Scenes of the West seem to spring to life in full physical detail with bronzes of cowboy wranglers, mountain lions in mid-strike, and formidable buffalo radiating power. Mountain Trails Gallery in Sedona, Arizona, holds its Annual Sculpture Show once again, featuring new sculpture by some of the leading Western artists of the day.
Raymond Gibby, When Lightning Strikes, bronze, ed. of 20, 15½ x 7 x 5½”
“One of the most exciting times of the year is when we shine a light on our incredibly talented sculpture artists,” says Julie R. Williams, director of Mountain Trails Gallery. “All the creative design ideas, the intricate details and technical mastery of producing a successful bronze is brought together in our Annual Sculpture Show. This is a special time to celebrate all the artists who do such amazing work with our collectors and art enthusiasts.”
From Jeremy Bradshaw’s whimsical sculpture of a lounging big cat, to Dustin Payne’s delicate bronze of a perched bird, to traditional cowboys on horseback, the exhibition features a variety of Western imagery.
Mark Edward Adams, Thunder Road, bronze, ed. of 15, 9¾ x 15 x 4¼”
Dustin Payne, The Vantage Point, bronze, ed. of 20, 9½ x 5½ x 3”
“I intended the piece to have several layers of meaning. Where I live, along the Wasatch Front, the mountains rise straight up from the valley floor and are very steep. Those mountains are home to a significant population of mountain lions. In my sculpture, the mountain lion is striking from above in hot pursuit of its unsuspecting quarry,” Raymond Gibby says of his bronze When Lightning Strikes. Gibby deftly captures the form of a mountain lion in motion, extenuating its flexed muscles as it speeds down toward its prey. He continues, “Below the mountain lion is a stylized depiction of a burning tree that has been struck by lightning and is now burning. Flames and smoke billow from the tree. Hidden between the flames and smoke in the negative space is that lightning bolt. And when lit properly from the front and near a wall, that lightning bolt will appear in the shadows behind the sculpture.”
Deborah Copenhaver Fellows, Going Up the Trail for the First Time, bronze, ed. of 35, 23½ x 19½ x 10½”
A beautifully tactile and textured bronze of a buffalo, Mark Edward Adams’ Thunder Road was sculpted from life among a herd of around 30 of the powerful beasts. “I observed and studied the buffalo and they exuded so much power and grace,” he says. “I tried to capture the energy I felt while standing beside this herd.”
Other artists in the exhibition include Deborah Copenhaver Fellows, Gary Lee Price, Bryce Pettit and Susan Kliewer. The Annual Sculpture Show is on view November 4 to 30. —
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