CHEYENNE - Renowned Wyoming sculptor Robert Russin was most proud of two of his statues.

One was the statue of Prometheus at the Natrona County Public Library in Casper. The other was the large bust of Abraham Lincoln at the summit of Interstate 80 between Cheyenne and Laramie.

Russin died in December in Los Angeles at the age of 93.

An art professor at the University of Wyoming for nearly 40 years, Russin produced many art pieces on display throughout Wyoming and the world.

His ashes and those of his wife, Adele, will be interred Sunday near the Lincoln monument, his son, Joe Russin, said this week.

After his father died, Joe Russin said he obtained permission from the office of Gov. Dave Freudenthal, Department of Transportation Director John Cox and Department of Parks and Cultural Resources Director Milward Simpson to build a small stone structure opposite the Lincoln bust to hold the two urns.

The family, he said, wanted to have a gathering in Wyoming because Robert Russin considered the state his home.

The event, scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. at the Lincoln monument's visitor's center, will be a celebration of Russin's art and his life, Joe Russin said.

Speakers will include the governor, former state senator and ambassador to Guatemala Tom Stroock and others.

Stroock and Jack Rosenthal, both of Casper, were two great patrons for the artist.

"They set up a fellowship at the university for a graduate student to work with him. They were instrumental in passing the hat to get the Prometheus statue up and the fountain at city hall," Joe Russin said.

Rosenthal has a family commitment and cannot attend the celebration but will be represented by his son, Mike Rosenthal.

Joe Russin said he is editing a video the university did some years ago of Russin at work and is compiling a slide show that is representative of some of the more than 400 art pieces his father created.

Robert Russin was born in 1914 in New York City and earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the City College of New York. Before he was 25 he had won two federal sculpture competitions. He came to the University of Wyoming in 1947 after teaching at Cooper Union in New York for three years.

The plaque on the stone structure reads: "The State of Wyoming is proud to honor Robert I. Russin and Adele M. Russin in recognition of their contribution to art, culture and education."

Contact Joan Barron at joan.barron@trib.com or by phone at 307-632-1244