Grant Speed
Encyclopedia
Ulysses Grant Speed is a western
sculptor based in Lindon
in Utah County, near Provo.
Speed was born in San Angelo
in Tom Green County, Texas, where as a youth he concentrated on riding and roping and hence showed little evidence of his later passion for art. Throughout high school and for several years afterwards, Speed spent summers as a cowboy
on an uncle's ranch. He worked thereafter on numerous neighboring ranches and became an accomplished horse breaker and rodeo
rider, until he sustained a leg injury.
In 1948, Speed began a two-year stint in the newly organized United States Air Force
. Thereafter, he completed a three-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
. In 1959, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in animal science
from Brigham Young University
(BYU) in Provo. Before he became a full-time artist, Speed supported his family as an elementary school teacher in Salt Lake City but residing in Provo. "Having come from conservative West Texas
, I really wanted to be the world's best cowboy. Yet every time I got a chance to be around any kind of western art, I couldn't stop reading about it, looking at it, and studying it," Speed said.
When Speed began working on his art, he kept the matter confidential from all but his wife, the former Sue Collins, and their three children, one of who is named Boone Sheridan Speed. His first sculpture was completed in an art class at BYU. He kept the first of ten casts
and quickly sold the other nine. For eight years Speed continued his teaching job, and then left that profession to devote full time to his art. In 1965, he joined the professional group the Cowboy Artists of America
, serving as president and winning many of its awards.
Speed considers each of his bronze sculptures "an original, because in any edition none of the sculptures are exactly the same." His fellow artists recognize Speed not only for his art, but his character and faith. Despite his success in art, Speed comments that at times he still misses the cowboy ways of his youth.
Speed has exhibited at the Phoenix Art Museum
in Phoenix, Arizona
, and the Whitney Gallery of Western Art in Cody, Wyoming
. Among his awards is the Gold Medal for Sculpture from Cowboy Artists of America and the Prix de West Award from the National Academy of Western Art
, affiliated with the formerly named National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City
, Oklahoma. Some of his work can be found in the Whitney Gallery of Western Art and the Museum of Texas Tech University
in Lubbock, Texas
. The Texas Tech exhibits were formerly at the Diamond M Museum in Snyder, Texas
, which closed in 1992.
His bronze equestrian sculpture "Night Ridin'" is displayed in the permanent art collection in the historic district of St. George, Utah
.His sculpture entitled "A Stop at the Line Camp" sells for $4,800.
Speed's sculpture of legendary Texas cattleman Charles Goodnight
is housed in the Square House Museum in Panhandle, Texas
. In 2010, another of Speed's sculptures of Goodnight sold at auction for $5,400.
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
sculptor based in Lindon
Lindon, Utah
Lindon is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 10,070 at the 2010 census.The western sculptor Grant Speed resides in Lindon.-Geography:...
in Utah County, near Provo.
Speed was born in San Angelo
San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
in Tom Green County, Texas, where as a youth he concentrated on riding and roping and hence showed little evidence of his later passion for art. Throughout high school and for several years afterwards, Speed spent summers as a cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
on an uncle's ranch. He worked thereafter on numerous neighboring ranches and became an accomplished horse breaker and rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
rider, until he sustained a leg injury.
In 1948, Speed began a two-year stint in the newly organized United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. Thereafter, he completed a three-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints traces its current dispensation beginnings to Joseph Smith, Jr. on April 6, 1830 in Western New York. Initial converts were drawn to the church in part because of the newly published Book of Mormon, a self-described chronicle of indigenous American...
. In 1959, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in animal science
Animal science
Animal Science is described as "studying the biology of animals that are under the control of mankind". Historically, the animals studied were farm animals, including livestock and horses, but courses available now look at a far broader area to include companion animals, for example dogs, cats and...
from Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(BYU) in Provo. Before he became a full-time artist, Speed supported his family as an elementary school teacher in Salt Lake City but residing in Provo. "Having come from conservative West Texas
West Texas
West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
, I really wanted to be the world's best cowboy. Yet every time I got a chance to be around any kind of western art, I couldn't stop reading about it, looking at it, and studying it," Speed said.
When Speed began working on his art, he kept the matter confidential from all but his wife, the former Sue Collins, and their three children, one of who is named Boone Sheridan Speed. His first sculpture was completed in an art class at BYU. He kept the first of ten casts
Casting
In metalworking, casting involves pouring liquid metal into a mold, which contains a hollow cavity of the desired shape, and then allowing it to cool and solidify. The solidified part is also known as a casting, which is ejected or broken out of the mold to complete the process...
and quickly sold the other nine. For eight years Speed continued his teaching job, and then left that profession to devote full time to his art. In 1965, he joined the professional group the Cowboy Artists of America
Cowboy Artists of America
The Cowboy Artists of America was founded in 1965 by four prominent western artists, Joe Beeler, Charlie Dye, John Hampton and George Phippen, who have all since died...
, serving as president and winning many of its awards.
Speed considers each of his bronze sculptures "an original, because in any edition none of the sculptures are exactly the same." His fellow artists recognize Speed not only for his art, but his character and faith. Despite his success in art, Speed comments that at times he still misses the cowboy ways of his youth.
Speed has exhibited at the Phoenix Art Museum
Phoenix art museum
The Phoenix Art Museum is the Southwest United States' largest art museum for visual art. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, the museum is . It displays international exhibitions alongside its comprehensive collection of more than 18,000 works of American, Asian, European, Latin American, Western...
in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, and the Whitney Gallery of Western Art in Cody, Wyoming
Cody, Wyoming
Cody is a city in Park County, Wyoming, United States. It is named after William Frederick Cody, primarily known as Buffalo Bill, from William Cody's part in the creation of the original town. The population was 9,520 at the 2010 census...
. Among his awards is the Gold Medal for Sculpture from Cowboy Artists of America and the Prix de West Award from the National Academy of Western Art
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
The National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is a museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with more than 28,000 Western and American Indian art works and artifacts. The facility also has the world's most extensive collection of American rodeo, photographs, barbed wire, saddlery, and early rodeo trophies...
, affiliated with the formerly named National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, Oklahoma. Some of his work can be found in the Whitney Gallery of Western Art and the Museum of Texas Tech University
Museum of Texas Tech University
The Museum of Texas Tech University is part of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. It is made up of the main museum building, the Moody Planetarium, the Natural Science Research Laboratory, the research and educational elements of the Lubbock Lake Landmark, and the Val Verde County research...
in Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
. The Texas Tech exhibits were formerly at the Diamond M Museum in Snyder, Texas
Snyder, Texas
Snyder is a city in and the county seat of Scurry County, Texas, United States. The population was 10,653 at the 2010 census. It is located on Deep Creek, a minor tributary of the Colorado River of Texas. Snyder is approximately 150 km southeast of Lubbock.Located in Snyder is the Scurry County...
, which closed in 1992.
His bronze equestrian sculpture "Night Ridin'" is displayed in the permanent art collection in the historic district of St. George, Utah
St. George, Utah
St. George is a city located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Utah, and the county seat of Washington County, Utah. It is the principal city of and is included in the St. George, Utah, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is 119 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 303 miles ...
.His sculpture entitled "A Stop at the Line Camp" sells for $4,800.
Speed's sculpture of legendary Texas cattleman Charles Goodnight
Charles Goodnight
Charles Goodnight, also known as Charlie Goodnight , was a cattle rancher in the American West, perhaps the best known rancher in Texas. He is sometimes known as the "father of the Texas Panhandle." Essayist and historian J...
is housed in the Square House Museum in Panhandle, Texas
Panhandle, Texas
Panhandle is a town in Carson County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,589 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carson County. Panhandle is part of the Amarillo, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. In 2010, another of Speed's sculptures of Goodnight sold at auction for $5,400.