The presentation of the bronze statue of Gary Patterson to the coach himself at a special luncheon in recognition of becoming the most victorious football coach in TCU history was a great success.
But what about the artist that created it? Who is he? Where did he come from? What is he about?
Since I know this talented person very well, I thought I would give you a little background and insight of what it takes to create such a piece — something most people wouldn't get to see.
Hailing from the Sherman area, Jeffrey is a sculptor — talented not only in the bronze medium, but iron, wood, clay and anything else he puts his mind to. Jeff's other sculptures have been featured in several shows around the Fort Worth area, and one piece, Prometheus, is owned by and on permanent display in the beautiful library of the Seventh Day Adventist University.
Also being a welder and designer for Smith Designs, he has traveled all over the country to create custom staircases and chandeliers for a shopping list of famous people.
Wanting to honor Coach Patterson in a special way for his record-breaking win, Hal Brown saw examples of Jeffrey's iron sculpture work and approached him to create the bronze.
The process starts of course in the design and creation of the initial clay statue. Should he have glasses, headphones, a visor or no visor? How should he stand? He went through several transformations. Finally the real Gary emerged and the crafting process begins.
Jeff used the lost–wax method, which basically entails making a mold out of rubber latex, filling that mold with wax to get a wax casting, covering that wax statue with green slime and sand and firing it until it becomes a ceramic shell. The wax of course melts out — hence the lost-wax method — and then the molten bronze is poured into the shell. And for the presentation, Jeff created the walnut base and white pine presentation box.
Jeff is not just a crafter but an artist. His take on his sculpting is this:
“They say a physicist sees metal as a liquid that just happens to flow very, very slowly at room temperature. I like that notion. Metal absorbs energy, glows red and becomes molten. Then anything is possible. A thought moves that energy and manifests as ‘form.' That is creation, and that amazes me. That's God's gig!.... and with the power of a thought, I can have a piece of that action! Possibly long after I'm gone, this thought, expressed on a piece of steel, will continue...maybe even for centuries. I suppose I'm scratching my ‘Kilroy' on the wall. I was here and this came from me...out of me. If it's a good thing then maybe that means there is something good in me also. My thoughts...an image I had...sent into the future. And possibly that thought was good and beautiful and will endure because of it. Only time will tell.”
Jeff Gleaves' creations have already left a lasting impression.
Here is the video of the presentation of Jeff's bronze to Coach Patterson —
which will be featured on
FYI Fort Worth Sunday, Oct. 7 at 10:30 am:
