Renowned sculptor and UC grad talks about his public art
CET talks to UC Classics graduate who captured Cincinnati radio legend in bronze
CET and ThinkTV's program “The Art Show“ profiled renowned Cincinnati sculptor and University of Cincinnati graduate Tom Tsuchiya to highlight his many public works of art.
Tsuchiya, a graduate of UC's College of Arts and Sciences, has made artworks for multiple professional sports teams, the National Football League and Major League Baseball, among others.
But his works are found across the city, from the Solid Rock Church's 52-foot-tall Lux Mundi statue of Jesus that is seen by millions of drivers each year on I-75 to the cheetah statue at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.
His work graces museums and public parks. He sculpted civil rights pioneer and UC graduate Marian Spencer, the first Black woman elected to Cincinnati City Council, for an installation at Smale Riverfront Park. Spencer served on UC's Board of Trustees. A UC scholarship was endowed in her name by Jim Goetz.
“What I aspire to do in every sculpture I create is to give this inanimate object a feeling of life,“ Tscuchiya told CET. “I want my sculptures to look like they literally have a heartbeat with blood coursing through their veins.“
Meanwhile, WCPO profiled Tsuchiya during a sneak peek at the new statue Tsuchiya made to commemorate longtime Cincinnati Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman.
Brennaman served as the voice of the Reds for 46 years at 700-WLW before his retirement in 2019. He was inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame and the National Radio Hall of Fame.
Previously, Tsuchiya captured the likenesses of Reds greats including Joe Morgan and Pete Rose that are on display outside Great American Ballpark. He also made a lifesize sculpture of Brennaman's longtime broadcasting partner and former Reds pitcher Joe Nuxhall, who died in 2007. At just 15, Nuxhall was the youngest player ever to take the field in Major League Baseball.
Featured image at top: UC graduate Tom Tsuchiya works on his sculpture in front of his subject, Reds broadcasting great Marty Brennaman. Photo/WCPO
Tom Tsuchiya works on a statue of Pete Rose in his Cincinnati art studio in this 2017 file photo. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II/UC
Related Stories
Can ChatGPT help holiday shoppers?
December 5, 2025
Holiday shopping can be difficult. That’s why WLWT turned to Lindner College of Business professor Sachin Modi for insights on if large language models like ChatGPT can be helpful in finding more tailored gifts for loved ones.
Can new research improve the safety of AI therapy for teens?
December 5, 2025
The University of Cincinnati's Stephen Rush joined WVXU's Cincinnati Edition for a discussion on the growing trend of young people turning to artificial intelligence for mental health support and therapy.
What would expanded access to GLP-1s mean for the obesity rate?
December 4, 2025
The World Health Organization recently issued its first guidance on GLP-1 medications for adults with obesity — recommending long-term, continuous use when clinically appropriate. Malti Vij, MD, University of Cincinnati adjunct associate professor in the College of Medicine's Department of Internal Medicine, appeared on Cincinnati Edition on 91.7 WVXU News to discuss GLP-1s and what expanded insurance coverage of the medications might mean for Americans.