Nike’s Phil Knight and the Story of Decatur’s Valentine Sculpture
Decatur Metro | February 14, 2015 | 9:20 am
In honor of the Valentine’s Day holiday, I thought we could revisit the interesting history of one of Decatur’s most well-known sculptures, “Valentine”.
Back in 2012, we received an Eye on the Street submission from John (above). The older couple who spend their days and nights looking down Clairemont Ave on Decatur Square seemed to have suddenly up and moved to Carmel, California.
One commenter spoke for many when he responded to that photo with the comment, “Worldview: SHATTERED.”
We came to find out that there are in fact 21 Valentine’s sculptures around the country, but this one in Carmel was the very first. A friend of the artist, George Lundeen, reached out to him and he provided us with the interesting history – and multiple lives – of the sculpture.
“The Valentine in Carmel was the first and only sculpture Carmel had for many years. The first in the edition went to a fellow who called one day and said he wanted to buy a sculpture for his shoe store. He described a piece I had done a few years before (Departure) and I had to tell him I had sold out of that piece. As we talked, I told him I had always wanted to do another sculpture of the same people in the first sculpture, but 50 years later. He went along with the plan. I then asked him about his shoe store and I said I thought it was an expensive piece to put in front of the store. He said it would look good there. I then asked him the name of his store and he said it was “Nike”. I was speaking with Phil Knight or as he said, I should call him “Buck”. That was the first one. Most of the edition of 21 are in private collections…one was resold a few months ago in Beaver Creek Colorado and was sent to Mexico. The one in Carmel, recently lost it’s valentine and I had to go out and fit her with a new one.”
The Decatur Valentine’s sculpture, dedicated to former mayor Bill Floyd and his wife back in 2008, is regularly adorned with interesting accessories, be it balloons, poems, snow, flowers or Google Fiber signs.
It was donated anonymously to the city is on permanent loan from the Emory’s Wesley Woods Center, according to the city’s website.
Check out more of George Lundeen’s bronze sculptures over on his website, including a certain Thomas Jefferson sculpture that sits opposite the Valentines at the Old Courthouse entrance. 
Happy Valentine’s Day all!
Snow photo courtesy of Sherrie
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