A full-size bronze statue honoring Rockport native and songwriter Guy Clark is being completed and will be installed along the city\u2019s waterfront later this summer.<\/p>\n
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas \u2014 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 \u2014 Rockport native, master songwriter and musical storyteller Guy Clark.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Russell said Clark\u2019s music often draws listeners in deeper once they discover it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce you learn about this man, if you love music, it\u2019ll demand of you that you look further into his body of work,\u201d Russell said.<\/p>\n
Russell\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Russell said he chose to depict Clark later in life, a period he felt best captured the songwriter\u2019s character.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe idea of what period of his life I wanted to represent is toward the end of his days,\u201d Russell said. \u201cHe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s going to look like him,\u201d Jumper said. \u201cAnything that Steve puts his finger on is going to be ideal.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Guy Clark Memorial statue will sit along the Rockport waterfront between Charlotte Plummer\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
The location also connects to an annual November music festival honoring Clark\u2019s birthday. Craig Griffin, co-founder of the Rockport Songwriters Association, said the event has become a growing tradition.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGuy\u2019s birthday is November sixth, and for the last four years we\u2019ve had a music festival in the tent next door,\u201d Griffin said. \u201cIt honors his birthday and brings together many people who played with him. It\u2019s become a pretty fun tradition we have going here.\u201d<\/p>\n