A full-size bronze statue honoring Rockport native and songwriter Guy Clark is being completed and will be installed along the city’s waterfront later this summer.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Inside a Rockport art studio, clay and bronze are being shaped into more than a statue. After two years of work, artist Steve Russell is bringing to life his vision of one of his friends — Rockport native, master songwriter and musical storyteller Guy Clark.
Clark was one of the most respected singer-songwriters of his generation, known for turning everyday moments into timeless songs. His work was recorded by artists including Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Vince Gill. A Rockport High School graduate, Clark later moved to Nashville, where his stripped-down Americana sound earned him a devoted following and a lasting place in music history.
Russell said Clark’s music often draws listeners in deeper once they discover it.
“Once you learn about this man, if you love music, it’ll demand of you that you look further into his body of work,” Russell said.
Russell’s connection to Clark goes beyond admiration. The two were friends, and Russell himself is a celebrated artist whose paintings and bronze sculptures are displayed across the country. Locally, he is known for Cultural Interface, a large sculpture overlooking Little Bay. His latest project brings music and art together in the form of a full-size bronze statue of Clark, now in the bronzing process and being prepared for installation later this summer.
Russell said he chose to depict Clark later in life, a period he felt best captured the songwriter’s character.
“The idea of what period of his life I wanted to represent is toward the end of his days,” Russell said. “He continued to be more interesting-looking as he got older. He was always a good-looking human, but he had a lot of character in his last years, so I seized that time in his life to represent.”
Members of the Rockport Songwriters Association say the statue will be a fitting tribute. Sandy Jumper of the association said she has already seen a replica of the work and is confident in the final result.
“I think it’s going to look like him,” Jumper said. “Anything that Steve puts his finger on is going to be ideal.”
The Guy Clark Memorial statue will sit along the Rockport waterfront between Charlotte Plummer’s restaurant and the Harbor Tent, creating a permanent gathering place for a songwriter whose music was rooted in people, place and the passage of time.
The location also connects to an annual November music festival honoring Clark’s birthday. Craig Griffin, co-founder of the Rockport Songwriters Association, said the event has become a growing tradition.
“Guy’s birthday is November sixth, and for the last four years we’ve had a music festival in the tent next door,” Griffin said. “It honors his birthday and brings together many people who played with him. It’s become a pretty fun tradition we have going here.”
The Rockport Songwriters Association is accepting donations to help fund the memorial, which organizers say honors not just a musician, but a storyteller whose songs continue to resonate far beyond Rockport.