The Fight Goes On
THE FIGHT GOES ON
Bonus Photo by Keith May
November, 2023
”Almost a quarter century ago, Keith decided he wanted to experiment with making sculpture. He didn’t want to do just any sculpture, he wanted to work in bronze. And if that isn’t confident enough for you, he didn’t want to waste time with all the prerequisites or assignments. He just wanted to sculpt and cast and pour! So he explained his plan to UW-Oshkosh where they had the metal foundry he needed. The university wanted him to make a sample of his sculpting to assess whether they would admit him with these caveats. The God of Fire (Professor T.C. Farley) wanted to see a sample of his work - of which he had none because he didn’t sculpt. His friend, the amazing artist Josh Knuth, gave Keith a block of a mix of brown wax so he could make a piece. Keith made one of the figures you see in the set of three in the photo. He deliberately chose an imaginary character for expediency. T.C. was delighted with this fanciful little man and encouraged Keith to do a series. Keith had no interest, but made the other two out of respect for T.C. He was admitted and intended to reuse the wax from the three samples, but T.C. wanted Keith to get them ready for their next pour. And we are so glad for T.C.’s eencouragement. We are so fond of these grumpy old men who sit in our kitchen arguing constantly and never listening. For decades, our family members have slid pennies into their butt cracks. We take it as fan donations like the street buskers with their open guitar cases for your dollars. These three fellows are the first sculptures Keith ever made, and we cherish them.” - Mary