LEAP OF FAITH

by

PATRICIA BROUSSARD

From Cameron To Canton: Louisiana Son Becomes International Artist

By Patricia Broussard

(original article as written for Lagniappe)

Some people know early on what they want to do with their life. Others spend years searching, never feeling like they’ve found their purpose.

David Broussard, an artist and sculptor, not only uses his God-given talent to prosper, but, more importantly, to glorify God and bless others.

It wasn’t always that way. It took Broussard several decades to get to where he is today. It was a process of trial and painful growth, but he learned much along the way.

Broussard, the fifth child of Whitney and Clara Broussard’s eight children, was always a handful. Whether it was discovering the dead minnows stashed away in his T-shirt drawer, or catching him in the act of throwing eggs at his uncle’s chickens in the henhouse, the Broussards were always busy trying to keep up with their rambunctious son.

Broussard looks back on his childhood with the fondest of memories. “Daddy owned some great marsh land in Creole, and it was perfect for duck hunting. We’d leave early in the morning, and sometimes not get home until late at night. We didn’t have cell phones, but no one worried. Everyone knew each other, and watched out for each other. I hunted and fished, and explored the countryside with my friends. It was truly a great childhood.”

It wasn’t always fun and games, he adds. His father, teacher and principal at Cameron Elementary, also owned Broussard’s Motel. Every summer, Whitney Broussard would put a paintbrush in his son’s hands, and tell him to get to work. Every day for weeks, David would paint the outside of the motel while his friends played. When he finally finished that job, it was time to paint the inside.

“I hated that paintbrush,” he says. “When I got a little older, I told my Dad I was going to get a real job, and, along with a couple of friends, went to work on a Texaco production platform. The first job they gave us was to scrape and paint the rig. My Dad loved to hear me tell that story, and I can still see that grin on his face. I still paint, but now I paint with a blowtorch.”

David is energetic, and passionate about whatever he does. At the age of 15, the Broussard family moved from Cameron to Lake Charles. David had the opportunity to pick up a bass guitar, and hasn’t stopped playing since. He had found his first love, and pursued it passionately.

He honed his skills, playing with locals such as Gary Reynolds, Eric Sylvester and Charles Mann. Broussard played in several traveling bands, and after two years of touring countless cities, in 1975 found himself in Dallas. It was there that he met a successful hairdresser, and enjoyed her friends and lifestyle. He was encouraged to go to cosmetology school, and, in 1977, he earned his license, and started his career in the hair business. Quickly, he became a recognized name, all the while  continuing to play music locally.

David Broussard, Terry Murphy and Kenny Griffin of Refugee (early 1980s)

In 1982, his band, Refugee, was named one of the top 10 rock and roll bands in Texas on Q-102’s More Texas Crude album. A few months later, while flipping through channels on the radio, David heard Marlin Maddox’s voice, and was captivated. He continued to listen every day, and heard the gospel of Christ taught like he had never heard before.

Listening to teachers such as Chuck Smith and J. Vernon McGee, it wasn’t long before David made Jesus Lord of his life. He knew he had to make some serious decisions, and, shortly after, to the surprise of everyone, he quit Refugee only weeks before they were to sign with Epic Records. He made the decision to stay in the hair business, and share Christ with anyone who would listen. Many of his clients and associates became Christian as a result of seeing his transformation.

He stayed true to his decision, but things were about to change for him at the turn of the millennium.

In December of 1999, David felt there was more for him to do. He prayed for God to expand his realm of influence. It wasn’t long before God answered that prayer.

In May of 2000, Broussard signed up for a 24-hour welding course. In this class, he made a cross, and hung it in his salon. It sold within an hour. He made another, which again sold immediately. After selling approximately 50 crosses, his business partner mentioned that God had definitely answered his prayer. He asked her what she meant. David was having so much fun with his new “hobby” that he didn’t realize this was indeed the answer to his prayer.

He started designing crosses in which the shape and name would tell a story — a story that pointed to Christ. In other words, David wasn’t simply making beautiful home decor — he was telling the story of man’s salvation through the cross.

Selling only from his salon, Broussard’s crosses began appearing in homes throughout the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. In 2001, his friends, who own the Dallas International Guitar Show, invited him to exhibit his crosses. They were a huge hit with musicians across America.

The next month, Broussard was accepted in ArtFest, a popular show in Dallas. This was the first time the general public in Dallas saw his creations, and from that point on, his career took off.

In 2003, the Dallas Observer named Broussard Best Men’s Hair Stylist. Even though his hair business was booming, he knew it was time to take another major step. Being very anxious with the decision that lay before him, but also believing the promise that the Lord would provide his needs, he gave up his clientele that he loved and worked so hard to build, and devoted his full attention to Jeweled Steel.

Many have asked why he calls his business Jeweled Steel. He explains that what a jeweler does with a stone, he does with steel. He cuts a particular shape out of steel, and then polishes different textures into the surface. He continues to polish the steel until it almost looks holographic. Then he colors the designs, using only the heat from a blowtorch, a technique he calls flame painting.

When he is finished painting, he signs each piece, then adds a clear powder coat to seal and protect the finish. The final product is a piece of steel that looks like glass. He says one of the greatest compliments he gets is when someone looks at his art and asks if it is glass. After almost 15 years of making these crosses, he still hears people say they’ve never seen anything like it.

Broussard has enjoyed great reviews of his art. Loretto Chapel, the top tourist attraction in Santa Fe, N.M., picked up his line to sell in their gift shop, and that relationship is still going strong after 10 years. Carmel Mission in Carmel, Cal., also carries his art.

World-famous sculptor Max Greiner discovered Broussard’s work in Nashville, and he wanted to get to know the artist behind the crosses. They met, and Greiner quickly became Broussard’s mentor. Greiner established The Coming King Prayer and Sculpture Garden in Kerrville, Texas, and asked Broussard to create a design for the garden. He created It Is Finished, a 12-ft. spike sculpture that represents the three nails used at the crucifixion. This impressive sculpture is located at the entrance of the garden, located at I-10 and Hwy. 16.

Through the years, Broussard has maintained his love of music, and he continues to play. The difference now is that he plays at church instead of smoky nightclubs.

Meanwhile his work continues to gain recognition. He’s been featured on WFAA Channel 8’s Good Morning Texas, as well as other Dallas publications. He was invited to exhibit with Let There Be Light, along with 12 other artists, including Max Greiner, Thomas Blackwell and Ron DiCiani, all of international fame. He’s even used his talent to finish the sign and awning on the restored Manor House, a 28-story apartment building located in downtown Dallas.

What began with a simple welding class, and selling one lone item in a hair salon, has turned into a global venture. Broussard’s work can be found not only in the USA, but also in New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Columbia, Central America, Mexico, South Africa, Canada, Europe and Israel. Even the Church of England, after visiting Broussard’s website, commissioned him to create two custom designed crosses.

Each beautiful cross is signed; part of his signature is the scripture 2 Corinthians 5:17, because it describes his life: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

David and Michelle Broussard

David’s wife and absolute love of his life, Michelle, not only runs the business end of Jeweled Steel, but also has taken her husband’s designs and created a jewelry line that complements his larger pieces. Many people wear their favorite Jeweled Steel designs as jewelry.

What pleases David the most is that his art and website allow people around the world to look at beautiful photos of his work, and read words of truth that can bring eternal life.

The Broussards recently moved to Canton, Texas, where they show their work every month at First Monday Trade Days. David says he meets people from Lake Charles and the surrounding area almost every month. He and Michelle can be found in Arbor 2, booths 162 and 163. They can be reached by phone at 903-567-4349, and their website is JeweledSteel.com.

In Lake Charles, Jeweled Steel can be found at The Perfect Gift, located at 3045 Ernest St.

Originally posted in Lagniappe Magazine.