Artist Creates Unique Sculptures

Artist Creates Unique Sculptures John Lopez of Lemmon, S.D., creates sculptures from found objects to commemorate bygone eras in the American West. His work is featured at private and public establishments across the region, as well as the Kokomo Gallery in Lemmon. “I first discovered sculpture in college, then began working for professional artists,” Lopez says. “After losing my aunt in a car accident, I moved to her husband’s ranch. That gave me space to play around with fabricating sculptures out of found objects.” Each piece takes Lopez between 6 and 12 months to complete. “I worked mostly in clay, casting projects into bronze,” he says. “I sculpt out a maquette in clay before I weld anything on the fabricated piece.” Animals have long been his inspiration. “I grew up on a horse and cattle ranch,” he says. “Horses are very much in my blood. I like to really study the anatomy of the animal in clay first, how they move and react to the world around them. This lets me make sure I know exactly what I’m going to do.” Lopez’s favorite piece, “Blackhawk,” is of a draft horse pulling a plow. “It’s really interesting to look at,” he says. “It’s made of pieces of old farming equipment, which makes you realize that all the different tools and parts and pieces included used to work the land.” Another attention-grabbing sculpture is “Walleye Cowboy”—a rodeo cowboy riding a bucking walleye. It’s located in Mobridge, S.D., a town with lots of fishing and a deep-rooted cowboy culture. The Kokomo Gallery, open to the public throughout the summer months, features one-of-a-kind originals Lopez has kept in his private collection. “The biggest draw is ‘Custer’s Last Stand’ which features two bison fighting it out,” he says. “The piece tells the story of Custer and Sitting Bull’s battle at Little Bighorn. Sitting Bull was actually raised about an hour from the gallery, so the piece is locally relevant.” Next to the gallery is a sculpture garden that features “The Tree of Life,” which represents a cherry tree in blossom. “Some of the blossoms were made by artists from around the world,” Lopez says. Across the way is a life-size sculpture of city founder Ed Lemmon on a horse.  Lopez manages the gallery with his mother, Elizabeth. “She loves to greet visitors,” he says. “I have so many people telling me what a sweetheart my mom is. So, if you find yourself in South Dakota, you ought to come over to the Kokomo Gallery. We’ll give you a grand tour.” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, John Lopez, Kokomo Gallery, 304 Main Ave #1, Lemmon, S.D. 57638  (ph 605-209-0954; johnlopezstudio@gmail.com www.johnlopezstudio.com).

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