In the fall of 1988, Greg Congleton and his father drew elk tags for the Ochoco unit in central Oregon. Greg had only one day to hunt and wasn’t excited about his prospects. But one day proved to be all he needed. With his father at his side, Greg shot a six‑point bull that would later serve as the inspiration for Traveler, Congleton’s 12-foot, 1,200-pound steel elk sculpture. At Elk Camp, Traveler drew more double takes than a two‑headed calf. Congleton used various items, including an actual bugle in the bull’s throat and a .22 rifle in his ribcage, to construct the larger-than-life sculpture.

	Photo courtesy of Greg Congleton

Hunting was always something Congleton did with his father, who passed away several years ago. He views the animals he has killed more as mementos of their relationship than as trophies.

Congleton grew up on a cattle ranch in central Oregon near the Crooked River. When something needed to be fixed, he, his two older brothers and his father had to get creative. “You can’t afford to run to town for every little thing you might need,” he said. Often they went to the scrap pile and found the solution to their problem lying in the heap. This mentality has a strong underpinning in Congleton’s art. “Ninety percent of the scrap pieces I pick up are just scrap until I decide what I’m going to build.”

Congleton likes using steel pieces in his sculptures to create a larger image. The smaller pieces are lost at first glance, but with a closer look, each object gains its own identity. “I believe the eye enjoys making those connections,” he said. “It’s a delightful process of discovery.”

More of Greg Congleton’s work can be viewed on his website www.gregcongleton.com.