Jeff Decker
Encyclopedia
Jeff Decker is a sculptor and historian
who is known for his bronze sculptures, the most notable of which is titled "By the Horns" (also known as The Hill Climber
), a 16-foot-tall, 5,000-pound bronze located on the grounds of the Harley Davidson Museum. His bronze-cast sculptures depicting the synergy of man and modern machines, particularly historic motorcycles, is known in both the motorcycling community and the world of fine art. , Decker was Harley-Davidson's official sculptor.
speed equipment collections.
Working full-time at a bronze casting foundry, Decker's first idea was to capture Man's quest for speed in all vehicles. His first sculpture was a 1924 Miller Indy car. Next came the Baby Bootlegger, a 1922 world record-holding speedboat.
On display at Bob Dron Harley-Davidson
located in Oakland, California
, Decker created a life-size bronze statue from a famous photograph of Joe Petrali showing him astride a Harley Streamliner, taken during Petrali's historic 136 mile per hour record setting run at Daytona on March 13, 1937. Decker also created a five foot tall, about 1,000 pound bronze of Elvis with a Harley-Davidson motorcycle he owned, a 1956 KHK model.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
who is known for his bronze sculptures, the most notable of which is titled "By the Horns" (also known as The Hill Climber
The Hill Climber
The Hill Climber is a public artwork by American artist Jeff Decker located on the grounds of the Harley Davidson Museum, which is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States.-Description:...
), a 16-foot-tall, 5,000-pound bronze located on the grounds of the Harley Davidson Museum. His bronze-cast sculptures depicting the synergy of man and modern machines, particularly historic motorcycles, is known in both the motorcycling community and the world of fine art. , Decker was Harley-Davidson's official sculptor.
Professional background
Decker is the son of Allen and Lana Decker, but would not be alive today to be such an accomplished artist had it not been for his father's sister, Florrie Decker who, at 8 years old saved the 3 year old toddler from drowning in Lake Sherwood where they first lived together with his fathers parents. Eventually becoming steeped in the southern California car culture of the 1960s, Decker learned the ways of his father. An intense collector, Decker's father owned one of the area's largest flatheadFlathead engine
A flathead engine is an internal combustion engine with valves placed in the engine block beside the piston, instead of in the cylinder head, as in an overhead valve engine...
speed equipment collections.
Working full-time at a bronze casting foundry, Decker's first idea was to capture Man's quest for speed in all vehicles. His first sculpture was a 1924 Miller Indy car. Next came the Baby Bootlegger, a 1922 world record-holding speedboat.
On display at Bob Dron Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...
located in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
, Decker created a life-size bronze statue from a famous photograph of Joe Petrali showing him astride a Harley Streamliner, taken during Petrali's historic 136 mile per hour record setting run at Daytona on March 13, 1937. Decker also created a five foot tall, about 1,000 pound bronze of Elvis with a Harley-Davidson motorcycle he owned, a 1956 KHK model.
Bronze Sculptures
| Name | Year | Size | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| The 1924 Miller 91 Indy Car | 1994 | 26″ × 12″ × 12″ | 60 pounds |
| The Baby Bootlegger | 1995 | 42″ × 12″ × 8″ | 60 pounds |
| The Flying Merkel | 1997 | 22″ × 13″ × 8″ | 55 pounds |
| Jim Davis Trophy Bust | 1998 | 18″ × 6″ × 6″ | 20 pounds |
| The 1915 Cyclone | 1998 | 22″ × 13″ × 8″ | 55 pounds |
| Flat Out at Bonneville | 1999 | 42″ × 12″ × 32″ | 300 pounds |
| Tilt & Turns | 1999 | 24" x 24" x 12" | 75 pounds |
| The 1916 Big Valve Excelsior | 2000 | 22″ × 13″ × 8″ | 55 pounds |
| The 1912 Indian Big Base 8 valve racer | 2000 | 22″ × 13″ × 8″ | 55 pounds |
| The 1916 8 Valve Harley-Davidson works racer | 2000 | 22″ × 13″ × 8″ | 55 pounds |
| Neck and neck with Death | 2000 | 7’ x 2’ x 2’ | 300 pounds |
| The Bullet 1/2 scale | 2001 | 44″ × 28″ × 28″ | 300 pounds |
| The Bullet 1/4 scale | 2002 | 22″ × 14″ × 14″ | 50 pounds |
| Slant Artist | 2003 | 18″ × 14″ × 28″ | 20 pounds |
| Petrali | 2003 | 7′ × 2′ × 4′ | 800 pounds |
| Petrali/Marquette-size | 2004 | 18″ × 8″ × 10″ | 25 pounds |
| Harley-Davidson’s 1000+4 | 2004 | 18″ × 8″ × 12″ | 20 pounds |
| Ruby | 2005 | 18″ × 8″ × 12″ | 25 pounds |
| Daytona | 2006 | 28″ × 22″ × 13″ | 60 pounds |
| West Was Won | 2007 | 36″ × 20″ × 18″ | 110 pounds |
| The King and his Ride | 2007 | 18″ × 8″ × 12″ | 30 pounds |
| By the Horns (The Hill Climber The Hill Climber The Hill Climber is a public artwork by American artist Jeff Decker located on the grounds of the Harley Davidson Museum, which is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States.-Description:... ) |
2008 | 9′ × 5′ × 18′ | 5 tons |