Category: General

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Jeptha Barnard Bright, Jr (July 8, 1927 – July 23, 1997), better known as Barney Bright, born in Shelby County, Kentucky and was a sculptor from Louisville, Kentucky is best known for his work on the Louisville Clock.

Bright was born in Shelbyville, Kentucky on July 8, 1927. He would excel in school projects growing up.

Barney Bright had his own sculpting business called the Bright Foundry in which other prominent sculptors Ed Hamilton who he worked with in 1973 thru 1978 and Raymond Graf was mentored by him. During the 1950s Bright would be commissioned to do several sculptures near fountains for various buildings. Several of these were made in bronze.

Barney Bright would begin construction on the well-known Louisville Clock in 1974, a year after the initial project was intended to be completed. The location was to be placed at the River City Mall (now known as Fourth Street Live!), but the developers easily became absent-minded about the original intentions until former Louisville mayor Wilson W. Wyatt mentioned it to local leaders in 1973. They then interviewed numerous artists to do the job and eventually selected Bright. After the original concept was scaled back considerably to conform to the budgeting, Bright would work on building the clock and have it dedicated in front of 3,000 people on December 3, 1976.

Other notable works accomplished by Bright were the River Horse Romano in front of the Mazzoli Federal Building’s entrance, and the Winged Man, Icarus. You can see his Floating Nudes in front of the Legal Arts Building in Louisville as well as sculptures in Cave Hill Cemetery. He was also commissioned by the City of Philadelphia to create the statue of basketball legend Julius Erving.

Prior to Bright’s death in 1997 he released a 36-page book titled Barney Bright: A Fifty Year Celebration.

After retirement, the Brights spent a portion of their year in Louisville and a portion in Europe.

Bright died at the age of 70 on July 23, 1997, from Lung cancer.

James S. Brooks Sr. departed this life on Friday, April 25, 1997, at Riverside Regional Medical Center.

He was a native of York County. He was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church and Providence Wing Lodge No. 229 PHA. He was also an Army veteran. He retired from the Newport News Shipyard in 1985 after 45 years of service.

He was preceded in death by his son, John E. Brooks . He is survived by his wife, Hazel Brooks ; two sons, James E. Brooks Jr. of Newport News and Garland Brooks of Richmond; two daughters and two sons-in-law, Zona and Wilson Seaborn of Richmond and Theronette and Douglas Brown of York County; two sisters, Mary Anthony and Rentha Blakney of Louisville, Ky.; and six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29, 1997, at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 521 North Avenue, by Rev. Frank Branch III. Burial will follow in Hampton Memorial Gardens. Viewing will be held from 1 to 8 p.m. today at Cooke Brothers Funeral Chapel. Mr. Brooks will be placed in the church at 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Family and friends are asked to assemble at 724 North Avenue by 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Copyright: Copyright (c) 1997, Daily Press Inc. All rights reserved.