BROKEN ART, BUT BUOYANT HEART
Posted: Monday, September 26 at 12:49 am CT by Bob Sullivan
BEAUMONT, Texas -- A life's work. A day's destruction. They all come together in David Cargill’s back yard.
"I guess you could say you've never seen a garden like this," says David Cargill as he welcomes us into his Beaumont, Texas garden. Instead of roses and tulips, Cargill's yard is blooming with bronze statues. Wandering through his front gate, this feels like a magical place, and we are instantly surrounded by mammoth creatues that somehow still seem gentle.
David Cargill's art stands in the Chapel of St. Basil and the University of St. Thomas in Houston. There’s even a driving tour of his many sculptures that grace a dozen public buildings in Beaumont, Texas. Last winter, he and his daughter had a major exhibit at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas. But when his work isn't being exhibited, much of it lives outside in his garden, in this Disneyland for sculpture fans.
Cargill does much of his work in bronze. Some of it, like "Where Do Babies Come From?" looms well above visitors at 10 or 12 feet. There are about 100 or so enormous pieces outside, and hundreds of smaller works inside his home.
But on Friday, Hurricane Rita violated this sanctuary. Now, much of his life’s work lies strewn about his backyard. There were trees that toppled all around Beaumont; about a dozen of them fell in Cargill's yard, tipping and at times smashing his handiwork. Don’t tell people in this town that Hurricane Rita was a near-miss.
"Some of these pieces I started back in the 1960s," he says, climbing over a pine tree that now cuts his back yard in half.
"Where do Babies Come From?", a woman holding a baby she's apparently just pulled from a seashell, weathered the storm. "But Woman on a Fish" did not; it's in three pieces. So is a sarcastic piece depicting a buzzard on the wing holding a credit card in its beak. It's called the "First National Buzzard." The buzzard is broken at the legs. Cargill finds the feet after digging under a pile of broken branches.
"I would have never dreamed that this tree would have fallen," he says, looking at what he thinks is the oldest pine in his yard, perhaps well over 100 years old.
Rita has brought Cargill other problems. He counts on air conditioning to keep his wax pieces cold enough to hold their form. Now, in the sweltering heat, they are in danger of melting. In one last piece of unfairness to this man and this community, Rita's goodbye gift, after the winds die down, is a sudden heat wave -- hot air scooped up from the warm Gulf of Mexico and deposited here -- that brings temperatures to over 100 degrees. It’s hot, sweaty weather to begin a hurricane cleanup. And it’s very unhealthy for wax sculpture.
It might seem enough to break the heart of a 76-year-old man.
But Cargill, who seems 76 going on 50, is one of those people who appears to glow just a bit, who seems to know something the rest of us don't. He proves that by deftly scaling the trees strewn about his yard. And as he surveys the damage, he sounds almost optimistic.
"There are really not many damaged," he says. Sculptors often see things the rest of us don’t. He'll probably just fix what's broken. "I've had things break before....You just keep going."
And right in character, he's most upset about sculptures he has not yet built. He figures two pieces that were recently commissioned -- one planned for the city library -- will now not be needed, as the city has other priorities in the aftermath of Rita.
Most of Cargill's art is about family, including many pieces of parents tenderly caressing their children -- or kids climbing all over their parents.
His favorite is a marble inspired by the image of the Virgin Mary. And in the middle of the yard is a bronze of two parents and two children engaged in a tight group hug. It was inspired by a famous Life magazine photo taken by Horst Faas, depicting a family emerging from a bunker during a war, the morning after surviving a bombing attack.
"This family came out of a hole in the ground and looked terribly afraid," he said. The metaphor to today, as people in Beaumont emerge to inspect the damage to their lives, is too obvious to miss.
Cargill sees Katrina and Rita as one event, and as he looks at his yard, he muses aloud about leaving it as it is.
"I view it as a memorial, for all the stuff that's happened in the past few weeks," he says. But then, he tells us his next step is to get someone to cut down the tree leaning on his art studio; and then, to begin fixing up his garden.
'DODGED A BULLET'? NOT HERE
TRACKBACKS
I lived in Vidor, Texas and my parents owned a business in Beaumont. I actually toured Mr. Cargill's property aroung 1988. He is a wonderful, and yet, simple man. It is sad to see that his work has been so damaged by Rita. It is not surprising, however, that he intends to continue on. That man is an absolute genius. Best wishes to him.
Sandra Gonzalez (Sent Sep 26, 2005 1:05:13 AM)
I went to school with one od david cargill's daughters. he is a wonderful artist and loving father. he can teach us all so with his attitude of taking what we are given and seeing the beauty or the folly in it. my family has been so fortunate. we are staying with family and friends and we hear our homes are not too badly damaged. thanks be to God.
kathy orgain, beaumont, texas, evacuated to austin (Sent Sep 26, 2005 1:27:08 AM)
His garden will be as good as new in no time once those trees get out of his way, perhaps even better. We hope and pray that he can replace that which was broken or repair his beautiful work somehow. Maybe this will inspire a piece with families; encircled, like in a funnel cloud of people, embracing in a loving bond, of endurance and strength and it could become the centerpiece to his new garden? Share this idea with him if you would there Bob. I would like to make a visit to see it one day. I love gardens too so know this must be really hard to look upon.
David Cargill is truly an inspiration to others that in spite of this damage you must go on. Life will go on so take what God gives you and learn and grow from it. Seems easier said than done for many. People all over should look at people like him though, as he is not pointing fingers to blame he is simply making plans and using his fingers along with his hands to clean up. What else can one do. Personally, I love gardening too and would be utterly devastated had this happened to me, but I too would just have to go on and fix things up again. Our prayers are with ya there Mr. Cagill. Hope you can fix those sculptures. We want to see your garden once renewed. We hope that your wax sculptures make it alright and hopefully the power will be back on in no time. Try contacting a museum as maybe they will want to help you preserve your work (hopefully they would considering such circumstances). Drink lots of water you all and be safe. Our prayers with you and everyone from both Hurricane Rita and Katrina. Bless you all and Assalamu Alaykum (Peace be upon you).
The Harlow's, San Diego, California (Sent Sep 26, 2005 1:34:58 AM)
i think this is an interesting story but I want to know about a restaurant starting up in Beaumont called Suga. It was on Bowie street and in a historical building. It was to start up during October. What does any one know about that?
Connie, Houston, Texas (Sent Sep 26, 2005 10:03:22 AM)
As a fellow sculptor, I definately feel your pain. You, like your work will rise again, some in a new form, others just repaired, and many new works from a new source of inspiration. I find it more refreshing however, to see that you have not decided to sit around on your back side and blame the governement for not being there to take care of every tiny detail. Too bad you work in bronze, there will be plenty of beautiful wood available now.
Darrell Butler (Sent Sep 26, 2005 10:22:39 AM)
i am very impressed at the work you have chosen to do, and i truly admire your attitude. i wish i could be more like you, you seem very positive.
mickie francis, alamogordo, ne (Sent Sep 26, 2005 11:26:45 AM)
Mr. Cargill, It's so sad to read that Ida Katherine's "Woman on a Fish" was broken but hopefully it can be repaired or transformed in some way. Best of luck to you and say hello to Ida K for me.
Page Callaway (Sent Sep 26, 2005 11:59:40 AM)
I was looking at the damage done by Rita in Texas, and I came upon your story. I know you must be upset and you are lucky to have alot of your art work still here and a little banged up. But as some of the people said maybe you can get some help from the museum or some store that might have a walk in cooler to put your wax art in. I wish you all best . You have some very remarkable art, and I hope to be able to come and see it one day. God Bless. We will pray for you.
Kathy Quarles, Austin, Texas (Sent Sep 26, 2005 12:27:41 PM)
The beauty of that garden has been taken away with all the downed trees maybe the sculptors can be repaired but not replaced maybe the trees can be replaced in a lifetime but not David Cargills lifetime and the beauty in every piece placement is also lost but David has his life and we Bless God for that for if his life wasn't here today then the sculptors may be a total loss too with his life. Go forward David and rebuild again so your future behind you can tell the story and enjoy the beauty again.
Linda Jackson Mi. (Sent Sep 26, 2005 12:38:04 PM)
David, I was probably babysitting Ida Katherine and Chancel when many of your pieces were begun! What a blessing to read about your work and positive outlook in the midst of such devastating reports. We're glad that you are safe so you may go forth, repair and continue your remarkable work!
Frances Poulson Faulstich, St. Louis, Missouri (Sent Sep 26, 2005 4:53:53 PM)
It is great to read the article about your garden and sure glad to know that you made it through Rita, many blessings to you and yours.
Bertha M. Willis, Kenai, Alaska (Sent Sep 26, 2005 7:14:34 PM)
Nature happens.
Put your crying babies and sob stories away.
The rest of the world has endured far worse, and to see a bunch of Americans act like they never have been faced with a hardship before is pathetic.
Get back to basics people....we are better then this.
Sha Whi (Sent Sep 26, 2005 8:57:53 PM)
Go sha Go! I agree. I was in an Earthquake in LA 1994 and had my world crumble around me. But I quickly learned thare are folks who dust off and crank it up and others who dwell and whine, and make a big deal out of something. New Orleans???? now theres something to cry over. Dust off and crank it up. You WILL survive!! I DID!!!
JT
JT (Sent Sep 26, 2005 10:24:56 PM)
DAVID,
I AM SO SORRY ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF YOUR WORKS.
FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND OUR LITTLE TOWN OF JASPER DID NOT "MISS THE BULLET" EITHER.
AS YOU START REBUILDING - PLEASE CONSIDER PUTTING SOME OF YOUR WORK IN THE SCUPLTURE PARK OUR LITTLE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN WORKING TO DEVELOP.
AGAIN DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED - YOUR BEST WORK IS YET TO COME!!! COME SEE US AT THE 1901 HISTORIC SWANN HOTEL IN JASPER - WE TOO WILL REOPEN AND BE BETTER THAN BEFORE. MY WIFE WILL TRAVEL BACK TO EAST TEXAS TOMORROW TO SURVEY THE DAMAGE AS I ANXIOUSLY AWAIT NEWS HERE IN BAGHDAD IRAQ.
Jerry L. Silmon (Sent Sep 27, 2005 1:01:33 AM)
Hey Bob and Andrew,
My name is Daniel, and Carol and I pitched the David Cargill story to you in Beaumont.
You all wrote a really beautiful piece on David.
David hoped that I could find a way to get copies of the pictures and/or video that you shot of his yard, so he could have a copy to show people what it looked like.
Is there any way you could possibly mail me a CD/DVD/Tape of what you have, or upload it to an FTP server I could pull it off of? I would be happy to reimburse you for copying/shipping costs (PayPal or just send you a check, as you like).
Thank you so much!
You can contact me at: DanielGraver@gmail.com
Yours,
Daniel
Daniel Graver, Washington, DC (Sent Sep 28, 2005 6:44:55 PM)
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