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A Tribute to
the Art Work
of
Electra Waggoner
Biggs
November 08, 1912 - April 23,
2001
Electra Waggoner Biggs an heiress of the Waggoner Ranch
stands next to the
sculptor of Will Rogers on his horse Soap Suds. This replica graces the
grounds of Texas Tech University in Lubbock. Her original of the statue
was a gift donated to the city of
Ft. Worth by Amon G. Carter.
As stated in an article from the "New
York Journal and American", Tuesday, April 12, 1938, Electra Waggoner explained
that she had wanted to be a sculptress ever since she was a kid.
Even when she was going to finishing school in New York, she was studying art on
the side. Later she took a special course at Columbia, living in the
Village and working with sculptors. Afterwards, she spent a year in Paris,
at the Sorbonne.
Below are just a few samples of Mrs. Biggs' work.
"Enigma"
Electra's first model was her maid, a woman half Negro and half American Indian.
While in Paris, Electra chiseled the head out of black Belgian marble and
exhibited it at a Paris art salon causing much favorable comment. Later
she took "Enigma" back to New York and exhibited it in a 31 piece show of her
work.
As early as 1945 Electra Waggoner
Bigg's art work had been exhibited in Los Angeles, in the World's Fair in New
York and Washington as well as Paris.
Harry S. Truman
President Truman posed for Mrs. Biggs.
He set her at ease while she created the likeness, with his genial, Midwestern
wit.
After completion the bronze portrait was the proud possession
of the president's fellow Missourians.
Tony Hazelwood
A Waggoner Ranch Cowboy.
A collection of
Mrs. Biggs art may be viewed at the Red River Valley Museum
in Vernon, Texas . For information regarding the museum please visit
www.rrvm.org.
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