Greg Polutanovich has always been a fan of Norman Rockwell’s art.

Now, the Sault-born artist has a large bronze statue of Rockwell on permanent display in the recently-opened Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, Calif.

Based on Norman Rockwell’s Triple Self-Portrait, the sculpture stands at six feet tall and weighs 1,300 pounds.

Rockwell was a prolific illustrator known for his nostalgic portrayals of American life.

“I did Rockwell sculptures for a company about 14 years ago and I still had photos of them on my website. Fast forward, someone from the Lucas Museum saw them. They contacted me and a couple of months later I started the Rockwell sculpture after finalizing a contract with them,” Polutanovich told SooToday.

“Who knew? I did those first Rockwell sculptures 14 years ago. One never knows what the future holds. At the time I had no idea those sculptures would lead to something this big,” Polutanovich said in a phone interview from his home in California.

After sculpting a 19-inch clay model, Polutanovich began work on the life-sized bronze Rockwell sculpture in the beginning of 2025 and delivered it to the Lucas Museum in May 2026.

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, founded by filmmaker George Lucas, contains 40,000 works of art including paintings, photographs, sculptures, illustrations, comic art, and videos.

It officially opened to the public on Sept. 22.

“George Lucas has a huge collection of Norman Rockwell’s work in the museum. That’s why they wanted the sculpture there,” Polutanovich said.

“I’ve always been a Rockwell fan, and now having a sculpture of Rockwell I did beside his work in the museum is overwhelming. It’s great. It’s an awesome feeling.”

Polutanovich, a graduate of Bawating Collegiate, studied art at Sault College in the mid-1980s before moving to California.

He established himself there as a makeup effects sculptor for motion pictures while selling his own bronze sculptures.

Now 60, he lives in Simi Valley, approximately 65 km north of Los Angeles.

The Lucas Museum’s noticing of Polutanovich’s work isn’t the first time his art has captured attention at a high level.

He presented a bronze bust of U.S. President Ronald Reagan to his wife Nancy Reagan at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in 2011.

A huge fan of Clint Eastwood, he has created many sculptures with a cowboy theme.

Polutanovich has many monumental works on display, including a life-sized sculpture of a deep sea diver at the The Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center in Panama City Beach, Fla. 

“It is difficult being an artist. It isn’t all fun and games,” Polutanovich said. 

“It is a lot of work to be creative and it can be mentally draining, and physically too. As a sculptor, you have to move around, up and down on a ladder if you’re working on a monument project.”

Regardless, art is Polutanovich’s life.

“I’ve always had that creative drive, since I was a kid. I still have it to this day,” he said.

“I’m always thinking of that next big concept and wanting to make it the best it can be, and I just hope people enjoy it,” said Poltanovich, eagerly awaiting his next commission.

He appreciates his most loyal supporter.

“My wife Paula always encourages me. She’s my biggest fan. An artist needs a good and understanding spouse by his side.”

Polutanovich’s work can be seen on his website and on Instagram.

He can be reached by email.