King’s College Celebrates the Legacy of the Artist Behind Leo

In celebration of Leo’s birthday on Oct. 25, King’s College is recognizing the lasting legacy of sculptor Joseph Cloud Faul, the artist behind the College’s iconic mascot and other campus landmarks.

A proud son of Lancaster, PA, Joseph Cloud Faul spent 23 years as a brother of Holy Cross, serving mostly in maintenance at King’s sister school, Stonehill College in Massachusetts. He started wood carving in his spare time, inadvertently stumbling upon that which would become his life’s passion. In time, Faul earned a sculpting apprenticeship with Fr. Tony Lauck, CSC, Notre Dame’s acclaimed mid-twentieth century sculptor. While there, Fauk met the other great passion in life, Karene, the woman and artist who would become his wife. Holy Cross’s loss would become the art world’s gain.

In 1979, the class of 1950 commissioned Faul to carve an image of Leo, our college mascot, which he can be seen carving in the photo on the inside front cover. Leo still guards campus at Leo’s Den in front of Mulligan Hall in the center of campus. Leo, with a crown on his flowing mane and leaning on a large K, proudly symbolizing strength, leadership, and protection. As king of the animal world, the lion is a visual reminder of the sacrifice and redemption wrought by Christ the King, the College’s namesake and source of our hope.

Leo is not Faul’s only work on campus. In 1969, he sculpted the massive 17-ton sculpture at the entrance to the Scandlon Physical Education Building.  Entitled Following the Spirit, the work represents man striving to become himself. The statue epitomizes the fullest goal of education and of King’s College’s mission to help a young person become, guided by the Spirit and cooperating with the grace of God, the person he or she was created to become.