Fort Worth is saying goodbye to a legend who spent his life celebrating cowboys and culture.
Local artist Jack Bryant, who is best known for crafting life-size bronze statues of Western life, died Saturday and was laid to rest Tuesday morning.
"It's really remarkable what Jack's done over the years," said Bob Watt, who knew Bryant for more than 20 years.
Watt first met Bryant when he commissioned him to create the Midnight statue that greets people to the Amon G. Carter Exhibition Hall in Fort Worth.
"He's obviously a very talented person," Watt said. "His artwork is known worldwide, really."
Bryant's love for cowboys and culture lives on through five bronze statues placed in prominent public spaces around Cowtown, including the Stockyards. They are maintained by Fort Worth Public Art.
"It's a love of a Western way of life, I think, that inspires these artists to come up with these very unique pieces," Watt said.
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Bryant is also known for his paintings.
"His paintings were cattle scenes and all types of work that demonstrates the Western way of life," Watt said.
Bryant sometimes stepped away from saddles and the South to craft something more modern, such as the statue Save the Future outside of Fort Worth's Fire Station 2.
"He was just a great guy and a good friend," Watt said. "He's got a lot of friends, a lot of respect, and he will be missed."
