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 Texas 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 Pompeo Coppini, 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 San Antonio for Chicago 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 Italy, 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 Lawrence Sullivan Ross 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 United States. 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.