About the Artist: Stephen Lance Mellinger
To truly appreciate these sculptures a person needs to reflect on the skill it takes to execute each of these golf shots. It seems the more thought one places on the mechanics of the swing, the more alive the sculpture becomes. It is then, when the question of how these pieces were created is no longer a factor, the art becomes transparent and the golf shot dominates the mental process. At that moment, you suddenly appreciate what a quality craftsman Stephen Lance Mellinger is.
Stephen Lance Mellinger feels golf and his art are truly an extension of each other. He reflects upon his individual sculptures as follows, "Art, like golf, offers an individual growth. The more understanding, feel and comfort the player or artist has for the mechanics, the greater room to 'take-on' the mental side of the game, or the more artistic they can perform. When the mechanics are comfortable, the individual is pretty much free to play intuitively. This collection of sculptures pays tribute to how good players are who can do this to golf balls."
Stephen starts his creations occasionally in clay in the traditional manner of most bronze artists, but most times he prefers to work in fiberglass, using layer after layer of resin and materials to create the precision works in fine detail. Once the original is finalized, it is encased in sand to create a mold for the age-old process of bronze casting. It is from the unique or individual sand mold that the molten bronze is to be poured. Each sculpture is approximately life size to the club and ball. Measuring 14" to 18" in height and length, an individual piece may weigh up to 45 pounds with the polished black granite pedestal. He creates a limited number of these works of art to preserve their quality and value. After the final casting, (In this series, only 300 numbered editions) the mold is destroyed.
Stephen once said, "I am awed by the history and physics of this game of golf. I felt like I wanted to give back something to the sport for what it has given me." He has done that and then some.
Artist’s Thought
There is one thing that made these sculptures - gratitude. To document the years of material changes, revisions upon revisions, back and forth routines sometimes manifesting hundreds of hours of apparent non-productivity wouldn't mean much compared to what this artwork, like the game itself, provides for joy to the soul searcher. Making these sculptures was like teeing it up.
I can't leave the golf course after a round without having enjoyed the time, whatever the challenges presented, or however the scores came out. It is the same with this series of sculptures and the four years it took to make them. The gratitude players feel after the round is higher and deeper than the score. Golf is an experience so of itself that it sometimes takes awhile to take in the round, but gratitude is there, always, gratitude just simply for the opportunity to play.
One thing is fun to share about this work. I was in St. Louis with my PGA partner and teacher Brad Murray, playing the twelfth hole at Lockhaven. My drive spellbound us both and I mentioned it should be sculpted, you know, the critical contact "moment". The ball launches so fast off the face. But, by the second shot, the idea to sculpt it was gone.
The idea came to me again six months later in San Diego, the twelfth hole on the North course at Torrey. Before my three wood tee shot landed, I felt the same snap as at Lockhaven and thought again of sculpting that moment. The thought left on the walk to the ball.
It didn't occur again until three months later while back in Alaska playing a round at EagleGlen. Another similar "killer" three wood off the tee did the same thing and the project began nonstop to finish. Funny enough, and as strange as Golf, that last tee shot was again on the twelfth hole.
The magic of golf is in these sculptures. I patiently watched things be overcome again and again that would stop normal work. Every lover of golf can find the joy in this work. I was continually rebuilt and rebuilding what fun is about in the dynamics of the round, or in the "no where land" of sculpting. My appreciation is beyond my words to the people, and dear Justin, who helped me learn what friends can really cope with through their love for you.
What drove this on also (with the rational mind) is thinking that players, who love golf as much as me, or more, would enjoy seeing these pieces. They are also for my golf students who just can't quite see the plane and attack angle. Now they can. Perhaps most of all, I appreciate players and people in golf whose commitment, respect, and helpfulness involves presenting golf as the art and joy that it is.
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