David Hesser
1966-
I feel that I have always been compelled to make art. As a child I loved rockhounding and carving wood with my pocketknife. I graduated high school with an art scholarship from a competition and went on to attend the University of Kansas from 1984-1988.
I studied bronze casting and sculpture from my mentor and friend, the late Elden Tefft. Courses at KU also included jewelry making, gemstones, metalworking, ceramics, and art history. I graduated with honors and moved to Texas in 1988 to study swordsmithing.
From 1990-1998 I created custom knives and swords, selling my works at festivals and local shows. I wanted to transition out of traveling and became more interested in the art world. I began looking for a way to make 3D art in Central Texas.
In 1998 I had the fortune to answer an ad from Damian Priour. He had requested someone knowledgeable about tools with a background in art. I met up with him at his studio and was soon amazed at the sculptures he created and the wonderful friends and clients he had made along the way. We soon struck up a lasting partnership and friendship. I helped to engineer and sculpt many monumental works in glass and stone up to the point of his passing in 2011.
I am honored to have the legacy of now working with JJ Priour and helping to convey the technical skills I have learned over the many years. I consider the Priours not just employers but family, and am grateful for their support and friendship. We share many of the same views of preserving the Hill Country, protecting the environmental and supporting artists.
For me art is something that I have to engage in every day; I wish to push the boundaries of what can be done with 3D sculpture. At my own studio I am customizing my own motorcycle with unique metal work, a dream project slowly making the path into reality.
