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About the artist of the Chief Washakie
Statue:
Dave McGary's finely crafted bronze portraits of Native
Americans firmly place him in a rich tradition of American
art dating back to the early part of the nineteenth centrury.
Like such early pioneer artists as George Catlin and Karl
Bodmer, McGary has traveled widely in the Northern Plains
and Rocky Mountains and draws his inspiration from the diverse
cultures found there. Unlike those earlier visitors, McGary
has established strong ties with in the cultures he depicts.
He has been adopted into a Lakota family and allowed a unique
insight into Native American life. His highly detailed bronzes
are based directly on the stories that have been told to
him by Native people throughout the country. McGary's sculpture
is both a link to our shared history and a continuation
of the artistic legacy of the Great Plains, Rockies and
the desert Southwest.
Born in Wyoming, McGary traveled to Italy at the age of
sixteen to study with the finest bronze craftsmen in the
world. Upon completion of his studies in Europe, he returned
to this country to pursue his artistic career. He has since
established himself as one of the premier realist sculptors
in the country. His sculpture can be found in many public
and private collections around the world and in such museums
as the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western
Art, the Buffalo Bill Historican Center and the Autry Museum
of Western Heritage. |
