NEW! PBS VIDEO!
Jeff was interviewed by
Tucson PBS station KUAT by producer Sooyeon Lee. The program aired
on August 17, 2004. Click below to watch the interview:
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3.4 MB version
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Such intangibles as movement and energy become
reality at the hands of sculptor Jeff Gamble as he portrays the mystery of man over
machine. His knowledge of automotive
subjects comes from a lifetime of interest in automobiles of all types. He spent his
boyhood days building and modifying model cars often into the night and at the expense of
homework. His first racing experience was with the Soap Box Derby. His
tinkering continued with his first full size vehicle, a Model A Bell Telephone
truck. He accompanied his father to diverse car shows such as sports car races and
the Joey Chitwood Thrill Show. These influenced Jeff to become a Porsche owner in
1967 and a class champion in Porsche Club Time trials in 1975. Since then he has
continued to restore and show his cars.
Using his personal library of experiences, Gamble
takes the great stories of automotive history and transforms them into bronze. His
first sculpture was the Porsche 356 series. Next came the popular 550 Spyder in
"Rebel's Dream". He continued to portray the early success of Porsche
racing with "Victory in the Alps" which captured the 1952 Leige-Rome-Leige rally
victory. He turned to the prewar era for his next inspiration. The first was
the ultra-streamlined AutoUnion. He portrayed the car poised for a world record
speed run with Professor Porsche leaning over the car and instructing the driver, Bernd
Rosemeyer. This sculpture was well-named "Age of the Titans". With
"Duel at Avus" he combined the sleek AutoUnion with the equally powerful
Mercedes Benz racer as the two battled on the famous banked North Curve at the AVUS track
near Berlin.
For his next work, Gamble remembered the epic 24
Hour battles at Le Mans. His "Final Victory at Le Mans" depicted the
winning Aston Martin DBR1/2. The co-drivers of this historic race were both
presented their own bronze. Roy Salvadori was presented his at the Silverstone
Historic Races. Carroll Shelby received his bronze directly from Gamble at the 97
Greater LA Auto Show as Shelby introduced his new Series I Shelby American. With
"Touch of Genius" Gamble returned to Porsche history as he commemorated the
Elford/Stone victory in the 1968 Monte Carlo Rally driving the legendary 911.
Jeff Gamble's polished sculptures have received
critical acclaim by automotive editors, executives, designers, and collectors in the
United States, Europe and Japan. This favorable reception to his works is the result
of his exhaustive research into the people, places, and events he portrays. His
amazing attention to detail, such as oil on the hood, mud splashes, and water spraying
from the tires, has earned him a worldwide following that enables the collector of his
works to experience historic moments in time.