20th-21st Century American Sculpture, Animal

20th-21st Century American Sculpture, Animal

Online information about 20th-21st Century American Sculpture from sources other than Resource Library

"American Eagle: The Bold Art of John Haley Bellamy, America's Greatest Ship Carver" by James A. Craig is a 2015 online magazine article from Maine Boats, Homes and Harbors. In the article James A. Craig says: "Gilded wings spread wide in regal majesty, a razor-sharp beak emitting a fierce scream, the flag and shield of the American nation held safely in the steely grip of a raptor's talons. Such are the trademarks of one of the most recognized and sought-after pieces of American art: the defiant and proud Bellamy Eagle." Accessed 9/23

The American West in Bronze, 1850-1925 is a 2014 exhibition from The Metropolitan Museum which says, "Some sculptors traveled to the West to observe animals in their natural habitats, while others were simply inspired by trips to urban zoos." Accessed 7/23

The Artist, the Workhorse: Labor in the Sculpture of Anna Hyatt Huntington by Brooke Baerman is a 2015 online capstone essay from the Syracuse University Department of Art History. In the Capstone essay, Baerman says: "Hyatt Huntington continued to capture the different aspects of the animals she portrayed, from bulls to horses to goats, and her diligent studies and numerous workings in clay proved fruitful. Her sculptures, which at the time were predominantly small bronzes, were well received by patrons in New York." Accessed 8/23

"Charles M. Russell and The Elusive Buffalo Hunt" by Shannon Vittoria is a 2014 online essay from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In the online essay Shannon Vittoria says: "The skill and frequency with which Russell depicted the buffalo hunt belies the artistic challenge posed by the subject, which requires a convincing portrayal of men, horses, and buffalo in a moment of suspended action." Accessed 9/23

The City of Mission Viejo, CA granted a public art commission to artists Joy Aldrich and Aileen May to spearhead creation of nine mosaic-covered sculptures in the form of life-sized bears, each with a separate cultural or ethnic theme. The sculptures, completed in 2015, toured to venues throughout Orange County, CA. Also see a YouTube video by Fifi Leigh titled "Bear Art Sculptures at UC Irvine." Accessed January, 2016.

"Constance Whitney Warren, Sculptor in a Man's World" by Scott Sullivan is a 2015 online article by Scott Sullivan from the Gilcrease Museum. In the online article Scott Sullivan says: "Her horses of these years gradually show a greater naturalness of movement and more effectively handled physiognomy. Her last small bronze horse, from 1922, shown above, was formerly in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (deaccessioned, June 9, 2014) and is now in the author's collection." Accessed 9/23

Deborah Butterfield introduces her work to a group of docents at its installation at the Nevada Museum of Art on June 15, 2007. [4:58] and in another video taken during the docent walkthrough on June 15, 2007, sculptor Deborah Butterfield reflects upon some of the philosophical and artistic elements contributing to her decisions to create sculptures of horses lying prone on the floor or ground. [5:51] Accessed May, 2015.

Deborah Butterfield: New Sculpture is a 2017 exhibition from the Danese Corey Gallery which says: "Deborah Butterfield first created sculpture in the form of a horse in the 1970's using mud, clay and sticks. In 1979, she began using scrap metal and found steel to create her work. For more than two decades, while continuing to use found metal, she also began casting her sculptures from "stray, downed pieces of wood." Butterfield carefully, intuitively, selects the branches and sticks which are used to 'draw' her horses." Accessed 8/23

In This Case: Prairie Chicken by Kelly Trop is a 2013 online essay from the Smithsonian American Art Museum. In the essay, Trop says: "Edward Kemeys learned anatomy by hunting and dissecting many wild animals and birds. He often dabbled in amateur taxidermy to capture a particular pose. It is possible that he used one or more of his homemade models as a reference for Prairie Chicken." Accessed 9/23

"The Legacy of the Buffalo, in Legislation and in Bronze" by Elenita Nicholas is a 2016 online essay from the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. In the online essay Elenite Nicholas says: "Historically, wildlife conservation has included the work of artists, like Proctor. Having previously sculpted two buffalo heads for the fireplace in the State Dining Room of the White House in 1909, there was no question that Proctor was the man for the job when a sculptor was needed to decorate the new Q Street Bridge connecting the Georgetown neighborhood to downtown Washington, D.C." Accessed 9/23

The Lions of Michigan Avenue by Paul Jones is a 2018 online article from the Art Institute of Chicago. In the article Jones says: "Kemeys and his wife, Laura, who was also a sculptor, were creating animal sculptures for the Columbian Exposition. Mrs. Henry Field commissioned the artist to create the two Art Institute lions in memory of her husband. In May 1894, the bronze lions took their place on pedestals in front of the museum." Accessed 9/23

The Lost Bird Project is a 2015 exhibition at the Smithsonian Library and Gardens which says: "This project recognizes the tragedy of modern extinction by immortalizing North American birds that have been driven to extinction. It will feature large-scale bronze sculptures of the Carolina Parakeet, the Labrador Duck, the Great Auk, the Heath Hen and the Passenger Pigeon." Accessed 9/23

"The North American Bison in Sculpture" by Thayer Tolles is a 2014 online essay from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In the essay Thayer Tolles says: "In 1873 Edward Kemeys, this country's first specialist in animal sculpture, traveled from New York as far west as Colorado and Wyoming, living among American Indians and trappers, and participating in bison-hunting expeditions. Kemeys studied the animals-alive and dead-through up-close examination, dissection, and sketching." Accessed 9/23

"Q Street Buffalo 2" by Sylvia Huber is a 2017 online essay from the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. In the online essay Sylvia Huber says: "Proctor's new Buffalo, standing astride a token of a diminished past represented by the skull, evokes the same affirming message, that the buffalo is proud, commanding, and resilient when provided proper stewardship, and that it represented a national symbol worthy of the artist's finest work." Accessed 9/23

Remembering Bud Bottoms: A Legacy of Art and Activism is a 2019 exhibit at the Wildling Museum which says: "The exhibit features sea life sculpture works by the Santa Barbara artist locally-renowned for his iconic Dolphin Family sculpture installed at the base of Stearns Wharf in downtown Santa Barbara." Also see website for artist. Accessed 8/20

Sculptures by Gwynn Murrill is a 2019 exhibit at the Laguna Art Museum which says: "Los Angeles-based artist Gwynn Murrill (born 1942) is best known for her sculptures of animals. At once contemporary and timeless, her works show a fine balance between formal simplification and observation from nature." Also see artist's website Accessed 11/19

The World According to Federico Uribe is a 2018 exhibit at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum which says: "Colombia-born, Miami-based artist Federico Uribe creates creatures and playful installations from everyday objects. Finding beauty in books, colored pencils, wood fragments, and shoes and transforming them into animals and natural environments, Uribe creates an immersive and whimsical landscape." Accessed 8/18

"Turner Sculpture: Capturing the Essence" by Phil Audibert is a 2009 online article from The Virginia Sportsman and circulated by the Montpelier Center for Arts and Education. In the article, Phil Audibert says: "Looking at Turner's bronze sculptures of a blue heron stalking in the reeds, or a red fox about to pounce on its prey, or a river otter gleefully turning somersaults under water, you realize that not only has he captured the animal, he has captured its essence. And then some." Accessed 9/23

Yellowstone Mountain Lions and Art: Alexander Phimister Proctor's Sculpture, "Panther with Kill" by Peter Hassrick is a 2004 journal article from Yellowstone Science. In the article Hassrick says: "Proctor's friendship with Pitcher and his renowned talents as an animalier sculptor had early in 1906 earned him an extraordinary gift from Yellowstone National Park -- a mountain lion, one of the park's most celebrated animals." Accessed 8/23

Online videos

April, 2023 screenshots via Google video search:

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