UNITY WITHIN COMMUNITY: A SYMBOLIC REBIRTH
Arissa Viering | 10/12/2020 | Goodday Mineral Wells | The Arts of Mineral Wells
MINERAL WELLS, TX – In an effort to bring more art to the community, Randy Nix, Mac Shafer, and Cody Jordan met with Robert J. Wick, sculptor and artist, to discuss the placement of Wick’s sculptures throughout Downtown Mineral Wells. At this time, four of Wick’s sculptures can be found on display at the entry of the beautiful Clark Gardens. However, having these art pieces throughout the downtown area would bring so much more culture and unique visuals to the streets of Mineral Wells.
ABOUT ROBERT J. WICK
Originally from Bisbee, Arizona, Robert Wick has been creating art for approximately sixty-five years. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism in 1957 and his Master’s Degree in Art in 1961. His artwork has been showcased in the Tucson Botanical Garden and he has been named a “Master of the Southwest” by Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine. He is a strong advocate for preserving the environment and takes a keen interest in architecture and landscapes. He also serves on the astronomy board at the University of Arizona and lectures about his art.
Wick’s art career began in the first grade when he was noticed by many to have the ability to draw with volume and shape after having been taught by his father at a young age. In the fourth grade, Wick was inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright and was a designer of “futuristic architecture.” He even won an art contest for drawing a landscape.
“When I was a child, I would sit on my father’s lap and I would say ‘draw me a ball.’ He would shade the ball so that it had volume…”
Robert J. Wick
A numerous amount of Wick’s conceptual drawings are available to view online at his website. One of the favorites that he speaks of is “Mother Saguaro.” However, Wick’s drawing talent is only the beginning of an illustrious art career full of experience.
While obtaining his journalism degree, he was requested by his Aunt Doddee to create a portrait sculpture of his Uncle Jim. With only two photos as reference, Wick was able to sculpt the artwork more accurately and gracefully than he had ever imagined.
One day, Wick attended an art show at the Cleveland Museum of Art when he viewed the artwork of Henry Spencer Moore. After having seen Moore’s sculpture, “Warrior with Shield,” he had noted, “the head was not a human head.” Recalling the momentous observation that challenged him, Wick states, “It was a very simplified head and I was intrigued. I could not understand. This haunted me for a long time.”
It was not until he spoke with a special friend, Nari Ghandi, that he came to understand further. Nari Ghandi quoted a phrase from Lao Tzu to Wick, and with that, Wick came upon an epiphany:
“‘The form of a thing may not necessarily be a shape.’ What’s your form? What’s your shape? I see your shape, but that’s not your form. The artist is after the form.”
With that epiphany, Wick began his journey as a sculptor.
THE REMARKABLE SCULPTURES
Robert Wick’s bronze sculptures have one solitary theme: the unity of life and the elements of the earth. Wick utilizes bronze as the primary material for his sculptures and plant-life as the secondary material. Just a few of the plants he has used in his sculptures include yucca, agave, mescal, cholla, prickly pear, mesquite, ocotillo, pencil cactus, juniper, and fern. Although the ability to describe the tangible materials is quite simple, what of the intangible – the elements of life?
UNITY
Sitting down to speak with Robert Wick will provide an intellectually moving conversation that dives deep into metaphysics, philosophy, anthropology, and even astronomy. All of these topics have everything to do with the primary motives behind his art: to generate questions and reinforce the concept of the unity between mankind and the earth.
The first quote offered by Wick hits home immensely: “The value of a person may better be determined by the questions he asks rather than the answers he gives.” Moving forward in the conversation with this quote as a primary theme, Wick describes that his art is meant to provoke individuals to not only ask questions about the art itself, but also about themselves.
“Art — if it really has value, it should be asking questions, if it gives us all the answers then it’s not really a challenge…”
Robert C. Wick
QUESTIONS
One of the primary questions that people ask when looking at Robert Wick’s sculptures is: “Why are there plants on the sculptures?”
Having asked such questions about the sculptures, the observer then begins to form their own answers. Wick states that the answers “may not necessarily be [his] answer, but they are answers that help [him] to find [his] inner self . . . I want, through this art, for people to look at themselves as not just their life, but the broad spectrum of all life that we are related. So this quest and this search and this wonderment of life itself and existence is a part of the magic.”
What Wick found ultimately was that the questions he asked himself spoke of unity, union, and oneness of all life. He applies these same questions to today’s problems in society. With much of what has occurred this year, he answers, “We like to think of all of these differences. The fact is we are not very different. We are all one.”
THE FUTURE OF THE ART OF MINERAL WELLS
Excited for the future of the sculptures in Mineral Wells, Mac Shafer has a dream that, one day, Mineral Wells will hold its own art festival. While the community has many local artists and the Palo Pinto Art Association, he would love to see artists from all over gather yearly for a festival that is comparable to the Downtown Fort Worth Main Arts Festival.
YOU ASK THE QUESTIONS
Now, it is your turn to ask the questions. Looking at the sculpture below, what do you see? Why is it formed in this manner? What do the plants represent to you? What or who does the bronze represent? How do you relate this to yourself and your own life? The questions you come to ask might just define who you are and how you perceive the world…
Now imagine walking through Downtown Mineral Wells and gazing at such art only to find inner truths and unity within your own community…
Until Wick’s sculptures are in Downtown Mineral Wells, fans of Wick’s artwork will be able to view his sculptures at the Clark Botanical Gardens.
To follow Robert Wick on Facebook, click here. To see further examples of his work, click here.
Special thanks to Robert J. Wick: You inspired me during a time that I needed inspiration. Thank you so much for speaking with me and I look forward to more conversations on anthropology. – Arissa
Special thanks to Randy Nix, Cody Jordan, and Mac Shafer: Thank you for inviting the Goodday Mineral Wells team to meet Mr. Wick! It was our pleasure.
Former Co-Founder | June 2020-Nov 2020 | Graduate of Texas Christian University with a background in medical anthropology, psychology, and creative writing. Passionate about writing novels. Loved the Mineral Wells community and all that it had offered her and her family.
