Art in Memory of Ron Gibbs

Read below the first paragraph in Ron’s obituary. You may not have known him but you will likely identify with something in these descriptive words – in who he was…

“Ron Gibbs was born on September 6, 1954, in Peoria, Illinois, to Louis and Diana Gibbs. He passed away at his home in Kodiak on March 7, 2023, after a brief 54-day journey living with cancer. Among many things, Ron was a wild man, a teacher, a healer, and an artist. He loved his family, learning, fishing, sunny Harley rides and tequila.”

I still cannot believe he is gone.

“Solace” my copper repousse piece in memory of Ron

This piece did not start out for Ron. It had been processed about a third of the way before I left it resting in my studio not quite sure how to proceed. With the new year and hope of weather warming, I again picked up the copper and started to move the metal without any real direction. As I progressed in repeated rounds of repousse/chasing, annealing, and cleaning, I found myself having long thoughts about Ron. His cancer diagnosis had just been made and I was ruminating on all that he might be experiencing… about all the family was experiencing.

Somewhere in the hammering I realized the piece was about Ron and then it became in memory of Ron.

I hope you can see the ocean, waves, wind, glass ball, and sea grass flowing in the pull of the current. I hope you can see the the textures of sea creatures, fish, and tide pool life. I hope you can see the surrounding Katmai sand washed smooth by a morning tide and the patina of a life well lived. For those who knew Ron, I hope this reminds you of him and his love of Kodiak.