It’s the people within the community that make Seminole unique, and one woman’s sculpting talent is known much farther than West Texas.

“I can spend anywhere from a month to two or three months on a piece,” says sculptor Jammey Huggins. “All of my things are Southwestern. I’ve always loved the Native American culture, and I love the cowboy culture and animals. They’ve always been a part of my life and that’s what I try to concentrate on.”

Huggins is a Seminole native who has always been surrounded by art. Her grandmother was an artist and Huggins began painting with her when she was a little girl. She majored in art at Texas Tech, where she began her love for sculpting, and has been doing it for 34 years now.

“I change things as I go. Sometimes I cut it completely apart and start over, it just depends on what I envision,” Huggin says. “When people look at it, I want them to feel the same thing that I felt. I try to chose something that’s interesting to me so it’ll be interesting to somebody else,” she adds.

There’s several steps in the process from start to finish, but it all begins with Huggins research and ideas. She takes a subject matter and uses clay or wax to build her sculpture.

“I take that idea and the way I start doesn’t necessarily mean that’s how it’s going to end up, because as you work, you change things,” she says. “When it leaves here, I have to feel comfortable that I’ve done everything I can to make it the best sculpture I can.”

Huggins then sends it off for casting and coloration. The final product is a bronze sculpture.

“You feel a real accomplishment when you finish. You can’t believe that you did it, especially a piece that you really feel good about,” Huggins says.

She spent 31 years teaching art to junior high and high school students. Now that she’s retired, Huggins says she devotes most of her time to sculpting. She usually works on a few pieces at once, since most take anywhere from one month to three months to finish.

“It’s just natural. It’s not a want to, it’s a need to…a need to get in here to the studio! You need to get your hands in clay, you need to push it around, you need to look at it. It’s just fulfilling. It does something for you inside,” Huggins says.

Huggins is involved in many organizations, which she participates in shows through. She’s received various awards along the way and many people even recognize her work through her signature turtle collection pieces. Her work can be found in five different galleries through Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.

For more information about Jammey Huggins and her art, check out her website: http://www.jammey.com