Presenting a fresh mix of bronze animal sculptures, Legacy Gallery is hosting A Weekend with Paul Rhymer, where the artist will also be demonstrating his sculptural process. The show is ideally located at Legacy Gallery’s Santa Fe, New Mexico, location, where there’s room for large structure assemblies.
Three Man Band, bronze, 73 x 12 x 12 in.
“Like many artists, I try to bring a variety of types and sizes of work for openings,” Rhymer explains. “I often make custom, one-of-a-kind pieces for my openings at Legacy. Some are small tabletop pieces; some are large structures meant to be big landscape features.” This year, Rhymer is also adding in some furniture and ladder totems to round out the new collection.
“For many years,” that artist continues, “I tried putting together a series of small works with a theme. Last year’s theme was called Nature Boy. They were a group of small animals that I chased and loved as a kid: bluegills, box turtles, frogs and more. This year I’m premiering my Small Birdsseries, that includes a screech owl, mourning dove and cardinal, along with many others.”
Jumping Jack Flash, bronze, 101 x 46 x 35 in.
As for Rhymer’s bigger pieces, he shares that he loves incorporating mixed media. “I mix in artifacts and salvage in these [pieces] to create interest and design,” he says. “I was making bells with old acetylene tanks, and now I’ve sculpted stylized bells for these. I like putting sculpture on architecture [as well]. For me, it alludes to the relationships and beliefs we have with and about animals, both personal and cultural.”
Fear the Turtle, bronze, ed. 6 of 25, 18 x 12 x 10 in.
A wonderful example of Rhymer’s larger mixed-media designs, is Three Man Band, showing a trio of great horned owls, each perched on their own wooden beam. “I love music, so there’s a lot of musical influences in my work,” Rhymer shares. “All three of these owls are named from a title of famous songs by rock trios: Fly by Night, Bring in the Night and Sharp Dressed Man.
A lifesize bronze, also incorporating a musical influence, is Box of Rain, an in-process piece named after the Grateful Dead song. “I found a frozen, dead dove on a hike one day this winter,” says Rhymer. “When I first saw it, I thought it was sleeping. It was so serene. I brought it home knowing I would sculpt it. Phil Lesh and Robert Hunter wrote a song about the death of Phil’s father titled Box of Rainand I thought that reflected the poignancy of the moment. Inspired by the incredible example and life of Pope Francis, I sculpted this on the day he died. I know that all sounds a bit messy and nonlinear, but the muse isn’t always clean cut. Sometimes it’s a theme, a mood or a feeling. Those things don’t happen often, but when it does, it’s special.”
Box of Rain, clay for bronze, 10 x 3 x 4 in.
Additional pieces to watch for are Jumping Jack Flash, a lifesize jackrabbit that served as a study for Rhymer’s 8½-foot version he created two years ago; and Fear the Turtle, a smaller-scale turtle initially made for the Topeka Zoo. “The title is a hat tip to the battle cry of the University of Maryland,” Rhymer adds.
To witness the artist in action alongside a bevy of new works, head to Legacy Gallery in Santa Fe, July 25 through 26. —
Legacy Gallery 225 Canyon Road » Santa Fe, NM 87501 » (505) 986-9833 » www.legacygallery.com
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