When you purchase a pump, it should tell you how far up it will pull the water. (if it's not the right one, take it back, you can get them at HD). There needs to be a source of water. So the statue needs to have some sort of basin under it. It could be anything. For instance, you could purchase just an inexpensive plastic container, invert another plastic container, cut a hole in it for the tubing, cover everything with decorative rocks, fill with water and your good to go. If you want something more elaborate, those are also available. One very important thing you need to be aware of is evaporation. If the fountain is in sunlight, evaporation is quite high. You will need to keep an eye on the water level for a few days after you initially run it, lest your pump burn up. I have a small fountain that I made out of two decorative ceramic cobalt blue flower pots in my front garden. In my back garden I have a water fall that goes into a large pond, a small pond with a small spray, and a medium pond with a somewhat larger spray. Really enjoy them all! (aside from the *&&^% raccoons that ate my fish this year,,,,,no more fish,,,,,,,,, SG

You could do either, but you are correct about the plug, and since it should be plugged into a GFCI outlet, the wet plug will trip it when wet or dirty and damp. I suggest adding an outdoor rated switch near the outlet. (You can just have one outlet of a duplex recepticle switch if you like, and leave the other always on. (Good solution for a pond pump and lighting.) I don't think you can do that with just a GFCI though. You need to add a protected outlet (ALL 3 WIRES CONNECTED!) off the GFCI for this to be the answer.) If you are not knowledgable about electricity, please consult a professional. I would not recommend switching the main GFCI as it might be unknowingly overloaded in an outdoor situtation, causing it to fail prematurely. Add a protected outlet, and switch that. -TT

This could be the right place. How much leakage are you observing? Does the system run out of water or is it just some dampness? A little dampness or a small puddle, suggests condensation. How much water does the whole thing hold? How tall?

You could make one for much less than $1000. Google around for ‘DIY pot fountain’ and you will find lots of examples of fountains made from large wide pots. They might not be quite as elegant as yours pictured, but they might serve your purpose and help you stay on budget. Fountains aren’t hard to make. If I can do it anybody can. Just buy the kit on line or at HD.