Sorensen said there may be some rock surface area that does not get painted, with that negative or empty space being utilized to further add to or accentuate the artwork on the rock.

Sorensen advised that not every military branch will be represented on each individual Freedom Rock and that the Allamakee County rock will focus on the veteran stories relevant to this county and collectively tell a larger story in combination with the Freedom Rocks across the entire state, which is the ultimate intention of the Freedom Rock Tour. Sorensen discussed the significance of adding an image of the U.S. flag to each of the Freedom Rocks he paints, noting that every fiber of the U.S. flag represents every veteran and every American.

Allamakee County resident Ardie Kuhse, who has been involved in the application and planning process relating to this project since 2016, said that signage or a kiosk will be added at the Freedom Rock site in the Waukon City Park to further tell the stories of the Allamakee County veterans who are depicted on the Freedom Rock. Kuhse also shared that additional landscaping will be performed and may include a section of concrete encircling the Freedom Rock, allowing the public to walk around and view the mural painted on the rock from any direction.