Dan West
Dan is featured in the November/December 2015 issue of Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors. "From Boats to Art" is written by poet, art writer and historian Carl Little.
"Great Blue Heron" Bronze
"Cormorants Swimming" Bronze 3 1/2 x 17 x 4
"Hunkered Heron" Bronze 40 x 14 x 11
"Groundswell" driftwood boat rail and pine 58 x 6 x 3 inches
"Hunkered Herons" Bronze 15 x 9 x 4 inches
The best of form to my eyes is found in the natural world: all living things, animal or vegetable, have evolved to survive and thrive and, in the process, perfect form. I focus primarily on fish and saltwater birds, and an occasional land creature as well; as much as possible I work with driftwood and other found materials to keep close to nature. As I sculpt a piece, I strive to retain as much of the original form and surface as I can and let the object speak for itself. Hopefully, the result is a work retaining "wildness" in which the origin of the material is recognizable. Releasing a creature from nature is my best chance to create a significant sculpture.
~ Dan West
~ Dan West
Driftwood to Bronzedanwestheron__1_.pdf