Jesús Moroles Moroles (’78), Rockport :: When he arrived at UNT in the 1970s, Jesús Moroles had never worked with granite before. He even broke his chisel in half the first time he tried it. But Moroles went on to become one of the most renowned sculptors in the art world. He died June 15 in a car accident north of Georgetown. His art can be viewed in Egypt, China, India and the White House. He also has various collection pieces residing at the Smithsonian Institute. One of his best-known pieces is “Lapstrake,” a 64-ton, 22-foot-tall sculpture sitting in the heart of New York City. On campus, his 80" x 7.25" x 9.75" Diamondback Ruin Totem, made in Georgia grey granite, sits in the Office of the President. In 2008, former President George W. Bush awarded him the National Medal of Arts for his acclaimed public art sculptures. Other honors and awards include a UNT Distinguished Alumni Award, the Texas Medal of Arts, the prestigious Awards in the Visual Arts fellowship and a National Endowment for the Arts matching grant. He was the 2011 Texas State Artist for three-dimensional works. He also served on the board of commissioners of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American Art and on the board of the Texas Cultural Trust. He credits his gravitation to “heavy stuff,” like granite, to when he helped his uncle build hurricane-proof homes along the Texas Gulf Coast when he was 13. After earning a B.F.A. at UNT, Moroles did studio work in Italy and then began the work that would gain him worldwide attention. He purchased his first large diamond saw in 1981 and created his own studio in Rockport, where he prepared and finished the majority of his work before shipping it for installation. His other works include the Houston Police Officers Memorial, a cross with a pyramid in the center and four outer inverted pyramids that sink into the ground. His most recent work was a series of granite columns for Hall Arts in the Dallas Arts District. He served as artist-in-residence at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. He was recently featured in the spring issue. "Art is one of the things that might save us, save humanity," Moroles said. "If we could get people out of their cities, out of their countries and traveling to see art around the world, then we'd all have more of an open mind toward each other."
Jesús Moroles Moroles (’78), Rockport :: When he arrived at UNT in the 1970s, Jesús Moroles had never worked with granite before. He even broke his chisel in half the first time he tried it. But Moroles went on to become one of the most renowned sculptors in the art world. He died June 15 in a car accident north of Georgetown. His art can be viewed in Egypt, China, India and the White House. He also has various collection pieces residing at the Smithsonian Institute. One of his best-known pieces is “Lapstrake,” a 64-ton, 22-foot-tall sculpture sitting in the heart of New York City. On campus, his 80" x 7.25" x 9.75" Diamondback Ruin Totem, made in Georgia grey granite, sits in the Office of the President. In 2008, former President George W. Bush awarded him the National Medal of Arts for his acclaimed public art sculptures. Other honors and awards include a UNT Distinguished Alumni Award, the Texas Medal of Arts, the prestigious Awards in the Visual Arts fellowship and a National Endowment for the Arts matching grant. He was the 2011 Texas State Artist for three-dimensional works. He also served on the board of commissioners of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American Art and on the board of the Texas Cultural Trust. He credits his gravitation to “heavy stuff,” like granite, to when he helped his uncle build hurricane-proof homes along the Texas Gulf Coast when he was 13. After earning a B.F.A. at UNT, Moroles did studio work in Italy and then began the work that would gain him worldwide attention. He purchased his first large diamond saw in 1981 and created his own studio in Rockport, where he prepared and finished the majority of his work before shipping it for installation. His other works include the Houston Police Officers Memorial, a cross with a pyramid in the center and four outer inverted pyramids that sink into the ground. His most recent work was a series of granite columns for Hall Arts in the Dallas Arts District. He served as artist-in-residence at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. He was recently featured in the spring issue. "Art is one of the things that might save us, save humanity," Moroles said. "If we could get people out of their cities, out of their countries and traveling to see art around the world, then we'd all have more of an open mind toward each other."
