Dan West
"Great Blue Heron" Bronze
Cormorants Swimming ( large) Bronze 6 x 25 x 6
"Hunkered Heron" Bronze 40 x 14 x 11
"Hunkered Herons" Bronze 15 x 9 x 4 inches
"Heron" sculpted driftwood 32" x 30"
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
Dan was the Sculptor-in-Residence at UMaine this fall as part of the Littlefield Gallery Sculptor-in-Residence Series. Two of his Bronze hunkered herons are on permanent display at the University of Maine.
