Remembering Elmer Kelton

Elmer Kelton, San Angelo’s western writing legend, passed away on August 22, 2009. His death may have come almost seven years ago, but citizens of San Angelo and the surrounding areas continue to visit and create monuments in Kelton’s legacy.

Kelton wrote over 40 novels throughout his lifetime, and was a seven-time winner of the Spur Award given by the Western Writers of America. Furthermore, the Western Writers of America named Kelton the best western writer of all time in 1995.

“[Kelton’s] part of San Angelo heritage,” said Felton Cochran, owner of Cactus Book Shop. “He not only lived here for 60 some odd years, [but] he [also] put us on the map through his writing.”

Cactus Book Shop

Cactus Book Shop, according to its website, offers the biggest selection of Kelton’s books anywhere. Cochran was a collector of western books before he opened the shop. More specifically, Cochran collected Texanna, a subgenre of western novels that focus on southwest Texas. 

“[Kelton’s books] are not only entertaining," Cochran said. “You get a good lesson in history and you get a good, conservative, [and] subtle message."

Cochran added that people outside the area would enjoy Kelton’s books as well because they are simply good books.

The Library’s Kelton Sculpture

Cochran said that there is an Elmer Kelton sculpture now displayed in the Stephens Central Library conceived by Marilyn Moller. To fund the project, Moller and Cochran met up with other individuals and formed the Elmer Kelton Statue Committee.

Overall, 13 artists applied to sculpt the statue. After a rigorous selection process, Raul Ruiz was eventually chosen to create the piece of art.

“Artists did a bust of Elmer Kelton and they put them before a panel,” Ruiz said. “Many months later, I was awarded the contract to do Mr. Kelton’s statue. I felt honored about that.”

Ruiz knew Kelton for over 30 years. In fact, Kelton had a chance to see Ruiz’s initial bust that the statue was based on before he passed away. Ruiz called Kelton “a very nice guy.”

“He came in one day and I had [the sculpture] covered up,” Ruiz said. “I said, ‘Are you ready Mr. Kelton?’, and he said, ‘I’m ready!' He just sat there and looked at it, and he goes, ‘I really like it, Raul. I really like it.’ He said, ‘That’s me.’”

From then on, Ruiz continued to work on the project with help from the Kelton family. Elmer’s son, Steve Kelton, even loaned Ruiz Elmer’s belt, hat, and boots.

When Kelton passed away, Ruiz respected the family’s wishes by ceasing work on the project for a month.

Ruiz said that on January 10, 2011, the family traveled to Lubbock to see Ruiz’s work on the project. When they approved the statue, Ruiz only had to smooth out some small details. He said the finishing touches only took about 20 minutes. However, the project took two years to finish while driving back and forth to Lubbock.

Every morning that Ruiz worked on the statue, he would sketch a picture of Kelton and study photographs of the writer before beginning to sculpt.

“Mr. Kelton didn’t want to be known [as] a cowboy,” Ruiz said. “He loved to write about cowboys, but he didn’t want [his sculpture] to be a sculpture of a cowboy.”

Instead, Ruiz designed Kelton’s outfit for the statue based on the western clothes that he wore at his book signings. Ruiz imagines the Kelton of the statue to be looking out at the land of West Texas.

Since Ruiz has completed and displayed the statue in the library, the project has allowed the artist to be hired to do many more projects. Since then, Ruiz created a life-sized sculpture at Rock Springs courthouse and a ¾ life-sized police monument. Ruiz said that the police piece would be unveiled at the police department in late June. 

“You just have to keep your eyes on the goal, stay focused, and pursue the project,” Ruiz said. “You’re always going to go through details, critics, and all kinds of things, but you have to learn to overcome all that.”

Ruiz owns an art studio and gallery in San Angelo. According to the artist, Ruiz is recognized for his work on the statue at least throughout the state.

“The Kelton [sculpture] is a very, very special project to me,” Ruiz said. “That has been, I would say, my greatest hurdle to overcome, to do the work and to make it look like him."

The statue committee’s goal was to raise $70,000 to fund the statue, but the community donated over $120,000. The excess amount will be used to provide a scholarship fund for students of journalism.

“I couldn’t have done it without the help of all the people who donated the money, the committee that was in charge, and all of those folks and wonderful people who made it possible,” Ruiz said.

The Elmer Kelton Mural

Another monument to Elmer Kelton’s legacy is the Elmer Kelton mural, which is located at 118 S. Chadbourne. Historic Murals of San Angelo (HMSA) commissioned the painting, and the mural was finished less than a year after Kelton’s Death.

“We felt like Elmer deserved something lasting that everybody could enjoy,” said Susan Morris, HMSA executive director.

According to Morris, HMSA has completed 15 murals since 2002. The last seven murals by HMSA were painted by Stylle Reed, including the Elmer Kelton exhibit.

“Every time I start a new mural, the first thing anybody asks is ‘who’s going to be the artist?’” Morris said. “As long as I say it’s going to be Stylle, then everybody’s happy.”

Morris said she wished more people would take time to take a look at Kelton’s mural.

“Our historic murals are truly historic and give a lot of information,” Morris said. “Visible information is always easier for people to remember than written information. So when people see the murals and hear the story behind it, they tend to remember it longer.”

Kelton’s mural depicts many of Elmer's books as well as activities and events that inspired his stories. For more information about the mural, check out the HMSA website for their guide by cell program, the organization’s companion to each of their murals.

“We wish more people would bring their children and let them learn all of the history which is now on the walls,” Morris said. “[We hope it helps] them to connect words and pictures with history.”

Kelton’s Legacy

Artists of all kinds continue to be inspired by Kelton’s works. For example, Cochran claimed that Robert Duvall has bought the rights to make movies based on two of Kelton’s books, The Man Who Rode Midnight and The Wolf and the Buffalo. Additionally, he showed San Angelo LIVE! a picture taken of Duvall in his shop as he bought Kelton books and a letter that Duvall had written to Cochran.

“Along with Horton Foote and a few others, he is truly a great Texas icon,” Robert Duvall wrote in his letter.

Cochran said that Duvall is a Kelton fan.

“I hope I live long enough to see [these films],” Cochran said. “They’ll be great movies. And the man who rode midnight is one of my favorites.”

Cochran said that throughout his years of being a western aficionado, he had the privilege to meet Kelton himself.

“[He was] very humble,” Cochran said. “Down to earth. A wonderful man and a good friend.”