Country Lifestyles
David Iles – Sculptor, Conservationist and the Man Behind the Scenes
By Judy Wade
Walking through Bolivar Bronze is like entering a combination of a fantasy land and the mad scientist’s laboratory.
In the foyer sit a beautiful bronze red tailed hawk and a crow. On one wall, frogs climb upward, and on another is a squirrel smoking a cigarette while nestled in the bib of a pair of overalls. Against the window is a wastebasket filled with miniature human skulls symbolizing wasted lives in Cambodia.
The first thing to catch your eye in the workroom is a life-size buck whose massive antlers are moss-crusted oak branches. A work in progress, his antlers will soon have colorful birds resting in them. As you look up, you see a miniature human skeleton dangling in front of a wall of various animal’s heads and horns.
In the foundry room itself, one huge vat and another smaller one wait to heat bronze or other metal to 1,500 to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit to cast and bring to life some artist’s creation. Artists bring their creations in the clay or in the wax to be turned into bronze or some other metal. “From clay or wax to the finished sculpture is a long process,” the owner explained.
David Iles, who built the foundry in Bolivar in 2008, divides his time between casting for himself and others. He has one full time assistant, Martin Iles, and calls on fellow sculptor Vincent Villafranca from Alvord when he needs more help.
After receiving his Master of Fine Art in sculpting degree from the University of North Texas in Denton, Iles ran the sculpting lab there. Many of his pieces can be seen on the UNT campus. Eighteen of his bronze animals are poised around the Environmental Education, Science and Technology Building. “Eagle Relief” in the Legacy Room of the Alumni Center is a 15-foot-wide wall relief depicting an eagle flying back to its nest over a stainless steel image of the UNT campus. Used as a fund raiser for scholarships, donors can purchase a leaf for $500 or a branch for $1,000. Iles’ most recent piece at UNT is called “Flight of the Eagle” and can be seen in the Diamond Eagle Suite.
To read more pick up a copy of the April 2017 NTFR issue. To subscribe call 940-872-5922.
By: Martha Crump
Most cattle producers can tell you quite a lot about balancing cattle diets for energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals based on the specific needs for their herd and type of operation.
A key factor, and one that is often overlooked, is that how your animals perform is also directly affected by their water intake.
Now many of you may already be thinking “well of course water is necessary, anybody knows that!”
In many years, as September marches into October, we are beginning to experience some return of rainfall. But as many of us know, that is not always the case. Often we are still experiencing hot and dry weather, and water supplies are dwindling.
When we find ourselves experiencing those types of fall conditions, it is critical to not only understand the daily water requirements for cattle, but also the impact that the quality of water can have on herd health and development.
To read more, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
By: Annette Bridges
A friend and I were recently talking about our husbands. She made a comment that I felt also perfectly described me and my hubby.
“He slows me and I hurry him. I’m sure that is why we do well together,” she said.
“Precisely!” I thought. Why?
Because when two different worlds collide, it can be magical.
No matter what those two different worlds are- a man and a woman with very different personalities, beliefs, or backgrounds, two partners with contrasting passions, strengths, or talents, or when a country boy marries a city girl.
To read more, pick up a copy of the October edition of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available digitally and in print. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
Watauga, Texas, a suburb of Fort Worth, is known for its rich history as a railroad stop, but over the course of the last year, one teen girl has put it on the map for agriculture as well. Emma Harvey has lived in Tarrant County her entire life. Despite being highly involved in her local 4-H chapter, she still felt there was more she could do. In the spring of 2023, she stepped up to the plate to take over the title of Tarrant County Teen Miss Agriculture USA.
“It all started when I put in an application for the teen title here in Tarrant County,” explained Harvey.
The Miss Agriculture USA program is a national non-profit, age-inclusive pageant program that offers both competition and non-competition titles to women dedicated to the promotion of agriculture.
Read more in the October issue of North Texas Farm & Ranch magazine, available online and in print. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive NTFR in your inbox each week.
Photo by Hannah Claxton.
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