Page 6 University Daily Kansan, April 9, 1981
16
Moses almost ready for burning bush
BySTU LITCHFIELD Staff Reporter
It is often said that one picture is worth a thousand words. To Elden Tefft one sculpture is worth at least that many, if not more.
Tefft, sculptor and KU professor of fine arts,
has invested thousands of his words, thoughts
and feelings in one particular sculpture—his
creation of a 10-foot, 1/4-inch Moses.
TO LYNN TAYLOR, director of the School of Religion, that commissioned the bronze sculpture. Tefft's Moses is very expressive.
"If I could find the words to express my feelings about Moses, I'd say them and not do the sculpture," Tefft said. "I think it's a trait of sculptors in express feelings that can't be put down."
"There is an expression of awe and wonder in the face of Moses," Taylor said. "He's standing in front of the bush, which is something impressive, and you can see that in him."
This sculpture has become a labor of love for Tefft, and he has been working periodically for the last 14 years to conceive, design, mold and build Moses.
*Tefft is receiving no pay other than his expenses on the project, which are expected to top $100,000 by completion. All money used is from private donations.*
Tefft was commissioned by the school in 1966 and is now working on the final stages of the project. The sculpture will be finished and erected in front of Smith Hall sometime this fall. It will face a stained glass window in Smith that denies the burning bush.
"It WAS A CHALLENGE," Tefft said. "I had more taller things, wider things, but never anything of this volume. It has been an opportunity to meet a lot of challenges."
10ate, Tefft and his student volunteer aids have constructed a figure of Moses made of steel tubing and styrofoam overlaid with wax and clay. A flexible mold of the figure has been made from the completed model and bronze will be poured into the mold to make the final sculpture.
bound into the floor to make it
When the sculpture is finished, it will not be
solid structure, Tefft said. With the exception of hands, feet and head, it will be composed of separate bands of bronze.
"I wanted it to relate to the stained glass. It's something you can peer through." Tefft said.
TEFFT, WHO ALSO sculpted the Jayhawk in front of Strong Hall and redesigned the University seal, explained that his design of the sculpture was fashioned after the seal. The seal depicts Moses kneeling before a burning bush and is symbolic of the quest for knowledge.
“in terms of creative development,” Tefft wrote in researching the University seal with the sculpture.
"I tried to track down what the burning bush might have been, what vegetation was indigenous to the Mount Sinai area and what the bush would get to get a feeling for Moses and his environment."
Moses was placed in an erect position because of his background, according to Tefft. He said that since Moses was raised in a Pharroah's court, he should be more refined.
THE DESIGN OF MOSES was also affected by an experience that Tefft had in Thailand years
"I was north of Bangkok at one of those church-like places," Tefft said. "There was a very decorative Buddha. I got a special feeling there."
"I look back on that experience and wonder how much it aided in the decorative qualities of
your work."
TEFFT IS LOOKING forward to the final casting of Moses and, according to Taylor, the School of Religion will have a casting party May 15 to celebrate this final stage of work.
According to Taylor, Tefft has received wide recognition for the project. Hundreds of people have either stopped in to see Moses or have attended demonstrations and demonstrations about the sculpture's making.
I'm enought with the sculpture. It'll be nice to see it finished." Taylor said.
After years of working on the sculpture, giving workshops and demonstrations and teaching classes, Tefft has just begun to think about the end of the project.
On Campus
TODAY
LA MESA ESPANOLA (Spanish Table) will meet from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in 369 Wescoe All native speakers and students of Spanish are welcome.
Elden Tefft dislavs his soon-to-be-completed sculpture of Moses.
UNIVERSITY OPEN FORUM at Executive Vice Chancellor Robert Cobert at 3:0 p.m. in 180 Bell Street, San Francisco, CA 94125.
THE LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES PANEL will present Robert Oppenheimer on "Mexican-American Education in Kansas" at 3 p.m. in the Council Room of the Kansas Union.
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL MEETING at 3:30 p.m. in 186 Blake.
THE CAMPUS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP will present Virgil Warren on "Apologetics - A presence of the Christian Faith and Steve Ieowen on the 'Christian Statement'" at 7 p.m. at the Christian Campus House.
THE LIFE-ISSUE SEMINAR ON SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES will discuss "Service" at 7 p.m. in the Ecumenical Christian Ministries Center.
THE ASSOCIATION OF _UNIVERSITY RESIDENCE HALLS will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Walnut Room of the Union.
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the Big Eight Room of the Union. Jonathan Unger and Richard Cole will discuss "Social Responsibility and Corporate Investment."
THE DEPARTMENT OF ANTHROPOLOGY will present a lecture on "Australian Aborigines" at 8 p.m. in the Spooner Hall Gallery of the Museum of Anthropology.
THE GAY AND LESBIAN SERVICES OF KANSAS will meet at 7:30 p.m. in the International Room of the Union.
*STUDENT RECITAL*, KU Percussion Ensemble with Paul Winnie M. p.m. in the Music Hall on Friday, Jan. 20th.
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SUA FILMS
Thursday, April 9
Zulu
(1964)
M
An take Hall tom
One of the best British films about colonialism, a story about an outburst under British rule that grows between the British and the Zulu attackers. Open-minded but not new, the film explores the realities with Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Michael Gans directed by Cy Childfield.
Unless otherwise noted all films will be shown at Woodstock Auditorium in the evening on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Friday, Saturday, Midnight films are $150. Midnight films are $200. The current show runs until 3 p.m. as Union Art, 4th level, Information 864-3477. No smoking or refreshments at the
A funny, knowing story about lower-middle-class kids in a gang called the *bloodsucker*. The band and an audience boisterous and wise look at growing up, directed by Phil Kaustman (invasion of the *Body-Smatchers*). With a new song by Mansi (13:15 mln) color. 12:00 Midnight
Friday, April 10 The Long Riders
This retelling of the James Younger gang legend is one of the very best versions. James and Slacy Koch and Robert Caradine are the Youngers, and Randy and Dennis Quaid are the Milkers, and the filmed tilt film an extra dimension, aided by Ry Coeder's superb score and the amateur post-Civil War days to the climactic Northfield raid, this is an exciting, well-illustrated story of two war days to the civilized director by Walt Hill (The Warriors). A fine new western. Plus: Daffy Duck in Cinder, (1057 mm) Color, 3:40, 7:00; 8:30
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