Gary Tillery

{{Infobox artist

| name = Gary Tillery

| image = Gary Tillery.jpg

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| birth_date = {{birth date|1947|8|6}}

| birth_place = Phoenix, Arizona

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| nationality = American

| field = Writer, Sculptor

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Gary Tillery is an American writer and artist known for his biographies focusing on the spiritual lives of famous figures, and for his public sculptures. His 2009 book, The Cynical Idealist, was named the official book of the 2010 John Lennon Tribute in New York City,[http://www.questbooks.wordpress.com/2010/09/23/the-cynical-idealist-is-the-official-book-of-the-john-lennon-tribute/. Quest Books] (Theosophical Society in America). Retrieved 2012-11-22. and he created the centerpiece sculpture of the Chicago Vietnam Veterans Memorial, dedicated in 2005.[http://www.pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/922362141.html?dids=922362141:922362141&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+06%2C+2005&author=Blair+Kamin%2C+Tribune+architecture+critic&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Wabash+Plaza+could+be+start+of+great+space&pqatl=google. Chicago Tribune.] Retrieved 2012-11-22. {{dead link|date=April 2017}}

Early life

Gary Glenn Tillery was born in Phoenix, Arizona on August 6, 1947, the son of a farmer who had brought the family west from Oklahoma after they survived a tornado.[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4673108/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1. Gary Tillery]. Retrieved 2021-11-18.

The intensifying Vietnam War interrupted his higher education. He joined the United States Air Force and was deployed to Tan Son Nhut Air Base, near Saigon.[https://rotblattamrany.com/projects/chicago-vietnam-war-memorial/ Chicago Vietnam Veterans Memorial]. Retrieved 2021-11-18. His arrival happened to coincide with the "Mini-Tet" Offensive of May 1968, the month that proved to be the deadliest of the entire war for U.S. forces.[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2018/05/25/the-men-killed-on-a-single-day-in-the-vietnam-war-and-the-haunting-wall-that-memorializes-them/]. The Washington Post. May 25, 2018. Retrieved 2021-11-18. During his first few weeks, the base came under repeated attack by 122mm rockets and mortar fire. His experiences in the war would serve as background for his book Darkling Plain, an experimental novel constructed of interlinked short stories.[https://www.amazon.com/Darkling-Plain-Gary-Tillery/dp/1477535721/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=darkling+plain+tillery&qid=1637091771&s=books&sr=1-1. Darkling Plain]. Amazon.com. Retrieved 2021-11-18.

After his military service, Tillery returned to Phoenix and attended Arizona State University. He received a bachelor's degree in Latin American Studies in 1972, and went on to Thunderbird School of Global Management, where in 1973 he earned a master's degree in International Management.

After moving to the Chicago area, he co-founded The Townsend Agency, Ltd. in 1979, and worked as an advertising executive for 17 years.

Throughout his time in the business world he felt drawn to create literature and art. One of his short stories, "Dragon with a Broken Wing," was selected by Ray Bradbury to receive first prize in a contest honoring the famous native of Waukegan, Illinois.[http://www.linkedin.com/pub/gary-tillery/17/270/883. Gary Tillery, Author and Sculptor]. LinkedIn. Retrieved 2012-11-19. In 1996, Tillery resigned his position as chairman of The Townsend Agency to pursue his twin interests of writing and sculpture.

Writer

As a writer, his best-known work is The Cynical Idealist: A Spiritual Biography of John Lennon. The book, which grew out of his 2005 article for Philosophy Now magazine,[http://philosophynow.org/issues/52/The_Philosophy_of_John_Lennon The Philosophy of John Lennon.] Retrieved 2022-11-10. was the first to examine John Lennon as a man of ideas, exploring his impact on the world as a consequence of his spiritual growth and his self-generated humanist philosophy. Reviewer Grady Harp observed: "Without resorting to puffery or hero worship, Tillery places Lennon's accomplishments with the arts as well as with the framework of political upheaval of his day to reveal a man who will be remembered not only for his prodigious talent, but also for his influence on philosophical thinking."[https://www.amazon.com/Cynical-Idealist-Spiritual-Biography-Lennon/product-reviews/0835608751/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_paging_btm_next_2?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews&pageNumber=2. Gary Tillery, Books by Gary Tillery]. Amazon.com. Retrieved 2021-11-19. The Cynical Idealist was selected as the official book of the 2010 John Lennon Tribute in New York City, and subsequently translated into German, French, Portuguese, and Danish.

Based on its success, Quest Books published Tillery's Working Class Mystic: A Spiritual Biography of George Harrison in 2011,[https://web.archive.org/web/20120110144300/http://www.wgntv.com/videogallery/66670386/News/Author-Gary-Tillery-Working-Class-Mystic WGN-TV Midday News.] Retrieved 2012-12-15. and The Seeker King: A Spiritual Biography of Elvis Presley in 2013. The latter was selected as a featured book by the Patheos Book Club.[http://www.patheos.com/Books/Book-Club/Gary-Tillery-The-Seeker-King. Patheos Book Club.] Retrieved 2014-1-22. His other writings include Darkling Plain, inspired by his recollections of the Vietnam War, The Roots of the Wind, a novel drawn from his experiences on a scientific expedition to the Western Rift Valley in Africa, three comedic detective novels, three volumes of poetry, and Yeshua, My Beloved, an ambitious experiment in "novelized history," being a fact-based novel about Jesus derived from the research of hundreds of Bible scholars.[https://www.amazon.com/Gary-Tillery/e/B002F4P57C/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1353341025&sr=1-2-ent. Gary Tillery, Books by Gary Tillery]. Amazon.com. Retrieved 2012-11-19.

Artist

In 2000, Tillery's sculpture They Also Serve was accepted by the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum for its permanent collection.[https://web.archive.org/web/20130120153216/http://nvam.org/collection-online/index.php?artist=Tillery%2C+Gary NVAM Collection Online. National Veterans Art Museum.] Retrieved, 2012-11-19. As a result of his connection with the museum, he was selected to create the centerpiece sculpture in the Chicago Vietnam Veterans MemorialWoulfe, Molly (Nov 11, 2005). [http://www.nwitimes.com/entertainment/columnists/molly-woulfe/chicago-salutes-vietnam-vets-with-new-memorial/article_65ade461-69e3-5b56-bf02-14a22f73b5de.html Chicago salutes Vietnam vets with new memorial]. NWI Times at Wabash Plaza, dedicated in 2005.[http://www.vva.org/archive/TheVeteran/2005_03/arts.htm The VVA Veteran.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304051827/http://www.vva.org/archive/TheVeteran/2005_03/arts.htm |date=2016-03-04 }} Retrieved 2012-11-20. In 2004 he created the bust of Steve Allen for the Steve Allen Theater in Hollywood.Free Inquiry, Feb/Mar 2004, p. 58.

Affiliated with the Fine Art Studio of Rotblatt Amrany from its founding in 1992, Tillery joined the studio team to create several prominent outdoor sculptures, including Luis Aparicio at U.S. Cellular Field,[http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/12134163-418/luis-little-louie-aparicio-still-getting-to-second-base-at-sox-park.html “Luis ‘Little Louie’ Aparicio still getting to second base at Sox park.” Chicago Sun-Times.] Retrieved 2012-11-19. T. Denny Sanford at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota,[http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMCWF2_For_the_Love_of_Children_Sioux_Falls_SD. “For the Love of Children—Sioux Falls, SD—Living Statues on Waymarking.com.” Waymarking.com.] Retrieved 2012-11-19. and Ray Kroc and Ronald McDonald in downtown Chicago.[http://www.rotblattamrany.com/studio-artists/gary-tillery. Fine Art Studio of Rotblatt Amrany.] Retrieved 2012-11-22. He was co-sculptor, with Omri Amrany, on the statue of Pat Tillman for the Arizona Cardinals football team,Fine Art Studio of Rotblatt Amrany. Fine Art Studio 2012. Charleston, SC: Createspace, p. 8. {{ISBN|9781477478561}}. and lead sculptor on the 2-ton, 9-foot statue of Jerry Colangelo for Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, erected only a few blocks from Tillery's childhood home.{{cite web |url=https://news.gcu.edu/2019/02/colangelo-sculpture-unveiled-on-gcu-campus/. |title=Colangelo sculpture unveiled on GCU campus |website=news.gcu.edu |date= 9 February 2019|access-date=2019-02-11}}

On Veterans Day 2018 his 14-foot work, Defenders of Peace, was dedicated at the College of Lake County in Illinois.{{cite web |url=https://clcillinois.edu/aboutclc/news/2018/10/30/nov.-5-veterans-day-ceremony-includes-a-dedication-of-clc-salute-to-veterans-art/. |title=Nov. 5: Veterans Day event includes dedication of CLC 'Salute to Veterans' art |website=news.clc.edu |date= 30 October 2018 |access-date=2022-11-08}} In July 2019 his bronze sculpture of Johnny Appleseed was unveiled in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana. John Chapman (better known as Johnny Appleseed) was a resident of Fort Wayne in the final years of his life, and died there in March 1845.{{cite news |url=https://www.news-sentinel.com/news/local-news/2019/07/18/new-statue-of-johnny-appleseed-dedicated-at-new-downtown-hotel/. |title=New statue of Johnny Appleseed dedicated at new downtown hotel |newspaper=News-Sentinel.com/ |access-date=2019-07-18 |date=May 2022}}

Tillery's life-size bronze statue of Richard G. Hatcher was dedicated in October 2019 in Gary, Indiana. Hatcher was notable for being the first African-American to be elected mayor of a major U.S. city.{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/ct-ptb-gary-hatcher-statue-st-1010-20191010-gt64iwi3unhmhfmbnnmofjckaa-story.html. |title= Bronze statue of Richard Hatcher, Gary's first black mayor, unveiled at City Hall |website=www.chicagotribune.com |date= 9 October 2019 |access-date=2019-10-14}}

Tillery was lead sculptor on the bronze sculpture of Pete DeBusk, chairman of the Lincoln Memorial University Board of Trustees, which was unveiled in October 2021 in Harrogate, Tennessee.{{cite web |url=https://rotblattamrany.com/news/ |title=Pete-DeBusk-Sculpture-at-Lincoln-Memorial-University |website=rotblattamrany.com/news |access-date=2022-11-25}}

The Tillery-designed memorial for the American Legion post in Lake Forest, Illinois--a 13-ton structure of granite and white bronze to honor Lake Forest residents who died serving during the nation's wars--was dedicated in September 2023. Tillery wrote a poem to the fallen which was read at the event. {{cite web | url=https://rotblattamrany.com/lake-forest-american-legion-memorial/ |title=lake-forest-american-legion-memorial-for-mckinlock-post-264 |website=rotblattamrany.com/lake-forest-american-legion-memorial |access-date=2024-01-28}}