A Mythic Obsession: The World of Dr. Evermor

226 Pages·2008·13.834 MB·English

by  Tom Kupsh

BIOGRAPHY/ART $26.95 ($29.95 CAN)
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keenly documented Every’s amazing life, uu AA MMyytthhiicc OObbsseessssiioonn he Forevertronstands poised in a
including previously unpublished family pp Wisconsin field. When the time is
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“A Mythic Obsession offers a compre-
photos, sketches, and personal memories. hh right—only Dr. Evermor will know
The World of Dr. Evermor
hensive account of one of the country’s
What emerges is a detailed portrait of a when—the famous, enigmatic scientist will
most original artists, an intimate history
unique, self-taught artist. climb the winding staircase and enter its
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of a truly impassioned soul on a remark-
egg-shaped travel chamber, power up the
able creative journey.”
dynamos and flip on the thrusters, and away
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—Joanne Cubbs, art historian and curator
he’ll fly on a “highball to heaven,” propelled by
yy an electromagnetic lightning force beam.
“This is a wonderful account of a great
tt Or so the story goes.
upsh metal artist and his fantastic whimsical hh Anyone who’s visited the elaborate
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a Lair- creations, the trials, efforts, ups, downs, ii visionary environment created by Tom Every
Lis cc
o: the good, the bad, and, of course finally,
ot has heard some variation of the Evermor
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the resulting success.” OO myth. But few know the story behind the
Tom Kupshoriginally met Tom Every —Clyde Wynia, founder of Jurustic Park story, the fascinating history of this one-of-a-
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in the 1970s, and they reestablished their kind creative spirit. From a very early age
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friendship years later. He is the former “This book expels the fear that in telling Every collected, modified, and resold cast-off
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creative director for House on the Rock and the true story of Tom Every, the magical industrial material. His work as a salvager
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lives in southern Wisconsin. world of Dr. Evermor will disappear— led him to Alex Jordan Jr., creator of the
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A Mythic Obsession is an agile and illum- House on the Rock, where he collaborated
ii
inating narrative that captures both.” oo with Jordan on many of the attraction’s
—Jeffrey Hayes, professor of art history, nn most elaborate displays. After the two
University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
parted ways, Every began to explore his own
artistic voice. In addition to hundreds of
whimsical welded sculptures, he poured
$26.95 (CAN $29.95)
ISBN 978-1-55652-760-9 most of his effort into the Forevertron, the
52695
world’s largest sculpture built by a single
person. In the process, Every discovered his
alter ego: Dr. Evermor.
9 781556 527609
JACKET DESIGN: SCOTT RATTRAY Author Tom Kupsh, with the full
JACKET PHOTO: RON GORDON
participation of Tom and Eleanor Every, has
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TToomm KKuuppsshh
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A Mythic Obsession
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AA MMyytthhiicc
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OObbsseessssiioonn
TThhee WWoorrlldd ooff DDrr.. EEvveerrmmoorr
TToomm KKuuppsshh
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kupsh,Tom.
A mythic obsession :the world of Dr.Evermor / Tom Kupsh.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-55652-760-9
1. Dr.Evermor,1938—Criticism and interpretation. 2. Junk sculpture—United States
3. Metal sculpture—United States. I.Dr.Evermor,1938- II.Title.
NB237.D69K87 2008
730.92—dc22
2007048062
Interior design:Scott Rattray
© 2008 by Tom Kupsh
All rights reserved
Published by Chicago Review Press,Incorporated
814 North Franklin Street
Chicago,Illinois 60610
ISBN:978-1-55652-760-9
Printed in the United States of America
5 4 3 2 1
00 (i-x) front matter 2/26/08 12:07 PM Page v
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Start a huge,foolish project,
like Noah.
It makes absolutely no difference
what people think of you.
—Rumi
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Preface
V
isionary artist Tom Every—Dr. Evermor—is known throughout the
world for his rare vision.His sculpture,especially hisForevertronenviron-
ment, has been featured in countless magazine and newspaper articles
in the United States and abroad.Local,regional,national,and international film
and television crews have visited his sculpture site over the years,and thousands
of people from all walks of life come to see him and his work each year. He is
somewhat of a celebrity in the world of self-taught artists and has earned the
respect of scholars and collectors who eagerly seek him out.
All of the writing and reporting about Tom and his work falls into three cat-
egories: First, what I call weekend-getaway pieces, which appear in local and
regional newspapers,on television,or in guidebooks.These are of uneven qual-
ity,and sometimes the research is scant or incomplete and often filled with mis-
conceptions. Second, more serious reporting about Tom and his work does
occasionally appear in the form of feature articles found in nonart magazines and
art sections of newspapers.Some of this material is well researched and well writ-
ten. Third, there are a growing number of serious and scholarly pieces in pub-
lications that focus on outsider art;these works are well researched and carefully
written and some are cited in the bibliography of this book.
Missing from all of these is the broader narrative of who Tom Every—Dr.
Evermor—is and how his work came into being.I knew Tom in the 1970s when
he was still formulating his artistic voice and working as a builder and salvager.
After 1982,our paths went different ways,but I occasionally wondered what had
become of him. I heard that he was making weird metal sculptures near Bara-
boo,Wisconsin, and in the fall of 2004, on an impulse, I drove up to where I
thought his sculpture site might be. I finally found him, not the robust hellion
I had known but a semi-ambulatory stroke victim full of pain and barely able to
use his left side.I also found him surrounded by a body of extraordinary work.
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viii Preface
Soon it became clear that despite his physical limitations he was full of passion
for his art, and his memory and imagination were sharp and bright. I knew in
those first few visits that I had found the writing project I had been looking for.
Tom was enthusiastic about this project,and in fall 2004 I began to visit with
Tom and his longtime wife,Eleanor,and record our conversations.The hundreds
of pages of transcripts that resulted from our conversations,and from visits with
his family,friends,and helpers,are the primary source for the information in this
book. Tom and Eleanor also shared with me some family records, photographs,
documents, and print articles from their archives and gave me access to Tom’s
sculpture and drawings as well as lists of contacts they felt would be useful.
The goal of this book is to allow Tom’s voice, and the voices of those who
have been close to him, to tell the story of his life and art. This is not a defini-
tive biography but rather a narrative history of his process; those searching for
further details will find the endnotes and bibliography useful.This book is a cel-
ebration,not an exposé,and those looking for stories of misbehavior will be dis-
appointed—mostly.They will find that the notes may lead them where they want
to go.
Ultimately, Tom Every’s art will be the most articulate voice heard here. To
ensure that the voice of the work is clear and powerful,I partnered with art pho-
tographer Jim Wildeman,whose photographs document Tom’s work.Jim also has
included snapshots and collected photographs from the Every family collection.
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Acknowledgments
T
hanks to the many folks without whom this book would never have been
possible,particularly Tom and Eleanor Every,who talked freely about their
life and art and also shared with me many family photos and records.
Special thanks to Bobbi Lane,Silke Tudor,Doris Litscher Gasser,Aaron Howard,
Ron Gordon,and Ann Parker for the use of their photographs.
I want also to thank everyone who talked with me about Dr.Evermor and his
work,especially Karin Shoemaker,Erika Koivunen,Aaron Howard,Jake Furnald,
Homer Deahn,Richard Springer,Ann Parker,Pete Burno,Jim Wildeman,Don War-
ren,Curt Meine,Roman Slotty,Barbara Banks for her e-mails,Dr.Gary Maier,Kim
Knuth, Ray Blackburn, Doug Britton, Larry Waller, Dan Woolpert, Dee Hanson,
John Greene, Petra Backonja for her interview and poetry, Dr. Misha Backonja,
Nobuyoshi Kitamura,and all of Tom and Eleanor’s many friends who encouraged
this project.
Thanks to Thayer Every for many things and especially for operating the crane
that lifted Jim Wildeman high above the sculpture park for his great photographs
(and set him down again).Thanks to Jerome Pohlen at Chicago Review Press for
all his suggestions and help.
Thanks to the most patient woman in the world,my wife,Lisa Anne Lair-Kupsh.
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