‘Huge Fish’ sculpture is newest nod to Wetumpka movie historical past

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Wetumpka, generally known as a filming website of the 2003 film “Huge Fish,” has a brand new sculpture to have fun its historical past – a 7-foot-long catfish comprised of hubcaps.

“It celebrates our ‘Huge Fish’ historical past,” says Shellie Whitfield with the Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce. “That could be a nice illustration of Wetumpka.”

The quirky sculpture was erected downtown in November 2021. Whitfield stated not solely is Wetumpka house to the “Huge Fish” home, a particular white, hilltop manor used within the movie, it’s recognized for its bass fishing alternatives and for the Huge Fish Problem Kayak Fishing Event.

The sculpture is by Colorado artist Brett Jakel (pronounced Yay-kel). Whitfield, who as soon as labored as an artwork instructor in Colorado, knew of Jakel and his work. “The artist is an effective good friend of mine,” she stated. “He’s been making hubcap sculptures since he was in highschool.”

You’ll be able to see extra of Jakel’s work on his Fb web page.

Whitfield stated someday she observed a photograph of Jakel’s catfish sculpture and shared it on her social media. From there, it obtained the eye of Wetumpka Mayor Jerry Willis. Noting that the fish was made solely of hubcaps from Ford automobiles, Willis managed to safe sponsorship from the native dealership, Collier Ford, which bought the statue for the town.

The sculpture is manufactured from items of hubcaps 78 hubcaps discovered on roadsides. Jakel has about 5,000 hubcaps in his storage, he stated.

Learn extra: Wetumpka turns into vacationer mecca for followers of Erin and Ben

Whitfield lives within the manor generally known as the “Huge Fish” home. It doubled as the house of Edward Bloom within the film, which was primarily based on the ebook by Alabama native Daniel Wallace. In 2021, Ben and Erin Napier, hosts of the HGTV present “Hometown Takeover,” featured Wetumpka. The crew helped refurbish many native buildings, together with the “Huge Fish” home, which wanted expensive renovations.

Scenes from “Huge Fish” had been additionally filmed round downtown Wetumpka, in addition to on Jackson Island, in Montgomery and at Huntingdon Faculty.

Learn Extra: Dicksonia Plantation: Mansion the place scene from ‘Huge Fish’ was filmed preserved as elegant smash

Learn Extra: Can deserted ‘Huge Fish’ movie set be reworked into an actual city?

Different movies made in Wetumpka embrace 1995′s “The Grass Harp” and 2002′s “The Rosa Parks Story.”