The city of Dublin, in collaboration with Dublin Arts Council, commissioned the tribute to golf legend Jack Nicklaus by Chicago artists Jeffrey Varilla and Anna Koh-Varilla, to recognize the contributions made to the Dublin community by Nicklaus. His vision of a championship golf course surrounded by a first-class residential community became a reality in the 1970s with the creation of the internationally recognized Muirfield Village Golf Club.
In their representational sculpture which was unveiled in 1999, Mr. Nicklaus is shown not only as the senior master of golf, but also as a paternal mentor, teacher and role model. The figures are larger-than-life size, cast in bronze and located in the wide median at Avery/Muirfield Drive at Brand Rd., south of the Muirfield neighborhood and golf course.
About the artists
Jeffrey Varilla and Anna Koh Varilla are a husband and wife sculptor team that has been working on public monuments for about thirty years. Stylistically, their work reflects a passion
for ‘Classic Realism”. They have produced religious and secular works for many locations around the country and overseas. Their goal as artists is to incorporate the artistry learned from the great masters of the past with the visions and aspirations of our society today. They believe that an important role of art is to communicate with the public.
Jack Nicklaus
No name is more synonymous with greatness in the sport of golf than Jack Nicklaus, and no single person has changed the face of the sport more than Jack Nicklaus - the player, the designer, the businessman, the philanthropist and the good-will ambassador.
Jack was named "Golfer of the 20th Century" or "Golfer of the Millennium" by almost every major golf publication in the world. He was also named Individual Male Athlete of the Century by Sports Illustrated, and one of the 10 Greatest Athletes of the Century By ESPN.
