Unity: Circle of Memory
Toni Scott – Artist Presentation
Who I Am & Why This Matters
• Family to the Bruce family of Bruce’s Beach (through my extended family) • Great-great granddaughter of S.B.W. May, a Black investor in Manhattan Beach in the 1920s
• Heritage: African American & Muscogee Creek
• Practice: Art centered on memory, resilience, and healing • Why personal: Honoring the Bruces, other displaced families, and the generations denied their legacy
• I am family to the Bruce family of Bruce’s Beach through my extended family. I am also the great- great granddaughter of S.B.W. May, who was a Black investor in Manhattan Beach in the 1920s.
This history makes the project deeply personal to me. My heritage as African American and Muscogee Creek, and my lifelong practice centered on memory, resilience, and healing, all come together here.
• This work is not only to honor the Bruces, but also the other families who were displaced, and the generations who never had the chance to inherit what was taken from them. Unity: Circle of Memory is about carrying their stories forward with dignity, resilience, and hope About the Artist:
Toni Scott
• Multidisciplinary artist: sculpture,
installation, painting
• 30+ years creating large-scale and public
works
• Heritage focus: African American and
Muscogee Creek ancestry
• Family to the of the Bruce family of
Bruce’s Beach
• Exhibited nationally & internationally
(U.S., China, Europe, Africa)
• Works explore history, resilience, and
healing
My work is rooted in honoring heritage and bringing untold histories into public space. Each project combines research, symbolism, and community connection. This has been my life’s work — using art to hold memory and create spaces of healing.
Mood Board 1: Heroic
Women in Monumental Art
• These precedents show the power of
the female figure in monumental art.
• Statue of Liberty (1886): Freedom &
resilience
• Motherland Calls (1967): Courage &
sacrifice
• Statue of Freedom, U.S. Capitol (1863):
Protection & democracy
• Sacajawea & Jean-Baptiste (1905)
Sculptor Alice Cooper
• Toni Scott works: Reclaiming the female
form as resilient & monumental
• Toni Scott with “Four Winds” (2003),
wood sculpture
Mood Board 2: Sacred
Feminine & Women of
Color in Monumental Art
• Isis (antiquity): Divine
protector, uplift
• Black Madonna (19th
c.): Sacred guardian
• Dogon/Tellem Female
Figures (15th–20th c.):
Earth–spirit continuity
• Elizabeth Catlett
(1968): Empowerment
& dignity
• Statue of Juana Maria
(1986): Indigenous
survival & memory
• Thomas J. Price
(2020): Black presence
in public space
Artistic Continuum: The
Female Form in My
Work
• My own work has always centered
women as carriers of resilience and
memory — from stone to bronze to
wood.
• Unity: Circle of Memory extends this
lineage into public space
Bronze Mangbetu Woman — heritage,
resilience
Carrara Marble Nubia — serenity, Black identity
Chlorite Stone Homage to Hatshepsut —
ancient female power
Palm Frond Sculpture (Palm Family) —
abstraction, memory
Cast Stone Serenity — calm, healing
Design Research & Decisions
• Studied abstract, figurative, and hybrid memorial
models
• Abstract: visually strong, but risks disconnect from
community story
• Figurative: connects directly to memory, legacy,
resilience
• Hybrid (figure + circle): balances timeless symbolism with human presence
• Final Choice: Female figure holding the circle — unity, memory, healing
Concept
Sketches
(Unity
Figure)
Symbolism in the Design
• Female figure: Honoring the lineage of heroic women, including Willa & Charles Bruce’s legacy and my own family line
• Eyes closed, lifted upward: A gesture of resilience, remembrance, and prayer — spiritual transcendence • Circle held high: Universal symbol of unity, wholeness, and memory • Timeless, flowing dress: Dignity and grace; rooted in African and Indigenous archetypes while remaining universal
• Pedestal/Skirt: Grounded in earth and history — foundation of resilience • I chose a woman to honor the lineage of heroic women — from Willa Bruce, to my own family, to women around the world who have carried strength across generations. Her eyes are closed and lifted upward, a gesture of remembrance and prayer. The circle she raises is a universal symbol of unity and wholeness. Her dress is timeless and dignified, rooted in African and Indigenous archetypes but speaking universally. And her skirt grounds her to the earth and to history — a foundation of resilience
Why A Woman: Women carry memory, resilience, and legacy across generations. This figure honors Willa Bruce, my family, and women around the world “Unity – Circle of Memory
Height: 10 ft figure + pedestal (≤1,000 lbs)
Materials: Marine-grade cast stone /
bronze
Circle Held High: Unity, resilience, shared
history
Plinth Reliefs: Ancestors, families, memory
Site Integration: Faces beach, ocean, park
Unity in Site Context
Total Height: 10 ft (pedestal + figure + circle)
Pedestal: 30 in. with mosaic finish
Figure: ~7 ft torso in bronze, arms extended upward with circle Materials: Bronze + marine-grade cast stone (coastal safe) Durability: Engineered for stability & long-term maintenance Option B:
Alternate
Pedestal Finish
Without mosaic
Total height: 10 ft
(pedestal + figure +
circle)
Pedestal: 30 in. cast
stone finish
Figure:
Bronze upper torso
to circle,
Figure: ~7 ft, arms
extended upward
Durability:
Marine-grade
materials, designed
for coastal
environment
Maintains integrity
of concept while
reducing costs
Bronze: Marine-grade, resistant to salt air &
weathering
Cast Stone Skirt: Engineered for strength & scale
presence
Mosaic Pedestal (optional): Exterior-grade ceramic
or glass tesserae, UV-stable, durable in outdoor
settings
Anchoring: Bronze pinned & epoxied into cast stone,
reinforced internally
Thermal Protection: Flexible bonding prevents
cracking with expansion/contraction
Graffiti Protection: Anti-graffiti coating allows safe
cleaning without surface damage
Care: Minimal — periodic cleaning & inspection,
standard for public monuments
(ceramic and glass mosaics are exterior-grade and UV-stable.
Ceramic is slightly more durable against scratching and wear, while glass offers brilliance and color depth. The final choice can be based on design intent and long-term maintenance preference.
Legacy & Impact: Why Unity Matters
• Honors the Bruce family and all displaced families
• Restores resilience, dignity, and presence in public space • Creates a gathering place for remembrance & dialogue
• Embodies healing, unity, and hope for future generations • “Unity: Circle of Memory is more than a monument — it is a place of remembrance and gathering. It honors the Bruce family and the many families who endured displacement, restoring dignity and resilience in public space. She embodies healing and unity, while lifting hope for future generations. This work ensures that the story of Bruce’s Beach is not just remembered, but carried forward with strength and grace.” Partners & Advisors
Ed Dwight: Mentor and advisor; pioneering African American sculptor; over 130 public monuments nationwide
Brett Barney / CEO AFA Foundry (Los Angeles):
Fabrication partner; proven expertise in bronze,
and large-scale engineering
I am supported by proven partners. Ed Dwight, a pioneering African American sculptor with over 130 public monuments nationwide, has been a mentor and advisor throughout my practice. And Brett Barney of AFA Foundry in Los Angeles is my fabrication partner — he and his team bring the engineering and production expertise that ensures this project is both feasible and enduring. With this team, Unity: Circle of Memory will be realized to the highest standards
Project Budget – Bruce’s Beach Memorial
Total: $175,000 (All Inclusive)
• Artist Fee, Research & Design: $35,000 (20%)
• Technical & Prototyping (CAD, test prints): $6,000
(3%)
• Engineering & Enlargement: $10,000 (6%)
• Fabrication – Bronze (Torso & Circle): $40,000
(23%)
• Fabrication – Cast Stone Skirt: $25,000 (14%)
• Project Management & Coordination: $7,500 (4%)
• Logistics (shipping, storage, travel): $10,000 (6%)
• Contingency (10%): $17,500 (10%)
Optional mosaic pedestal not included in base $175,000. Estimated at ~$8,000, requiring sponsorship or additional funding.
Construction Breakdown (What & Who
1. Materials
•Bronze torso & circle → AFA Foundry (Los Angeles)
•Cast stone skirt & pedestal → Specialized subcontractor (to be confirmed; working with my network and AFA for referrals)
•Optional mosaic finish → Professional mosaic/tile artisan (if funded)
2. Engineering
•AFA Foundry engineers → Digital enlargement (CAD), mold-making, structural armature for bronze
•Structural consultant → Coordination with City engineers on pedestal load & foundation specs
3. Fabrication
•AFA Foundry → Casting torso & circle in marine-grade bronze •Subcontractor → Casting skirt & pedestal in engineered cast stone •Optional → Mosaic applied after cast stone is complete
4. Installation
•Foundry & subcontractor team → Transport and placement on City-provided foundation
•Artist (you) → On-site supervision to ensure artistic integrity
5. Durability & Care
•Marine-grade bronze, cast stone, UV-stable mosaic
•Anchored with stainless steel pins & epoxy, reinforced internally •Anti-graffiti coating, minimal maintenance
Artist’s Role – Toni Scott
• Sculpted maquette (small model) establishes form and vision • Directs digital enlargement (CAD) → reviews & refines proportions • Guides creation of stainless steel armature inside sculpture • Supervises bronze & cast stone fabrication for accuracy • Approves details at each stage to preserve artistic integrity • Oversees installation on site for artistic quality control • As the artist, I create the maquette that defines the form. I guide the digital enlargement to full scale, reviewing proportions and refining details so the work keeps its integrity. I direct the design of the internal armature for strength, and I supervise fabrication in both bronze and cast stone. At each stage, I approve details to ensure the vision is preserved, and I am present at installation to oversee final placement.
Fabrication Team’s Role – Foundry & Subcontractors
• AFA Foundry (Los Angeles):
• Digital scanning & enlargement (CAD)
• Bronze casting of torso & circle
• Engineering & internal reinforcement
• Anchoring & structural safety
• Cast Stone Subcontractor:
• Fabrication of skirt & pedestal
• Integration with bronze elements
• Coordination with artist & foundry
• Mosaic Subcontractor (optional):
• Installation of exterior-grade tesserae
• UV-stable, durable finish
AFA Foundry in Los Angeles will handle the technical
production. They scan and enlarge the maquette
digitally, cast the torso and circle in bronze, and
design the internal reinforcement and anchoring
system. A subcontractor will fabricate the skirt and
pedestal in cast stone, coordinating closely with the
foundry and with me. If a mosaic pedestal is
included, a professional mosaic artisan will install it.
Each partner brings technical expertise, while I
maintain artistic oversight throughout
Proposed Project Timeline
• Design Finalization: 2–3 months
• Engineering & Enlargement: 2 months
• Fabrication – Bronze & Cast Stone: 6–8 months
• Transport & Installation: 1 month
• Unveiling: ~12–14 months from contract
• This is a high-level proposed schedule. After final design approval, the enlargement and engineering will take about two months. Fabrication of bronze and cast stone will require six to eight months, followed by transport and installation. Overall, the project can be completed in about 12 to 14 months from contract
Unity: Circle of
Memory
Honoring the Bruces,
displaced families, and
future generations — a
place of resilience,
unity, and healing
Artist: Toni Scott