Splendid Sculptor
It's easy to find the work of Jess Dominguez, whose sculptures beautify the San Diego State University campus.
An instructor of life modeling and 3-D design at SDSU for more than 25 years, Jess Dominguez’s work can be seen all over campus.
The War Memorial at Aztec Green, the statue of President Black near the Old Quad and a relief at the Lipinsky Tower are all his creations. He is volunteering his time and talent for the Coryell bust project.
"I want to keep doing things for the university as long as I can contribute,” he said, “and this one is very special.”
Last year, Dominguez sculpted a bust of football coach Don Coryell.
Dominguez said sculpture is intended to be more representational than literal. It should capture a subject’s essence more than a literal likeness that, for example, a figure in a wax museum might represent.
“It’s not supposed to look like a death mask, it’s supposed to look like a sculpture with tool marks and imperfections,” he said.
Before Dominguez casts a final version of a sculpture he tries to have family members or someone close to the subject approve the work.
Message to students
Dominguez encourages his students to pursue their interests, rather than focus on the most financially rewarding careers.
