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Wildhorse Gallery |
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Artist ProfileVince Valdez |
 Heirs to the Sky Sculpture |
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The bronze sculpture of Vince Valdez often makes viewers feel as though they are in a destination reachable on the wings of one of his mighty birds, raptors capable of soaring beyond the heavens. Valdez’s creations are a culmination of several lifelong interests. As a child growing up in Mora, New Mexico, he says he was always attracted to animals. “When I look back at my drawings, work that I did as a kid, I see that I was always geared in this direction. The animals are the vehicle for me to express my ideas, what I feel about art.” His art career was postponed for some twenty years. But even while he was working in law enforcement in Laramie, Wyoming, he was studying art at the University of Wyoming. Approaching retirement, Valdez made the decision to spend the rest of his life pursuing his artistic voice. He strives to gather far more than physical traits from his subjects. Valdez says he is able to penetrate each animal’s soul which is what gives each piece of sculpture a lifelike quality rarely seen. “I do extensive research before I create a piece,” says Valdez. “I read everything I can find so I can learn about that animal’s behavior.” Part of this study includes venturing out to the habitat of animals native to the Rocky Mountain region in order to watch them in their natural state. |
