Current: the Zietlow Trophy

The Henry L. Zietlow Memorial Trophy

About this project

Henry Zietlow died on the 14th of January, 2019, in a tragic crash when a negligent and possibly intoxicated driver crossed the center line on a frozen winter road and collided head-on with the car Henry was driving.

A beloved teammate of Will's grandchildren Sovigne, Grace, and Soren Gardner, Henry was an exceptional young person.

We have added this page to Will's website to stably record the process by which the Memorial Trophy in his honor was produced.

Thank you for reading.
--Katya Reimann, June 2021

UPDATES

Written by Katya Reimann (Will's daughter, amanuensis, assistant, collaborator, &c)
Entries run chronologically backwards in time.

July 9, 2022 (for the event SUNDAY JULY 17th)

There will be a short commemoration to/for Henry at 5:00 pm.

June 27, 2022

Safe arrival in the Twin Cities.

June 23, 2022

It was time to fully assemble the piece. And then dis-assemble the piece. And then re-assemble the piece.

The last four days of work on Henry's trophy, with the work largely complete and adequate time for contemplation, fussing, tweaking, adjusting, reassembling, putting the piece into its traveling cradle, removing it from its traveling cradle--well, they were quite intensive, but also a pleasure. The piece, gleaming with its new patina and with so many elements integrated--successfully, it seems, has been a long time coming. The interruptions of Covid--the suspension of most international racing and so many athletic competitions for the past two years--it feels, with the completion of this piece, and to some degree, put to rest.

At least for the Reimanns and this project.

June 17, 2022

It was time to finalize the text that would appear on the plaque on the top of the piece. Henry's parents requested that a few lines from one of his college essays be included, if their addition to the piece would be appropriate.

Here are Henry's words:

Rowing is both technical and meditative. Rowing on the Mississippi River with its ever-changing bends and currents has reliably remained both a source of joy and a catalyst for reflection.
— Henry Zietlow, St. Paul
30 November 2000 – 14 January 2019

We believe we found a way to successfully integrate them with the trophy.

All text on the piece is set in PALATINO LINOTYPE, a common serif font with what Will feels are particularly beautiful shapes to its curved letters.

The picture opposite shows the top plaque just prior to the figure being mounted (the bolt holes are for the bolts on the figure's feet). The plate itself is simple with a brushed mirror polish, I could not quite resist this photo, with the reflection of golden evening light touching the overhead trees.

June 13, 2022

Muggy summer weather hit at Will was applying the multiple coats of finish to the base's wood. Then rain. Then more muggies.

The first finish was matte, subsequent coats were a glossier satin, which was ultimately determined to be more suitable for the piece.

4th coat of sealer? I'm not sure exactly when this photo was taken.

June 6, 2022

Specifications for NWIRA trophy design are simple: they are not to exceed 32" in height, and they must include room for 50 winner plaques. From this specification, Will developed the idea for the stacked base of the Zietlow trophy, drawing on ideas he first developed in his Constructivist/Abstract Organic works of the 1960s.

The fifty plaques, constructed of polished stainless, would be inlaid into the turning sides of the base to attract light and further emphasize (one hopes!) a sense of the figure's movement.

The inlays were individually tooled with the aid of a custom jig, with additional refinements as Will worked.

Finally, the interior of the base was shaped and excess material was removed, not least to balance the substantial weight of the hardwood base when all ten layers and their stainless were stacked, pegged, and permanently laminated.

W.P. Reimann, works in plexiglas & steel, 1960s

April 30, 2022
The next stage of the process will be a return to the foundry for the application of the patina. This is a standard process. Bronze is a reactive material, and turns dark brownish when exposed to ambient atmospheres. The patina which will be applied in this case will serve to retain the bright color of the material. In certain places, it introduces contrast to the material's surface, which, in this case, Will will be using to pick out details on Henry's characteristically flamboyant socks, his Bowdoin Uni, and other details.

Additionally, the casting lost some detail in the mold. Will worked back the details of the Bowdoin crest and refined hair and features.

April 3, 2022
The piece is back from Sincere Metal Works.

It took longer than November, it took longer than December.

I (Katya) visited Amesbury in January with Will, to check out work-in-progress. Sincere is a HIGHLY impressive facility, and what a treat to get the insiders' tour.

Sincere has done a terrific job with the piece, and Foundry work like this is pretty much impossible to do on this scale at anything other than the Foundry's pace. Computers and certain new materials have introduced many efficiencies to the mold-making process, but when it comes to the pour--it's bronze, and the same issues apply that have applied since the introduction of hollow alloy casting in the 6th century BCE.

The oars look great. They're already so shiny, and they have a great wieght when you hold them in your hands. The figure (cast with the arms cut off, then reattached) need some resurfacing attention.

July 12, 2021
23. Sincere Metal Works, Amesbury, MA.

The piece went to Amesbury during the second week of July.

Sincere Metal Works was founded in 2015 by.Dan Kendall and Marjee Levin as a fine art dedicated foundry.

Their mission statement:

According to ancient folklore, the etymology of the word sincere comes from the Latin “sine cera” meaning “without wax.” Old world metalsmiths would use wax mixed with metal dust to fill and disguise any imperfections in their castings. Metalsmiths whose work surpassed this need hung a sign above their shop with the words “sine cera,” indicating that their work was flawless and pure.

At Sincere Metal Works we take great pride in our work to ensure it is of the highest quality and design. We work diligently through every step of the process to produce nothing less than perfection. We are constantly innovating, collaborating, and looking for new creative challenges in our designs, materials, and processes. With an immaculate attention to detail, and dedication to our craft, we look forward to working with you to create work that is truly sincere..

Sincere estimates that they will have the metalwork completed and returned to Will late November, early December. There is a possibility the the job will be completed before this, if an earlier work slot becomes available.

In the meantime, Will is working to finish and prepare the wooden base with its fifty inset stainless-steel date plaques.

July 2, 2021
22. Final Head & Hair Plasterwork

In June, despite most elements of the piece being foundry-ready, the figure's head retained an almost dished, helmet-like appearance (see above right). This was a deliberate choice, as Will wanted to develop the head's final shape in relation to the figure's overall finished position.

Will began work constructing the hair from its whorl at the head's crown. He patiently built up naturalistic, directional layers, curling outwards from this point. This process, relating the "strands" in this manner, allowed him to construct toward a natural-appearing volume at each stage as he build the shape up, trending toward a head that, skull and hair included, would resolve as proportionally correct.

June 14, 2021
21. USRowing Youth Nationals

I returned yesterday from the USRowing Youth Nationals in Sarasota, where heatstroke, dehydration, and nerves were major themes for the young and inexperienced team I was accompanying. Henry's 2018 Youth Nationals was in California, at a venue I've never visited. Having watched my own son race a Nationals course, I think I now understand something of the tough challenge Henry would have faced, alone in California with his doubles partner, Ryan Tong (MBC only sent the one crew to Youth Nationals that year).

And then I look at that big smile on Henry's face--he was so joyful to be a part of it!

There has been a long break in communications on this project. Sarah, Nathan, and I have been in regular communication, but I know the donors who made this trophy possible have too long been left out.

Over the next week (June 14 - 18) I will be updating here and posting images of the work as it has been in progress over the past months, and will track down pictures from the 116th NWIRA of 2019, as well as of the open house. The Trophy is due to be finally presented this summer and handed off to the NWIRA board. The exact delivery date has yet to be finalized--Covid issues linger, and the Canadian border is not yet fully open.

More information soon, and from here in promptly, as I have it. My personal stasis of covid-time is ended.

All good wishes, Katya, from both herself and Will.

June 5, 2021
20 A Day in Will's Son's Workshop

The last weeks before a plasterwork is submitted to a foundry for casting are intense. Every detail should be as close as possible to what is needed for the bronze's finish work, and the translation of materials from plaster to bronze is less predictable than a non-metalurgist (artists included!) might guess. The pictures here shows how the figure has been intensely re-shaped since the photo of May 26th. Now just the head, and more particularly the hair, needs some final decisions: Henry had lush, curling hair that he wore both cropped and loosely flopping.

What haircut should Will use to finalize this piece? He has yet to reveal his decision.

Shifting one's perspective between the artist's inner vision of how he or she imagines the sculpture will appear, reference materials, client expectations, and the actual figure as produced is mentally labor intensive. Will ended up bringing the work along to his grand-daughters' high school graduation, not least because the timing was not good for him to let the work out of his head.

Ruby & Klara, your grandpa loves you—regardless of the many hours he spent over the long four day graduation 'weekend' in your father's workshop!

May 26, 2021
19. The Reimann & Gardner families complete their Covid Vaccinations / Artistic Collaboration

Will and I have collaborated making artwork since the 1980s. After months of separation, I received my final Covid vaccination, completed my waiting period, and I arrived at Gerry's Landing studio in April to help Will finalize details for the piece's delivery to the foundry. After such a long absence, we had a predictable discussion regarding some of what I'll call here the work's "transitional views."

Artistry, in part, involves understanding when some element of a piece is not... satisfactorily resolved. This is not the same as a search for perfection. It is about creating an integrated statement, specific to an artist and a time.

At our discussion's end, Will and I reached agreement that this particular view of the figure did not effectively showcase of the body of a 16 - 19 year old oarsman (let alone Henry).

Showing incomplete work in its best light, while recording its limitations (to the end of identifying areas in need of improvement) is a balance, and also a matter of trust. Not every viewer understands that "in progress" means just that. Corrections will be made. Specific areas will be whittled down, other areas will be bulked out.

Even after a plasterwork is cast, work will be done to the bronze to bring a piece to its full finish.

[retroactive entry ~ June, 2021]

April 14, 2021
18. A Day in Will's Studio

The figure built on Armature II was much improved in many aspects, with numerous transitional views (front moving to side) successfully negotiated.

[retroactive entry ~ June, 2021]

September 5, 2020
17. Days Not in the Workshop

In September, Will took a break from sculptural work to reinstall the workshop bathroom. A collaboration with HTR Construction, (run by Will's one-time Harvard student, the wonderful Tom Fernandes), this project involved... a great deal of physical labor. I came into town to help facilitate the process (and water the diamond saw) while Will cut out the concrete floor.

Work was disrupted in Will's studio space during this project.

I have some better pictures of Will at work here, but I can't lay my hands on them. But this image conveys something of the zeitgeist as we proceeded with the work.

If da Vinci references are the high side of being artistically multi-talented and manually competent (and minimally competent at delegation), this would be--the low side.

[retroactive entry ~ June, 2021]

July 18, 2020
16. A Day in Will's Shop

Cambridge, MA. initiated strict Covid distancing restrictions at the beginning of summer, 2020.

Will, widowed in May 2018, worked alone for this period.

[retroactive entry ~ June, 2021]

May 2, 2020
15. A Day in Will's Shop

Armature II gave Will a chance to refine the interior wire build of the piece, hands included..

Base: the tiers transition from an irregular pentagon on the widest/bottom tier to a perfect hexagon at the smallest/top. The figure, complete with its oars, will stand atop the piece, with the memorial dedication inscribed in a circle around the figure's feet. (bottom image)

[retroactive entry ~ June, 2021]

April 28, 2020
14. Covid-19

By April, the disruptions of Covid-19 were becoming clear, and it became evident that the 117th NWIRA Championship Regatta would not take place in the summer of 2020.

Will made the decision to remake the figure.

Numerous of Will's students, colleagues, and friends have compared Will to Leonardo da Vinci. Connoisseurs of Renaissance Italy will appreciate this as a mixed compliment, not least in regards to the artistic process.

In 1501, Marchioness Isabella d'Este of Mantua wrote to her agent "“sound [Leonardo] out – as you know how – as to whether he would undertake to paint a picture for my studio. If he should consent, I will leave the invention and the timing to his judgment." An unfinished, full-scale preparation drawing was delivered--in 1504! Isabella nonetheless professed herself delighted, and asked for more: “when you were in these parts, and did my likeness in charcoal, you promised me you would portray me once more in colours”.

Art critic Francis Ames-Lewis notes: "[Leonardo's] patrons came to realise that, if they were to receive finished paintings, they needed to provide him with exceptional freedom."

Oh, to be Leonardo! (to misquote Dylan Thomas)

[retroactive entry ~ June, 2021]

November, 2019 -- February, 2020
13. Winter Recess

The initial plasterwork for the "Henry" figure was hastily conceived and executed. Things had came together--at least for the Head-of-the-Charles Open House, but Will knew elements of the figure remained problematic. The wire armature on which the plaster had been built had issues with the leg proportions. Will had adjusted this as he worked, but the corrections had transferred the issue into something awkward with the sit of the figure's hips.

The foundry delay, from Will's standpoint, was more a blessing than a bane, allowing time to sit with the piece and consider what needed to be done to bring it to a true finished form. The complexity of the base's construction also needed to be contemplated. The marriage of the figure to the base had to be finalized, and the subtle placement and orientation of the oars.

I visited Cambridge in February, and Will and I discussed the overall impact of the piece. Will was not satisfied. The figure had some lovely angles--but the transitional views (as one moved from looking at the piece's beautiful silhouette to the rear or front) were not working as Will wanted.

And then. It was March, and suddenly we were hearing about a new strain of the coronavirus. "Covid-19," this one was called.

[retroactive entry ~ June, 2021]

October 18, 2019
12. Artist's Open House & Dedication of the Henry Z.

Thanks to all who came out this day to celebrate Henry. For myself, this was a moving event. Nathan, Sarah, and Nina, thank you so much for being there..

Also a very special thanks to three generations of the Green / Severson family, and to Youth Rower (and now dedicated Badger at the University of Wisconsin, Madison) Dylan Green. As the first recipient of the Henry Zietlow Memorial Trophy, it was so thoughtful of you, taking the time to participate, and so kind for you to say a few words.

The Head of the Charles Regatta is a special and inspiring event, and it caught Henry's imagination. He rowed the boat that was dedicated in his name this day in the 2017 race, and, I am quite sure, we would have seen him many times again in Cambridge over the years to come, the third weekend in October.

This was a day on which Henry was truly missed.

[retroactive entry ~ June, 2021]

October 11, 2019
11. Invitation: Artist's Open House, October 18th, 4:00 pm

To give Henry's community at Bowdoin College the opportunity to meet with the Zietlow and Risser families, as well as to give all an opportunity to see the work their generosity has funded, all who will be in Cambridge, MA., over the Head-of-the-Charles weekend are invited to an Open House at Will's Gerry's Landing studio, steps from the Charles River and the regatta's center at the Cambridge Boat Club.

Please join us for a viewing of the work and the company of many who knew and loved Henry.

August 30, 2019
10. Summer's End

Difficulties with the foundry not withstanding, by the end of the summer, the figurative work for the plaster figure was largely complete, and Will was ready to refine the features and body work (clothing, &c)

The board for the base was sectioned. The base is conceived as an asymmetrical stepped, curving, 'wave,' a design that accommodates the fifty plaques that NWIRA requires and will protect the oars that the figure will be holding in its hands. The ten steps that comprised the base's form were individually laminated to ensure that the wood grain will give a uniform appearance and also, not coincidentally, to lighten the overall weight of the trophy, which Will estimates will require ~seven pounds of bronze.

[retroactive entry ~ June, 2021]

August 25, 2019
9. 116th Annual NWIRA Championship Regatta Banquet

Dylan Green, the first winner of the Henry L. Zietlow Memorial Trophy, NWIRA Single Shell Youth Champion, graciously received the tribute plaque at the awards banquet.

August 10, 2019
8. The Packing Case Arrives. Twice.

Despite a mis-order, the industrial packing-case company we are working with very quickly made it right. But, yes, it was quite the disappointment when we pulled the case on the left out of its box!

The case on the right, "lid" style rather than "tray" style, is the correct case.

Now we wait for the tribute plaque to come in, so Will can attach it. The layout of the plaque is complete. Names will be alphabetical, in two groupings. Thank you to everyone who submitted tribute words. 115 donors, at the final count.

August 5, 2019
7. Foundry Delays

I have spent the last two weeks in Cambridge working with Dad and Sovigne as Dad completes the plasterwork. I have been keeping regularly in touch with Sarah through the ups and downs of the work.

The pictures for this update show a preliminary drawing and an early stage of the plaster figure. There's been a lot of progress conceptually since these works were completed.

This update brings disappointing news: the foundry we are using got a large order in and has bumped us back in their schedule. This is not unexpected. Working with any foundry, unpredictable schedule changes are always a possibility. The foundry schedule, and getting and holding a place in is, has always been one of the expected challenges of bringing this piece to completion. It's sometime like a doctor going over time with a patient who needs immediate attention, only more metallurgically complicated. The doctor can't leave the patient he's working with to move on to his waiting room patients. Its just unfortunate that this time, our piece is the one whose slot got bumped.

At the NWIRA Regatta this year, we will present some version of the tribute plaque, as a placeholder. It will be... impressive in its way. But not the final trophy.

July 10, 2019
6. We have reached 110 donors, the Trophy is now fully funded

The 116th annual NWIRA Championship Regatta will be held the weekend of August 23-24. Thanks to a Capstone Donation from Charlotte Zietlow, Henry’s grandmother, the trophy is on track for delivery and presentation at the event.

All donors will be contacted to finalize the form in which they would prefer their name to appear on the tribute plaque.

In the meantime, Will is at work on the plaster model for the bronze figure, and work is progressing.

June 30, 2019
5. Henry Zietlow / Minneapolis Sprints / June 18, 2016 / Lake Nokomis, Minneapolis, MN.

That day, Henry rowed in the Junior Boys' 4+, the Novice Boys' 2x, the Junior Boys' 2x, and the Junior Boys' 1x.

And carried a lot of oars.

We are in the final stretch of collecting donations. Thank you to everyone who has contributed.

Thank you to Sarah Risser, Henry's mother, for sharing this photograph from her archive..

June 20, 2019
4. Thank you x 100

I have now sent 100 thank you notes to donors, and we have passed our fundraising expectations. Thank you everyone who has donated to, or shared with others, this page.

This past weekend I attended the Minneapolis Sprints at Lake Nokomis, right here in the Twin Cities. Besides watching the racing, I was able to talk to a number of those gathered for the event about Henry's trophy. Thank you, everyone, for your suggestions and support, which I will pass along to Henry's family.

Minneapolis Sprints is a special race in the Twin Cities for young rowers. For many participating in Junior Team rowing, it is their experience of rowing competition and the hectic strokes of a true racing start. There are [or, were, as of summer 2019!] no launch docks at Nokomis, and the lake, locally, is well-known for its complicated crosswinds. But the Minneapolis Sprints is also a regatta where young rowers can get their first taste of the *magnanimity* of the sport. Gear is shared. Oars are carried. Shoes are collected. Courage and fortitude are in high evidence. Young rowers learn, to their surprise, that they can go out on the water and row with all their heart—and then they can, and are expected to do, the same thing again. And possibly again beyond that. Everyone rowing their second or third race feels the rising fatigue. Persistence is a big part of the learning curve.

One of my daughters said to me when the day was done: "You know, when Henry started, people were saying he was too small to be fast." Looking at the photos of Henry from the summer of 2016, I can understand why that thought may have been in people's heads.

But Henry--he watched, learned, and persisted.

Somewhere in the photo archive there is a photo of Henry from his first year of rowing, struggling along the Nokomis shoreside with a huge armload of oars (I will post it here later and update this update if I can find it).

I had Henry in my head as I watched all those young people getting into their boats today. I'm sure I wasn't the only one.

June 12, 2019
3. Halfway home

We are ten days into this fundraiser and have passed the halfway point both on the funds for the project and our donor numbers!

Thank you so much to the more than SEVENTY friends/members of Henry's communities/family/loved ones who have already taken the time to get your pledges in.

This is beginning to become—HAS become—the community effort that we so wanted it to be.

June 5, 2019
2. Today in Will's Shop

The wood for the base of the sculpture is from a black walnut tree (Jugulans nigra), a species native to eastern North America. Black walnut is a very hard wood with a rich dark brown color. This particular board was given to Will Reimann by his rowing partner of 25 years, Pete Peterson, with whom he had many championship wins. The original tree was on Peterson family property "Camp Island" within Adirondack Park on Long Lake, and after being cut down, was stored for 40 years by the Petersons prior to making its way to Will, where it continued to wait for a project worthy of it.

To create the base for Henry's trophy, the wood must first be evened out, so the stacked pieces of wood for the base can be fitted together tightly for lamination. After this, the individual pieces of the base will be cut out, the center of the base will be hollowed to decrease the weight, and the wood will be finished. The final dark color of the wood will create a dramatic contrast to the silver of the nameplates.

Grand-daughter Sovigne is in Cambridge assisting Will. That's her with the board on the right.

June 4, 2019
1. Questions about the trophy's tribute plaque?

The plaque is intended to broadly reflect the range of Henry's personal community. To this end, small pledges are very welcome from anyone who wishes to be included. When the technical specifications of the plaque have been finalized, we will be in touch will *all* donors, anonymous and public, to confirm whether or not they want name recognition on the tribute plaque. To our younger donors, please do not feel that your contribution is in any way being judged for its dollar value. From my perspective as a mother of young rowers, those small donations are particularly valued.

There will be discussion among the administrators as to how to group the donor names (this is one of the technical issues that needs to be resolved). Please be patient as we work out the best means of honoring Henry.

The following entries are an adaptation of the precis at
Henry's now completed GoFundMe.

The Twin Cities rowing community is proud to have successfully sponsored a memorial in honor of Henry Zietlow. Through collections and donations, Henry's Award Trophy for the NWIRA Regatta has now been fully funded. Thank you to everyone for your support, tributes, and love.

June 2, 2019
The memorial will take the form of the NWIRA trophy for Junior Men's Single, which has not had a dedicated trophy in past years. Henry was a valued member of the Minnesota rowing community, and he will be greatly missed. This memorial aims to ensure his legacy, created with the hope to inspire young rowers and honor Henry's memory for many years to come.

The North West International Rowing Association is a regional association of Canadian and American rowing clubs of the Upper Mid-Western United States and Western Canada. Dating from 1885, it has held its Championship Regatta for 115 years. More information is available at:

NWIRA Championship Regatta

Sculptor William Reimann has been selected to create a bronze figure of

Henry for the trophy. Mr. Reimann's credentials include creating the SyCromwell Memorial Trophy, presented annually to the winners of the Head of the Charles Men's Championship Doubles.

Specs: the height of the final trophy is not to exceed 32" (81.28 cm). This dimension will include both the statue and a wooden base, which will accommodate 50 name plaques for the trophy's annual presentation.

If you would like to see an image of Will's Sy Cromwell Trophy, it can be accessed at: Head of the Charles Regatta Trophies

The trophy will be presented for the first time in Henry's Name at the 116th NWIRA Championship Regatta, held this year at Rabbit Lake, Kenora, Ontario, Canada, August 23-24 (Friday, Saturday), 2019.

The NWIRA trophies are cased when not on display. The Henry L. Zietlow Memorial Trophy has been commissioned with a rigid custom storage case to preserve the statue's more delicate features. The size of the case being sufficient for a substantial plaque, room has been made (planned for the case's front) to provide donor attributions.

This project was originated by Jaymie Korman & others among the Twin Cities Rowing Community, and was formulated and proposed to the NWIRA committee independently from the Risser Zietlow family's memorials in Henry's memory.

Henry's family has approved this project in their son's memory.