#144, Patience and Practice

Since early January of this year I have been focused on this half life size monument that will honor Wally Stealey, a Colorado based lobbyist who helped launch the political career of many politicians. Mr. Stealey passed away in late 2017.

I have been working with Mr. Stealey’s family on the sculpture that will be cast in bronze and permanently installed at Roselawn Cemetery in Pueblo, Colorado. It will be installed on a raised concrete pad with a sandstone base under the 300 plus pound bronze monument and not far from one of my other monuments at Pueblo Community College created in 2015.

Although I’ve sculpted many large scale outdoor monuments in the last 10 years there is always something new to learn in each project. But one of the more important things I continue to develop with each project is patience. Nothing good can come too quickly I was taught when younger and entering this field. Sculpture is about mastering the art of patience. First off, it takes many years to master ones craft; spacial hand/eye coordination, human and animal anatomy, proportions, movement, expression, engineering, developing a unique style of expression, surface textures, etc. If you can master these elements you are a fraction of the way to “making it”.

The other things which are not taught in art school are equally important; maintaining a studio space, scheduling, reaching deadlines, business marketing/networking, communication skills, how to sell your own art, being a commissioned artist and how this DOESN’T mean you have to "sell your soul", and being likable and trustworthy enough to be entrusted with large sums of money. All of these are learned ‘old school’ and from not being afraid to make mistakes as you know that something will be learned from it if you mess up. 

I sometimes get people commenting how much they love something I created. How do you do this? Or What advice can you give me or my creative child? I think the shortest answer is not anything they haven’t heard: patience and practice. 

Bareback Bronc Rider by Sutton Betti, half life size, clay for bronze

#143, Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady monument

In October 2018, I was contacted by friends of the family of the 1950s beat writer Neal Cassady about honoring him and his friend, author Jack Kerouac with a life size bronze statue. The sculpture which is still in fundraising mode will be donated to the city of Denver and permanently installed in the next year or two depending on how quickly the fundraising goes. Here is a link for those interested in donating: DONATE TO THE KEROUAC/CASSADY MONUMENT. The monument was designed based off of the photograph of the late Carolyn Cassady.

My initial inspiration in honoring both of these men comes from my interest in 1950's cultural icons James Dean and Elvis Presley and other music of that era. At a young age I used to watch James Dean movies over and over and was inspired by Elvis when I was playing music. When I was a teenager I became enamored to watch a recently released movie "La Bamba" in my Spanish class at Homes Junior High. The story depicts Ritchie Valens rise to stardom in the 50's only to be abruptly taken away due to a plane crash in 1959 that resulted in the deaths of the Big Bopper, Buddy Holly as well as Ritchie. This movie and their music continues to inspire me. Even though I was born too late to experience the 1950's I was inspired by the arts of that time and the rebellious nature that persisted. It was, to me, the birth of an idea that was new and fresh and it had caught hold of just about every teenager of that era. These artists of the 1950's were questioning authority. They were quesioning everything. Why should I do this? Why shouldn't I do that? This outlook brewed in me from a young age until now. As an artist and sculptor, why should I do things the way they have always been done. Could I try this instead? This has been my moto as I create sculptures, for clients and for selling at shows. Of course, there are certain rules and guidelines that we abide by but those probably had been tested at one point in my life. My desire to be different from all other sculptors is strongly rooted in my passion for the artistic rebellion of the 1950's. And Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady were the heart and soul of this attitude.