Jesús Moroles passed away Monday on his way back to the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha at the age of 64. The renowned sculptor embarked upon a life full of art, one that never ceased, even in death. His pieces, like the Houston Police Officers Memorial and Lapstrake at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, will outlast many of us. His passing occurred while working on the university’s Coming Together Park, one of his largest projects.
In our short time together, Moroles spoke humbly of his work, going so far as to cite his greatest achievement as his daughter, Jessica. He went into great detail of his passion for education, recalling his numerous workshops across the country. Appropriately, many of the students of USAO assisted Moroles with his most recent, yet-to-be-completed installation. The sculptor explained the trials of working with granite, his world travels, and life itself. Moroles even passed along a copy of his text, Granite Sculptures, a gift I will never be able to express my full gratitude for.
Moments before we parted ways, Moroles made what now feels like a prophetic statement:
“I think art is life,” he stated. “I think when you die, you quit doing art. If you live the life of an artist, everything you do is about art. You’re always looking, always investigating, and always thinking of the next thing to do. We pretty much do that until we finally run out of gas.”
Moroles’ career spanned nearly half a century. His legacy, however, will prevail eternally.
