Shafer Gallery Acquisitions Add New Perspective of Artist’s Talent

Artifacts provided by Gus and Eva Shafer’s daughter, Pat Rapp of Overland Park, will be part of the Gus Shafer Retrospective planned to open July 16 at Barton County Community College’s L.E. “Gus” and Eva Shafer Memorial Art Gallery.

Rapp has donated a secretary’s desk handmade by Shafer and a photograph of her father taken in his studio. The desk shows the expanse of Shafer’s artistry beyond the realm of sculpture and painting, Gallery Director Bill Forst pointed out.

“The secretary is important because it rounds out Gus Shafer’s creative portfolio. Anyone who comes to the gallery for the retrospective will recognize Shafer as an extremely talented furniture maker as well as a painter and sculptor of bronze,” he said.

The photograph of Shafer shows him working on the wax model of “Bronc Twister” about the time that piece was sent to the foundry to be cast in bronze.

Rapp also has loaned to the gallery 10 wax models sculpted by her father and never cast in bronze. “They show the diverse subject matter that Shafer was creating in his sculptures, from portrait bust forms to more abstract designs, as well as his many cowboy and Indian figures, Forst said.

The wax models include “Bottoms Up,” 1966; the portrait, “Ernest “Hemingway,” 1969; “Intruders,” 1973; “Peace,” 1980; “Charge,” “Medicine Man,” “Buffalo Prayer,” “Rattlesnake Talk,” all from 1981; “Flight,” 1974; and “Movin West,” undated.

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