Daisy Bates

The sculpture of civil rights leader Daisy Bates had been commissioned following a vote to replace the current Arkansas statues at the U.S. Capitol in 2016.

Janis Kearney spoke about her experiences with Bates as statues of Bates and singer Johnny Cash are to be unveiled in the coming year.

As a project nears completion to place statues of the civil rights leader and the singer in the U.S. Capitol, a class will examine their lives.

Approval has been given for the Bates statue to be cast, while the sculptor making the Cash statue has finished a clay model.

Each afternoon through Thursday, people can meet sculptor Kevin Kresse and see the eight-foot statue of Cash at UA Little Rock.

Benjamin Victor is working on a clay model of the civil rights leader this week at UA Little Rock. Statues of Bates and singer Johnny Cash will eventually represent Arkansas in the U.S. Capitol.

The public can watch work being done on the Bates statue, while approval has been given for the design of the Cash statue. Both will represent Arkansas in the U.S. Capitol.

Sculptors on Monday discussed final modifications to their designs with members of two state committees giving their approval. A decision from federal officials isn't expected for months.

Sculptors creating statues to eventually be on display at the U.S. Capitol are finalizing designs so they can be submitted to federal officials for approval.

Ahead of an expected decision Monday, five artists who want the honor of making statues of civil rights leader Daisy Bates and music legend Johnny Cash showed models Wednesday of what their works would look like.