NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Like a lot of guys, Scott Wise spends long hours in his garage, jamming out to music while his hands stay busy.
"It could be Dean Martin, or it could be Metallica," said Wise. "I’m working and working, and this is over months."
But instead of cars, it's carving his towering creations.
"The hardest part for me to ever do is a portrait because you know, it has to look like them," he said.
His garage doubles as his art studio, where Wise sculpts clay, sometimes with tools but more often by hand.
"The best tools are your fingers and just a little wood tools," said Wise.
That is pretty fitting, considering Scott's fingerprints are all over statues that can be found in downtown Clarksville. He's sculpted everything from firefighters to community founders.
He's honored comical characters — like the actor who played Sergeant Carter in Gomer Pyle, to community milestones like the devastating 1999 tornado.
But Scott isn't just a sculptor, he's also a huge Nashville Predators fan. This is why, kind of on a whim, Scott decided to reach out to the organization to see if he might be of service.
"I thought — I’ll reach out. I do sculptures. I’m a fan, I thought — maybe we can get something going," said Wise.
But, he didn't hear back. At least not at first. Then a year later, he got the call that the Preds wanted star goalie Pekka Rinne to be forever enshrined in bronze.
"I mean I am a huge Preds fan, and Pekka for that matter. I just want it to be right. And I want everyone else to say it’s right. I hope they do," said Wise.
It only took a few weeks to shape Pekka's body. It took months to get his face just right.
"It’s facial features, just making sure they’re right. Because any little bit will just change everything. So that’s the hardest part, at least for me," explained Wise.
Finally, this longtime fan had to face the rest of Smashville for the official unveiling. Back in March, the Preds held a massive party on the plaza to officially unveil the statue.
Only Pekka wasn't the only one with a cheering section. "Man, look, they’re on the roof already," said Wise.
High atop a rooftop bar were some of Scott's favorite people, cheering just for him. But the cheers were universal when the black cover over Scott's creation was ripped off.
Despite all the fanfare, Scott was really waiting for the reaction from an audience of one.
"It’s unbelievable what you’ve done. You deserve it, sir," said Pekka Rinne. "It’s awesome, it’s beyond anything I expected."
Pekka's compliment is the kind that makes hand-carving clay in your garage, all worth it. Especially when the man you've cheered for is now a fan of you.
"It’s awesome, it’s beyond anything I expected," added Rinne. "I don’t know how he did it, because I spent like 40 minutes with him."
"It’s all been building up to this, maybe now I can get a little sleep. That would be nice," said Wise.
