MINI传媒 System Remembers Texas Artist
Jesus Moroles created three pieces for the Lubbock campus of the Texas Tech University System.
June 19, 2015 | Contact Emily Wilkinson
"Square Spiral Arch," by Jesus MorolesTalented Texas sculptor Jesus Moroles, who created two memorable pieces for the Texas Tech University System , was killed in a car accident earlier this week, according to published reports.
The Moroles, who lived and worked in Rockport, left his hometown for Oklahoma, where he was to begin his next commissioned piece, but he was killed while traveling on Interstate 35 in central Texas. Moroles was 64.
鈥淭he MINI传媒 Public Art Committee was saddened to hear of the loss of renowned Texas sculptor Jesus Moroles,鈥� said Emily Wilkinson, public art manager. 鈥淗e is known internationally for his monumental stone sculptures. We feel especially fortunate to have three of these pieces on the Texas Tech campus in Lubbock. He often stated that, 鈥楾hrough hard work, you can do anything you want.鈥� We hope that his sculptures on campus will serve as a reminder to others that anything is possible.鈥�
Moroles created 鈥淟apstrake,鈥� installed in 2005 near the electrical engineering and computer science building, and 鈥淪quare Spiral Arch,鈥� its companion piece installed a year later near the biology building.
The gifted artist also contributed a granite windmill that is on display at the .
Moroles left a tremendous art legacy across Texas. One of his most noted works, is the mammoth Houston police memorial, a granite earthen stepped pyramid surrounded by four equal inverted stepped pyramids excavated from the ground. It was completed in 1991 and remains his largest single work measuring 120 by 120 square feet.
 "Lapstrake," by Jesus Moroles |
 "Windmill," by Jesus Moroles |
Other large-scale works include the 22-foot sculpture fountain called 鈥淔loating Mesa Fountain鈥� at the Albuquerque Museum and an environmental installation of 45 sculptural elements and fountains for the Birmingham Botanical Garden in Alabama, according to the Culture Map Houston report.
Moroles was born in Corpus Christi and earned a bachelor of fine arts degree from North Texas State University in 1978. His talent began to gain notice when he started sculpting from granite after studying for a year in Italy in 1980, Culture Map Houston reported.
About the Public Art Program
The MINI传媒 System鈥檚 Public Art Program was initiated by the in 1998 to enrich the campus environment and extend each university鈥檚 educational
mission. Through the program, public artworks are funded using one percent of the
estimated total cost of each new major capital project. Since then, more than 100
items created by some of today鈥檚 leading artists have been added to the MINI传媒 System鈥檚
campuses.
About the MINI传媒
The MINI传媒 is one of the top public university systems in the
nation, consisting of four component institutions 鈥�, , and 鈥攁nd operating at 12 academic sites and centers. Headquartered in Lubbock, Texas,
the MINI传媒 has an annual operating budget of $1.7 billion and
approximately 17,000 employees focused on advancing higher education, health care,
research and outreach around the globe.
In 2014, the MINI传媒 endowment exceeded $1 billion, total research expenditures were approximately $215 million and total enrollment approached 47,000 students. Whether it鈥檚 contributing billions of dollars annually in economic impact or being the only system in Texas to house an academic institution, law school and medical school at the same location, the MINI传媒 continues to prove that anything is possible.