Colbar Art

From the outside it's a plain brick building.

"We are the only ones in the United States making Statue of Liberties," says its founder, Olvidiu.

Olvidiu is from Romania. He lived there during the brutal regime of Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife.

When he was younger he tried to escape Romania by swimming across the Danube.

But they caught him. He spent five years in prison for his offense.

Olvidiu didn't give up. When he got out of prison he applied for a visa to the United States. Four years later the Romanian government let him go.

For his brother he left behind, Alexi, things got worse. To punish Olvidiu for leaving, the government took away Alexi's job (he was an engineer) and his house.

Alexi moved into an apartment and found a job cleaning buildings.

Six years later, the government was overthrown by popular will. The Ceausescus were executed. Alexi got a visa to come to the United States.

Before September 11th, 2001, Colbar employed 60 people. Since then, business has fallen off so much that it has less than half that number working there today.

Olvidiu likes to hire refugees.

Olvidiu embraces New York City and everything it symbolizes.

September 11th affected him greatly. The memorials he makes are not part of his business.

But art is.

He dabbles in all styles but favors the Romantic.

Olvidiu says Beauty inspires him. To this visitor his figures also look like souls trapped in acrylic.

Perhaps Olvidiu can't forget the families left behind.