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Renowned sculptor and poet Dewey Severs lived out the remainder of his life on old Route 66 near Albuquerque, New Mexico. Earlier in life he was a fireman, farmer, milkman, carpenter, farrier, and teamster—training draft horses and teams of mules, in competition around the country.
Just Dewey: A Journey from Despair to Creative Genius traces Dewey’s life from its humble beginnings as the son of an alcoholic and abusive father, living in a tarpaper shack in the Missouri Ozarks, through his young adulthood and early career, to courtship of his loving wife Carolyn and his relationship with their three sons.
His story takes an unexpected turn when, at forty-six, he is stricken with heart disease and after three heart attacks, is left depressed, bankrupt, and unable to provide for his family. Left with nothing but hope, he begins having unusual dreams where he sees himself striking a horseshoe with a pair of tongs, shaping it into a piece of art.
Through these dreams, God gives Dewey his direction: “God gave me the tools, the skills, and the vision, all I had to do was follow my dreams.”
Readers will be inspired and reminded of how everything happens for a reason as they follow the arc of Dewey’s life, his on-and-off relationship with God, and his amazing journey throughout America, told through poems, stories in his own words, and images of his art.
About the book
Excerpt 1
We all remember the sounds of our childhood. Some of the best sounds I’ve ever heard were a horse’s hooves clopping on the hard-packed dirt and the horses crossing a wooden bridge, the chain traces rattling and the wagon squeaking as we went down the road. We were poor and didn’t have much, but family was everything and every day was an adventure.
Excerpt 3
The grass is green as far as you can see. There is a mountaintop on the edge of the horizon with a blue haze, but not a house in sight. Just rolling hills with juniper trees everywhere. Over to the left I see a big herd of antelope running on the plains. Just Carolyn and me celebrating the first day of the rest of our lives. And what a life it has been.
Excerpt 2
When my old life fell apart. I thought my best days were behind me. Now I know there was a new life waiting to take shape. God gave me the tools, the skills, and the vision. All I had to do was follow my dreams.
Excerpt 4
When my middle son, Dewey Lee, was promoted to gunnery sergeant, he called me and said, “Would you do me a favor, Daddy?” And I said, “What’s that, son?” He said, “Would you come and pin my insignia on me? My badges on my lapel.” And I said, “Well yeah, son, I recon I can. I pinned your diapers on, so I guess I can pin on your Marine Corps medals.”
