By Jill Soens
[caption id="attachment_221" align="alignleft" width="202" caption=""Raven III C" by Jim Eppler"]
[/caption]
Jim Eppler is best known for his life-size and giant bronze ravens - an eternal symbol of the Southwest. But his love for animals goes far beyond simply depicting them - Jim and a friend reclaimed several acres of badly damaged land near Lubbock and restored them into a wildlife refuge. Many of the birds and animals he depicts are real-life models!
Recently, Jim has branched out into creating miniature bronze animals - wolves, elk, deer, and ravens. And he has his wife to thank for it!
[caption id="attachment_223" align="aligncenter" width="475" caption=""Miniature Elk Herd I" by Jim Eppler"]
[/caption]
Jim  travels frequently, delivering, picking up sculptures, and entering shows.  This means he is frequently staying in motels and, not being a TV kind of guy, he was getting bored.  His wife, Becca, decided that instead of being bored, he should work!  She put together a traveling sculpture kit for him to take on the road.
[caption id="attachment_225" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption=""Miniature Wolf" by Jim Eppler."]
[/caption]
Each of the pieces in "Miniature Elk Herd I" were designed and carved from many nights spent in motels across the country.  Wives are known to have very good ideas!