Original Saturday Morning Sessions

Many of you know Pete McCaskill, one of the members of the Boren Property Advisory Committee and a fabulously talented wood sculptor. I knew that Pete was an original member of the Saturday morning sculpting group that my father started at Russell Farm back in the early 2000s. And I had heard some of the details from my parents, but my recollections were incomplete and a bit hazy. So recently I asked Pete to share with me the details about that group—how it started, what it did, and so on. Here is my re-telling of Pete’s message to me.

Original Sculpting Group at the Borens

The story starts at St. Matthew Cumberland Presbyterian Church, when Billy Swan asked Pete McCaskill if he would be interested in joining a wood sculpture class taught by Charlie Boren. Pete agreed, and that’s how he became involved.

Billy had known Gigi and Russell Lace through their pivotal support of the newly established St. Matthew CPC. After Charlie and Louise moved to Burleson, they began attending this church as well; and it was through the church that Billy discovered Charlie's talent for wood sculpture. One Sunday, Billy and his wife Libby, both elders of the church, were conducting an in-home communion service at the Borens. It was after this communion service that Billy asked if Charlie would be willing to donate one of his sculptures for the church’s fundraising auction. Charlie flatly declined.

However, Charlie returned to Billy with a new proposal. He explained that if he (Charlie) donated one of his sculptures, it wouldn’t fetch anywhere near its true value at the auction. However, if Billy selected five people from the church, Charlie would volunteer his time to teach them in a sculpting class. During the class, he would guide the students through creating three different sculptures—a cross, an eagle (one of Charlie’s favorites), and an abstract (which ended up being more difficult than the students expected). Once the class was complete, each student would donate one of their pieces to the auction. The sculptures made by these five church members would likely raise much more money than a single piece donated by Charlie.  Billy and the church agreed to this proposal, and the plan was set into motion.

Quite a bit of thought was put into the selection of the students. Charlie had given Billy tips on what to look for in making his picks, primarily people with professional degrees or those involved in art of some sort. The five he picked were

·      Billy himself (not an artist but having worked with wood most of his life, and because he felt responsible being the one who picked the group);

·      Warren Freeman, a mechanical and electrical engineer;

·      Leon Sapp, who was one credit short of a master’s degree in art;

·      Dana Killen, who had a professional career in art; and

·      Pete McCaskill, having worked in technical illustration all his life.

Charlie was initially hesitant to include a woman in the group, since wood sculpting is physically demanding and a very messy, dusty process. However, his worries were quickly alleviated once the class began. Dana had no trouble handling the difficulty or the mess, and she proved to be quite a talented artist.

Pete didn’t remember exactly when the class started or how long it was supposed to run. He thought it began in late 2000, with plans for it to last six or eight weeks.

The group met every Saturday at 9:00 a.m. and worked under Charlie’s guidance until well into the afternoon. The class was a success, and everyone ended up with three great pieces of sculpture. Pete decided to donate the first piece he made, a cross. It alone sold at auction for $500, then was donated back to the church, where it was displayed in the pastor’s office for many years. (When Pete married Billy’s daughter, Sherrie, in 2005, the cross appeared in the background of their wedding photos. Here is that sculpture piece that Pete made in Daddy’s class.) The sculpting class and the funds raised turned out to be a huge success!

Pete wasn’t sure if it was Charlie’s suggestion or if the group convinced him, but since everyone—including Charlie—enjoyed the Saturday meetings so much, they decided to make them a regular tradition. The class continued for many years, evolving and growing as they added new artists and incorporated various forms of art along the way. The group’s members took turns bringing donuts or pastries to share, and the Saturdays typically began with a critique session. During these sessions, members would discuss their progress and explore all the possible directions their pieces could take. Once the ideas were exchanged, they would get back to work. Some worked in the rough-out barn (what is now the east side of the Baker Building), while others stayed in Charlie’s studio in the Dairy Barn.

And this is how Pete’s message to me ends:

Those Saturday mornings were some of the most magical and creative times we could remember. The peaceful, creative atmosphere fostered a synergy among the group that was truly remarkable. Charlie would often leave the windows open, regardless of whether the heater or air conditioner was on. Once the critique was over, he’d turn on the Bose radio to WWR Classical, and we’d carve in the calming ambiance of classical music and the sounds of nature.

To preserve and perpetuate this creative and special atmosphere was the core of Charlie’s dream. This dream is what fostered the desire to form Russell Farm Art Center.

My immense and heartfelt gratitude to Pete for sharing these treasured memories, and my thanks to you all for your continued support of Russell Farm Art Center and the Friends of Russell Farm nonprofit corporation.