Lot #36: LISTED Dewey Severs hand Crafted Iron Horseshoes "Golfin" Sculpture

Titled "Golfin" and inscribed "By Dewey Severs / Albuquerque, New Mexico". 

Things havent always come easily for this talented man with a rye sense of humor. After losing a dairy farm in one season of his life and developing serious heart issues years later, he lost everythingtwice. These dark periods led him to despair.  Then, for the first time in his life, he began to dream in color and with specific detail about the direction and purpose that he and his wife Carolyns life would take.

He wondered where to begin. He had no tools, only an old anvil, with no way to heat metal. Trying to bend it made it break. One day he met a man who wanted to sell an old forge for $100. Realizing Dewey couldnt easily find that kind of money, the man gave him with forge with a promise to pay when he could. One day Carolyn presented Dewey with a hundred dollar bill to spend on himself; instead, he made good on that promise.

Starting out at the Albuquerque State Fair in 1995, Dewey and Carolyn traveled near and far.  A 16 day national art show in Denver put Deweys art on the map.  In less than ten years, his work was all over the world, as far away as Hong Kong.

In 1996, Dewey wrote his first poem from his shop, which was a spiritual love poem for Carolyns birthday.  He has been doing stand-up poetry ever since.  At this point, Dewey gets a faraway look in his eyes, and goes silent for a bit. He comes out of his personal trance to  state Ive had a good life, regardless of financial ups and downs. He is on the verge of tears. 

At one time He and Carolyn were selling his artwork in Tampa, FL when they received a call from his son, saying You have to come home right now. There are bags and bags of letters in response to his artwork that was featured in Guidepost magazine in February of 1991. Home they went, and Dewey began to call his 1,500 new fans. Included were some who had written while incarcerated. He talked to the prisoners about Paul from the Bible, and about grasping at straws, based on his own experiences.  

He began receiving custom orders. Dewey took $30,000 worth of product to Denver, sold five pieces, and took ordersand more orders. Later, through the Country Music Channel, he received more business, and purchased 4,000 horseshoes offered for 10 cents a piece to produce the orders that took 6 months of work to fill and required three storage rooms to contain all of the finished orders.

Another time Dewey was paid many $7,000 dollars for an intricate sculpture  of 6 horses on a stagecoach. His work made it to the Roy Rogers museum, including  a piece depicting the standing of an American flag on Iwa Jima. He sold his sculptures  at rodeo events, and made whatever people wanted. He recollects selling three high-dollar pieces while other vendors were packing up their wares in hurricane strength wind and people scurried for cover. 

Dewey has some Indian blood (hes part Cherokee), which has led him to create some Indian pieces. He describes other works, each with a personal back story. There was a mermaid (with breasts!, he exclaims with a hearty laugh) called Catch of the Day. There is a scuba diver with knobby knees, and one called Bringin Home the Bacon, depicting a man walking quickly and looking behind him, making the artist and its admirers wonder if he stole that bacon!  There are several fiddles (My daddy was a fiddle player, he explains) and fire fighters (something Dewey himself was also in a different time of his life). 

Its been a roller coaster ride for Dewey Severs, who currently lives in a 35 ft. camper with his two dogs, Taylor and Agitate. Sadly, a little over a year ago, his beloved wife, Carolyn, passed in her sleep unexpectedly from a heart attack.   Feeling hed lost everything, the only inspiration he had to continue on with his life was God, a recurring theme throughout his life and this interview. When  asked about the future, Dewey grins and says Its time to make some new products  and hit the road again.  My journey is not over yet! Article by Gail Rossi"

Condition: A couple minor scratches. Otherwise, good overall condition.
Measurements: 9" by 6" by 5"