A In Clay Legacy By Mike L. Downey

HIS IS A STORY ABOUT CLAY. the statue of General Rudder and ago to sculpt another monu- Everyone was a little literally collapsed back into my ment dedicated to one of Tedgy the day in 1993 that arms.” A&M’s greatest leaders, Lawrence Margaret Rudder was to see — for Ludtke joined them in his stu- Sullivan Ross. the first time — the larger-than- dio where Mrs. Rudder hugged This is the story of how the Margaret Rudder and MSC director Jim Reynolds look up at life clay statue of her late husband him. She didn’t want to change a modeling clay from Italian- the clay likeness of Earl Rudder ’32 Earl Rudder ’32. thing. The others gave Muller and born sculptor , shortly after Mrs. Rudder saw the Although she had previously Mrs. Rudder a few minutes alone who crafted the Sul Ross land- finished model for the approved a smaller model, this with their dear friend and loved mark in 1915, literally brought first time in 1993. was her first view of the full-sized one. the Rudder statue to version of the memorial. It was an emotional day, Muller life. It’s a story of THIS IS A STORY ABOUT LOYALTY. remembered. Everyone was close what Reynolds called There outside the studio of to tears. While looking at the stat- “the thread of loyalty sculptor Lawrence Ludtke ’51 in ue, Muller overheard Mrs. Rudder that weaves through Houston, Texas, the Rudders’ saying, “I think I’m failing in love the history of this longtime family friend Frank all over again.” school. I don’t think Muller ’65 would lead the way THIS IS A STORY ABOUT HEART. this could have hap- with Mrs. Rudder following and That was no ordinary clay Mrs. pened anywhere else.” MSC director Jim Reynolds Rudder and the others were view- bringing up the rear. ing. Art has the power to move As they stepped into the studio, people, much the same way lead- the dark clay statue was waiting, ers inspire others. poised more than seven feet over The material that shaped that them. Reynolds recalls the clay model of Rudder is the very moment: “Margaret looked up at same clay used nearly a century SCULPTING A LEGACY 1910 1919 18-year-old The Sul Ross Waldine Tauch of Statue was Brady, Texas goes unveiled on the to learn sculpture Texas A&M with Coppini. Campus. 1911 – Italian-born sculptor Pompeo Coppini has left for in hopes of getting more work there. He does; he gets the commission to do the Ross statue for Texas A&M. However, after he completes the clay model, a freezing snowstorm keeps him away from his studio. Ross and all his water-based models freeze and collapse. In , he buys tons of oil-based plastasine modeling clay to use from then on. 1900 1905 1910 1915 1920 1925 1930 1935

42 TEXAS AGGIE Sculptor Lawrence Ludtke ’51 and his clay model of Earl Rudder in his Houston studio, 1993.

THE CLAY women’s group raised money to send the The 18-year-old to San Antonio to study with clay statue lay in ruins in Chicago Coppini. one cold day in 1911. Coppini had Impressed by her sculpting talent, left San Antonio for the East in Tauch would accompany the sculptor hopes of getting more work. He and his wife to Chicago and New York did; a commission to sculpt Ross and later back to San Antonio over sev- for Texas A&M. However, with eral decades. the Ross statue and other art Following a tradition among sculp- pieces victims of a freezing snow- tors, Coppini handed down his oil- storm, Coppini swore this was the based clay to his most promising last time he’d use water-based student, Tauch. modeling clay. He acquired tons of oil-based THE PITCHING PROTEGE plastasine clay from Italy to redo Nearly half a century later, a former the Ross statue, the one now Texas A&M scholarship athlete and standing on the Texas A&M cam- Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher would return pus. In Coppini’s career, he would to Texas to begin a new career as a sculp- use the clay to model nearly 130 tor. Lawrence Ludtke, Larry to his pieces of art around Texas and the friends, was a sales representative for two . sporting goods companies. THE PROTEGE At the Coppini Academy in San Born in Brady, Texas, Waldine Antonio, Ludtke found Tauch a Tauch (pronounced tauk) showed willing teacher, and she found someone such artistic promise in 1910 that a who could work with Coppini’s clay.

1957 Following an artistic tradition, Coppini leaves his modeling clay to his most promising protégé, Waldine Tauch.

1960 Sporting goods representative and novice sculptor Lawrence Ludtke discovers the Coppini Academy in San Antonio and begins studying under the direction of Tauch. 1940 1945 1950 1955 1960 1965

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2004 43 “I had begun using the clay even while she The two men and their wives were guests at Earl Rudder – was living. She sculpted into her 80s,” Ludtke the Ludtke’s home one day in 1991. It was recalled. “No one else uses this type of model- Conolly’s first meeting with the sculptor. After One of the most decorated war heroes ing clay; it’s very soft and difficult, but I use it supper, Conolly was admiring a small statue America has known, Rudder became president exclusively.” of Reagan in cavalry clothes. A 1930s-era of Texas A&M in 1959 and would spend the As Tauch had learned from Coppini and member of the Aggie Cavalry Monkey Drill been bequeathed the clay, so Ludtke had stud- Squad, Conolly liked all things cavalry as well next 11 years leading the transformation of ied under Tauch and inherited the clay at the as the former President. the institution. end of her career. Ludtke would create dozens When he asked Ludtke if he could acquire By 1960, nearly 60 percent of freshman of sculptures that would be displayed the Reagan, the sculptor explained that only students were leaving the all-male Texas A&M. throughout the United States. three existed. He also revealed one other In 1962, the school had around 5,000 enrolled startling fact: students, about the same as the 1930s and SHAPING AGGIE TIES “You might be interested to know that the was only the 5th largest in the state. It was Even as Ludtke continued his sporting Reagan piece is made with the same clay that hardly growing while schools like Texas Tech goods job and expanded his sculpting career, Coppini used to model the Ross statue on were having nearly a 120% leap in enrollment. he was drawn back to Texas A&M. His son campus,” Ludtke said. Rudder, Class of 1932, recognized how the Erik would graduate as a member of the Class Reynolds and Conolly turned to each other institution would have to change to grow or of ’86. Over the years, his Houston studio and each knew what the other was thinking: even survive. In 1963, the school would drop became a popular fixture on the Memorial we need a statue of Earl Rudder made with the the agricultural and mechanical from its name, Student Center spring student leadership same clay. becoming just Texas A&M University. Texas trips. Conolly recalled what made him so sure A&M also would become coeducational, Reynolds recalled: “I think the real thing about the statue. admitting women for the first time. By 1965, that came through for the students is that art “The first thing was Larry’s tremendous enrollment in the Corps of Cadets would no is more than just technical expertise with clay ability as an artist; he can bring an individual longer be mandatory. or brush. A sculptor works with his hands, his alive,” Conolly said. “The Reagan statue is Rudder weathered many challenges to the head and his heart.” magnificent.” course the school was now on by 1965. This Ludtke said he enjoys opening his studio to Conolly noted that the Coppini clay had included the last in 1965 of several actions by Aggies, and he has a great time with them. been handed down to an artist with ties to former students in the state legislature to “I have a University of Houston professor Texas A&M; this was something that you sim- prevent women from being admitted to Texas who is a neighbor, and I like to have the stu- ply couldn’t ignore. dents do an Aggie yell on his lawn.” A&M. They all failed. RAISING MONEY TO RAISE A STATUE By 1970, enrollment had nearly tripled to REGAN SMILES IN CAVALRY CLOTHES The idea of doing a statue of Rudder had 14,000. By 1975, it had rocketed to 24,876, Dick Conolly ’37 has been a strong sup- been kicked around since the early 1980s, with nearly one-third women. Additionally, the porter of the visual arts at Texas A&M since Conolly said. Ludtke noted that Dan Fallon, school saw rapid growth in buildings and his days heading The Association of Former former dean of liberal arts at Texas A&M, had increased educational and research Students when Earl Rudder was president of visited his studio around then. Fallon had opportunities. the school. He shared a love of the arts — and commented on the sculptor’s Ernest bird dogs — with MSC director Reynolds and Hemingway statue as being a good pose for a the two became friends in the 1980s. Rudder piece. SCULPTING A LEGACY

1980 Tauch leaves the clay to her most promising student, Ludtke.

1980s Liberal arts dean Dan Fallon asks Lawrence Ludtke to give a lecture about the Ross statue. MSC director Jim Reynolds helps arrange it, beginning a relation- ship that continues today. 1970 1975 1980

44 TEXAS AGGIE Conolly led the effort to bring in funds for “However, once we would get a group the statue. Having experience with fundrais- together and tell them the clay story, it always Lawrence Sullivan Ross – ing, he knew it wasn’t going to be easy. would get to them.” “You just have to call people and ask for the In the 1860s, Ross was a Texas Ranger and money, but I don’t discourage easily,” Conolly BRINGING RUDDER TO LIFE war hero before becoming a politician in the said. Sculptor Ludtke never met Earl Rudder. He 1870s. In addition to helping write the Texas No one turned him down for funds, but he would depend on photos of Rudder and talks Constitution in 1876, Ross served two terms as did recall one problem that surfaced as time with his widow and his friends to capture the governor before his rescue of the state college stretched on without the statue going up. essence of the man. Here was a war hero, one that would become Texas A&M. “Folks would call me, kidding that they of the few in American history awarded the Rumors were that problems at the wanted their money back since they didn’t see Distinguished Service Cross, a man whose any statue,” Conolly said. actions gave impetus for Texas A&M to devel- Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas About halfway through the fundraising op into a world-class university. were so bad that the legislature was consider- process, Frank Muller was asked to join the “That’s what’s fun, delving into the charac- ing abandoning education and turning the effort to raise money for the statue. The stu- ter of a person,”Ludtke said.“You have to have facility into a mental institution. While still dent body president during Rudder’s tumul- the soul of the person.” governor, Ross volunteered to become president tuous tenure to 1965, Muller remained friends Muller, who had known Rudder, said that of the school after the end of his last term in with Rudder and his wife Margaret over the once he got to know Ludtke, he knew he was 1891. At the time, “Sul” or “Sully,” was one of years. the one for the job. Muller made many trips to the most popular men in the state. the studio to see various stages of the Rudder At the school, Ross brought a “hands-on” WHY A STATUE? clay model. approach to higher education. He was said to Muller said he learned a great deal watching “Larry is truly an artist who worries about have personally interviewed each prospective General Rudder deal with the difficult changes details, a first-class professional who gets up in student prior to his acceptance into the school at Texas A&M under enormous media scrutiny. the middle of the night because he realizes the during his seven years as president. Addition- “The general was a remarkable man, a eyebrows aren’t right,” Muller said. ally, Ross helped develop a curriculum with visionary who knew the school had to change Not all the work on the statue was serious more emphasis on engineering. in order to compete,” Muller said. “Once he and somber. Ludtke recalled a meeting early in During his tenure as president, the school knew the right thing to do, he stayed with his the process with Mrs. Rudder. established the Aggie Band and the Corps of convictions even though his decision was very “She told me, ‘This is the last chance for Cadets. Ross helped design the uniforms. In unpopular at the time.” Earl to lose weight,’” Ludtke smiled. “So he 1893, the school’s first football team took the Muller recalled how intently Rudder would did.” field, and the Batallion newspaper printed its listen to angry criticism, would never get first edition. angry himself and would go right back to dis- A THIRTY-TON ROCK In 1894, the football team played its first cussing the basics of why the school had to Since he was being honored as President of road games, which included the first of many change. He knew he was right and would not Texas A&M, the decision was made to present compromise. Rudder’s statue in civilian clothes, but Ludtke with a certain school in Austin. Reynolds recalled that not everyone was wanted to somehow honor Rudder’s military Ross died unexpectedly in convinced the university needed a statue of heroism on D-Day. 1898 following a hunting Rudder. With the Rudder Center, why was one The cliffs of Pointe du Hoc in Normandy, trip. Mourning for his needed, some asked. France where Rudder’s Rangers stormed up death prompted the first Silver ceremony.

1989 Early 1990 1992-1994 During a dinner at the Ludtke Conolly begins the Nearly $300,000 is raised for the home, Dick Conolly admires a fundraising effort with statue and Ludtke works for free. small Ronald Reagan statue. his $1,000 and begins When the sculptor remarks that calling on former stu- 1993 it was made with the same dents for donations. Margaret Rudder sees the finished clay as the Ross statue, both larger-than-life-size clay model of Jim Reynolds and Conolly think Late 1990 her late husband for the first time together – we need a statue of Frank Muller, a friend of in Ludtke’s Houston studio. Earl Rudder using that clay. the Rudder family, is asked to join the 1994 fundraising effort, along At the statue’s formal unveiling with The Association of during a rainstorm, Mrs. Rudder Former Students and the says it always rains for the Texas A&M Foundation. Baylor game. 1985 1990 1995 2000

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2004 45 100-foot inclines under constant enemy fire these statues is the blessings they have because THE LEGACY OF THE CLAY played a major role in the success of the World of what men like Rudder and Ross have done,” The 74-year-old Ludtke has about a ton War II D-Day invasion. These cliffs closely Conolly said. and a half of the Coppini clay in his studio. At resemble that of granite, the same that is quar- this stage of his career, he only does work that ried in Marble Falls, Texas. Rudder lived for THE HEART OF THE MATTER has meaning for him, he says. years in the Brady area, just miles from the Some time after the dedication ceremonies “I would love to do more work for Texas Texas Granite quarry in Marble Falls. and the speeches, Mrs. Rudder said to Muller: A&M,” Ludtke said. “We saw the romance there,” Reynolds said. “We’ve got to come out here sometime to Ludtke also would like to preserve his stu- Reynolds, Ludtke and Conolly traveled to drink some wine with Earl.” dio, as well as his tools and the clay. Marble Falls to the Texas Granite company. Since alcoholic beverages are off-limits on An effort is underway at Texas A&M to The company saw the appeal of its stone the Texas A&M campus, Muller could not begin some sort of sculpture-in-residence memorializing the man they considered to be confirm that such an event ever took place. program with Ludtke, said Reynolds. a hometown hero. A deal was made with one Muller can confirm how the statue makes Ludtke notes his association with Texas condition: the men could have any piece in the him feel today. Visiting the Rudder statue is A&M has been wonderful, and he hopes yard that had already been quarried and cut. like seeing an old friend, not at all like going to there are more projects in Aggieland. “Their ‘yard’ was 200 acres with granite Arlington Cemetery or a gravesite, he said. “There are heroes here that need to be scattered all over,” Reynolds recalled with a “I’m happy to go see the statue. It brings remembered,” Ludtke said. ■ laugh. only positive things, positive memories. It’s Conolly, Reynolds and Ludtke spent most uplifting,” Muller said. of a day traipsing over the acres, looking for He feels it’s important for younger Aggies to the perfect piece Ludtke had described. be proud of Rudder. Then Reynolds called, “How about this For Conolly, the Rudder statue reminds him one?” to the sculptor as he stood atop a huge of the man he knew and the changes he slab of granite, rocking it back and forth. brought. “It looked like the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc,” “I can’t help but have a feeling a pride in he said. seeing it,” Conolly said. The 30-ton piece of granite was “perfect,” Conolly also likes the clay connection Ludtke said. between the Rudder and Ross statues. He The granite backdrop representing Rudder’s recalls those years as a freshman student in the D-Day role does give more significance to the early 1930s passing by the Ross statue every statue, Conolly added. Rudder didn’t only save day. “I did my share of polishing Sully then,” a university, he also played a part in saving the Conolly said. American way of life, he said. “What I’d like for students to think a little bit about when they see

Regan smiles in cavalry clothes

46 TEXAS AGGIE From idea to statue

THE WASTE MOLD PROCESS

Once the clay model is finished and approved, the sculptor makes a plaster mold over the model. When it is hard, the mold is removed, cleaned, oiled on the inside, and reassembled. A creamy mixture of plaster is then poured into the mold, and the mold is smoothly rolled to distribute the plaster evenly over the inner surface. The process is repeated until the desired thickness is achieved. When dry, this newly-formed plaster shell is freed by chipping away the outer mold. The result is a perfect repli- ca of the original model. Because the original clay model and the mold are both destroyed in the process, this is known as a waste mold. The plaster cast now can be used as a model for further casting in more durable materials such as bronze.

THE BRONZE CASTING

The two principal methods are the sand mold process and the lost-wax process. The first uses a specially pre- pared sand mold, the second a silica mold. Each mold has an inside core, built to leave a thin space between itself and the outer mold. The space’s outer contour carries the exact contour of the original cast the mold was made from. When hot liquid bronze is poured into this space, it takes the shape of the original plaster, resulting in a per- fect reproduction. The wax is baked out in an oven. The space in the silica mold is filled with the molten bronze, hence the name lost-wax process. Patina is the term used for the surface color and quality of bronze and other materials. Artists use acids, heat, and other devices to achieve immediate effects of mellowness, age, and subtle color.

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2004 47