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Story and feeling behind each of sculptor’s works

Steve Gevurtz works on his clay sculpture, Winds of Desire, at his downtown Spokane studio. Gevurtz, who retired as CEO of Itronix two years ago, began sculpting in 2005. (Photos by INGRID BARRENTINE / The Spokesman-Review)
Jennifer Larue Correspondent
Steve Gevurtz works on his clay sculpture, Winds of Desire, at his downtown Spokane studio. Gevurtz, who retired as CEO of Itronix two years ago, began sculpting in 2005. (Photos by INGRID BARRENTINE / The Spokesman-Review)

The 5-year-old girl stands with her arms raised in excitement. The boy, also 5, squats next to the girl at the water’s edge with his arms outstretched in the direction of the sailboat that floats out of reach. The life-size, three-piece bronze sculpture is titled “Summer Breeze” and encapsulates the carefree feel of the first days of summer.

“My goal was to incorporate land, water and wind into one sculpture. I wanted to capture the carefree spirit of children playing in the summer breeze,” said Spokane Valley sculptor Steve Gevurtz.

The piece took about a year to complete. Ravyn Sargent and Cameron Connelly served as the models. Gevurtz set the kids loose with a remote control boat at the pond and snapped pictures. They wore costumes, circa 1930, from the Civic Theater to capture simpler times.

Gevurtz wanted the sailboat to move realistically and his goal was accomplished with the help of metal artist Hazen Audel, who designed the underwater mechanism for the boat that has real sails on it.

The sculpture, commissioned by Tombari Properties of Spokane, sits permanently on the edge of Regal Pond at the Village, behind Twigs Bistro and Martini Bar, at 4320 S. Regal St. The sculpture is in honor of all the children served by the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery and was unveiled recently during a fundraising event for the nursery.

The Tombaris are big fans of Gevurtz’s work. “I’m moved by his work,” said TJ Tombari; “he has great passion.” Her husband Terry agreed: “His work embodies an element of joy.”

The fundraising event featured soft jazz, wine and hors d’oeuvres as well as a showing of some of Gevurtz’s other works – figurative sculptures that are filled with life and movement.

“There is a story and a feeling behind each of them,” said Gevurtz. “When people look at my work, I want them to ‘get it,’ not in words but feelings. I want the texture and form to speak to them.”

A retired CEO, Gevurtz, 60, did not begin his artistic endeavors until about five years ago. That’s when he began taking painting and drawing classes in art schools and centers in New York, Los Angeles, Coeur d’Alene and the Spokane area. “I was training for something,” he said. That something was sculpting, which he taught himself and dove into passionately about two years ago.

Gevurtz spends up to 40 hours a week in his studio at First and Washington downtown. There, the walls are decorated with his lifelike portraits and studies of the human body. He also has a studio in Sandpoint and occasionally works in his Northwood home.

Creating a bronze sculpture is a long, expensive process and includes a model or an idea, the initial clay sculpture, a rubber mold, wax, ceramic, a firing, liquid bronze and finishing work.

Already he has sold nearly 20 pieces and is making a name for himself as an artist. His work is displayed at the Painter’s Chair in Coeur d’Alene and the Good Works Gallery in Spokane. He also has private showings.