Rosetta Sculpture - Portfolio - Sold Out Editions

SOLD OUT EDITIONS

On the Alert Mid-size

Here is our great American lion (Mountain Lion, Cougar, Puma), interrupted mid-stride by some slight noise or flash of movement which demands his immediate attention. Ever "on the alert", this magnificent predator doesn't miss much that goes on in his immediate vicinity. It could mean his survival, or at least his next meal.

This Mid-size version of this piece is perfect for the more intimate outdoor residential setting or the focus of attention in a large interior space.

Vigilance

This sculpture is about what the male African Lion is about. His job is to protect his pride and their territory from rival males, but he rarely has to fight to accomplish that. If he faithfully marks his boundaries and spots intruders to chase them off before they reach the pride, he accomplishes his goal with one basic quality: vigilance.

The upright stance for a better view, the concentration of his gaze and the alertness in every muscle are the qualities that express "vigilance". But of equal importance are the smoothly flowing lines - of each individual shape and of the overall form - which express the power and elegance of this magnificent animal's life force and the aesthetic impact of his presence.

This piece was commissioned and handled exclusively by a major hotel/casino in Las Vegas until 2000 when their gallery closed.

Ice Bears Maquette

5.5" x 10" x 7.5" Edition of 24, 1997

This was my first non-feline sculpture! I've always been fascinated by the Polar Bear's appearance: that fat, fluffy wedge-shaped stuffed-teddy-bear-like body contrasted with a detailed, angular, sculptural head and long, powerful neck.

But the more I learned about these wanderers of the North, the more I found they are like the Big Cats! Carnivores like the cats, they are mostly solitary, though the young stay with their mothers until nearly grown, learning the skills of life. They travel far and wide in search of prey, but, unlike the big cats, when they do come across others of thier kind they often stay and play together for awhile!

The terms we use in describing the Big Cats apply as aptly to these denizens of the Arctic ice: supple agility, strength and dexterity, curious, shrewd, smart, adaptable, and above all, patient.

Perhaps I should have called this sculpture "Ice Cats!"

The "Ice Bears" won the Artists' Choice award at the Bennington Center for the Arts "Art of the Animal Kingdom" in VT and was purchased for the Center's permanent collection. It was also given an Award of Merit at the Western Rendezvous of Art in Helena, MT.

They have been exhibited at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in WY, the "Great American Artists" exhibition at the Cincinnati Museum Center, "American Women Artists" at Trailside Gallery in AZ, the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in CA, the Colorado Governor's Invitational, Society of Animal Artists, the Nicolaysen Art Museum in WY, The Smithsonian's Conservation Research Center in VA, The National Sculpture Society and the Fleischer Museum in Scottsdale.

At the Waterhole

Some may think of elephants as just big round shapes on cylindrical legs, but I find fascinating nuances of line and form in their huge and expressive bodies. This, and their great heads - the bony structure so evident under the wrinkles of skin, the undulating shapes of their colossal ears, and those eyes, so deep, so sad, so wise -inspired me to do this sculpture. Since Elephants live within such strong social bonds, the females staying in family groups all their lives, I put two together in this statement of closeness and interdependence, as one stands watch while the other drinks at the waterhole.

AWARDS:
John Stephen Jones purchase award, Bosque Conservatory Art Council, 2001
First Place for Sculpture, Bosque Conservatory Art Council, 2001

EXHIBITIONS:
National Museum of Wildlife Art "Miniatures", Jackson, WY, 1999 (Maquette)
Smithsonian Institution Conservation Research Center's "Animals of the World", 1999
American Women Artists, Sorrento, Italy, 2000
"Excellence in Sculpture: work by Fellows of the National Sculpture Society", NY, 2001
Bosque Conservatory Art Council National Art Competition, 2001
"Night of Artists", National Center for American Western Art, 'TX, 2002
"Colorado Governor's Invitational", 2002
"Western Rendezvous of Art, MT, 2002

Falcon

This bird was based on the favorite falcon of Dubai’s prince and it’s my understanding that he was very pleased with the sculpture. It was commissioned by Art Works LLC in Dubai to be produced 6 feet wide, as well as this size, in fiberglass multiples, painted on by local artists and auctioned off to benefit charities in Dubai.

Birds of prey have always fascinated me, perhaps for the same reason that the felines have. Their beauty, softness and graceful movements are superimposed upon the power and cunning of the quintessential predator. I find this dichotomy captivating and mysterious and it is all of these qualities that this sculpture portrays.

EXHIBITIONS:

"Birds in Art", Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI

"Art of the Animal Kingdom", Bennington Center for the Arts, VT

"Art and the Animal", Society of Animal Artists

National Sculpture Society Annual Awards Exhibition

"Western Rendezvous of Art", Helena, MT.

Breaking Trail

This is the sculpture I created for the W.O.L.F. sanctuary fundraiser, Waltz for the Wolves. I will be donating 20% of any sanctuary generated direct sales of this piece to W.O.L.F.

A friend who had spent a good bit of time working in Alaska tells of seeing wolves from a helicopter on several occasions. He said that the pack would be running through the snow in single file with the alpha male or female (they traded off) leading the way, "breaking trail" for the others. It was the perfect name for the running wolf pose I had chosen to express the wild beauty of this fascinating creature.

"Breaking Trail" won the prestigious Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum Purchase Award at the Society of Animal Artists annual exhibition.

Stream of Life

In October of 2009 I was awarded the commission to create a signature sculpture for the new three-city-block City Creek re-development project in Salt Lake City. There followed contract negotiations, creation of a 1/4 size model, enlargement to fourteen feet long in foam and clay and then the complex molding, bronze casting and finishing process and finally, in February of 2012, the successful installation of the finished sculpture at City Creek.

These creatures are not only all indigenous to Utah’s riparian habitats, some of them are iconic Utah animals: the state mammal, Elk; the state bird, Seagull; and the state fish, cutthroat trout. The need to fill a certain space below the crowning Bald Eagle even gave me the opportunity to include the state emblem, the beehive. The three river otters and the black bear are there for the fun of it and for the added design opportunity they provide. The elements of the waterfall and the flowing creek tie all of the animals together and allow the design of the sculpture to flow smoothly throughout.

Red Fox

One of the things I missed the most when we moved from our California house in a Redwood forest to an old bungalow in town in Colorado was having wildlife in my yard. Deer, raccoon, skunk and possum were regular visitors then. Now we're pretty much relegated to squirrels, but I'm happy to report that we have seen a beautiful Red Fox moving through, taking temporary shelter under our huge Blue Spruce on his rounds of the neighborhood. And this is one animal we didn't see in the Redwoods!

It seems that just about everyone has seen this beguiling critter in or around their yard, as the fox has made amazing adaptations to neighborhoods and developed areas all over the country. He is beautiful and benign and most folks seem to really enjoy spotting one nearby. I know I did.

AWARD:
In it's debut show, "Red Fox Maquette" won the People's Choice award for sculpture at the 2005 Western Rendezvous of Art in Helena, MT.

COMMISSION:
The life-sized "Red Fox" was commissioned to be permanently installed, along with three of my other life-sized pieces, at the new shopping center "The Shops at Walnut Creek" in Westminster, CO.

Alpha Pair

My fascination with wolves began long after the notion that they were viscous killers in need of extermination had been dispelled by more accurate accounts of their behavior in the wild. I've always viewed them as I do the big cats - as complex creatures who are at once beautiful and deadly, strong and tender, hunters and hunted, fitting perfectly into nature's well-balanced plan.

The aspect of wolves that I address in "Alpha Pair" is the complex dynamic of the pack, based on social hierarchy, loyalty and emotional bonding. The dominant (Alpha) male and female pair lead the tightly-knit group in hunting and tactical decisions as well as family matters (they are often the sole source of pups within the pack) and dominate its fascinating social structure.

Alpha Pair has won the Society of Animal Artists' "Award of Excellence", the Bennington Center for the Arts "Artists' Choice Award" and the Bosque Conservatory Art Council's "Art Patrons' Purchase Award" and first place for sculpture.

It has also been exhibited at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in WY, "Great American Artists" at the Cincinnati Museum Center, "American Women Artists" at Total Arts Gallery in Taos NM, The Lindsay Wildlife Museum in CA, Western
Rendezvous of art in Helena MT, The Smithsonian's Conservation Research Center in VA, the National Sculpture Society in NY and the Colorado Governor's Invitational.

Defiance

24" x 88" x 44" Edition of 1, 1998

Defiance…of the intruder; of the threat; of the odds.

The magnificent Tiger is under siege from all sides. Snarling with teeth bared, tail twitching, every muscle taut and ready to spring, this cat could be defending its dinner or its cubs from an intruder or it could be warning a challenger to back off before things get nasty.

But the threat is much greater than any of those, as this most beautiful and awesome of big cats is in grave danger of becoming extinct in the wild. Man's quest for ancient cures derived from its body parts has proven stronger and more relentless than this splendid cat's struggle for survival.

But the mighty Tiger remains defiant.

Siblings

The dichotomy of life for a litter of wild feline cubs is a familiar story: the carefree antics of kittens at play and the ever-present threat of death by starvation or predation.

But for those who survive these perilous times, the period of adolescence and young adulthood which follows, is one that holds a particular fascination for me. The siblings still share a strong enough bond to keep them together, but soon must split up to form territories of their own, as all big cats except the Lions are solitary creatures.

The two Mountain Lions in this sculpture are at that point in their lives. Relaxed and secure in each others company, yet alert and vigilant in anticipation of the lonely life of challenge that awaits them.

This over-life-sized version of "Siblings" was commissioned by the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago and can bee seen in front of their administration building on Clark Street at Armatige.

Mountain Fishing

America's lion (Mountain Lion, Cougar, Puma) is a skilled and formidable predator, its favorite prey being deer. But when a good-sized meal isn't available, smaller snacks are welcome. Although not terribly fond of water, the Mountain Lion will readily get wet if it means a meal!

The pose depicted in this piece catches a Mountain Lion perched on a few rocks jutting out of the water, getting ready to swipe at a fish just out of sight below the surface. The life-sized version is meant to be installed in a small pond.

What I like about this pose is that it has interesting silhouettes from every angle and makes a striking piece in an intimate setting.

The Life-sized version was commissioned by Hewlett-Packard in Loveland, CO and now also resides in the permanent collections of the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in WI, Brookgreen Sculpture Gardens in SC and The Shops at Walnut Creek shopping center in Colorado.

Vigilance

60" x 38" x 22" Edition of 5, 1996

The upright stance for a better view, the concentration in his gaze and the alertness in every muscle are the qualities that express "vigilance". But of equal importance are the smoothly flowing lines - of each individual shape and of the overall form - which express the power and elegance of this magnificent animal's life force and the aesthetic impact of his presence.

This piece was commissioned and handled exclusively by a major hotel/casino in Las Vegas until 2000 when their gallery closed. One casting of "Vigilance" resides in front of Radio Station KOXE in Brownwood, TX.

Vantage Point

I'll never forget the day I watched our valley's resident bobcat catch a mouse in the open field. I waited by the culvert I knew he used to cross under the road and we were locked in each other's gaze as he passed no more than 15 feet away, mouse dangling from his mouth. What a beautiful animal! And what a thrill to observe him at such close range in his natural habitat!

Aggressive and adaptive, the bobcat has managed to maintain its range over most of the continental United States, often in close proximity to man.

"Vantage Point" catches a young Bobcat using a craggy rock outcropping as an observation tower, always alert to that sound or slight movement that might indicate the presence of his next meal - or imminent danger.

Vantage Point was exhibited at the "Great American Artists" show at the Cincinnati Museum Center, in VT at the Bennington Center for the Arts' "Art of the Animal Kingdom II" where it was purchased for the Center's collection, "Great American Artists" at the Cincinnati Museum Center and the Western Rendezvous of Art in Helena MT.

Tara II

Tara is one of my cats. We got her from the Humane Society at three months old, and chose her for her beautiful Torby coloring and fluffy tail, and because she licked my nose when I picked her up.

Tara has a bit of a wild streak in her, although she has mellowed a lot lately. I couldn't believe it the first time she assumed this pose - it was so regal and refined - not at all like the rest of her personality. She seemed to sense that it pleased me and started sitting that way a lot. I could almost hear her saying "Well, what are you waiting for? Go get some clay!" And, of course, as soon as I showed up with the clay, just as I got settled to work on it, she would get up and walk away.

This piece is called "Tara II" because a smaller (half-sized) version I did several years earlier (called "Tara") sold out, and I liked the piece so much that I missed having it around.

Tara II won first place for sculpture at the Lafayette Art Association National in Louisiana.

She has been exhibited with the Society of Animal Artists, in the National Academy of Design's 171st Annual in NY, the two-person "Cat Spirit/Cat Strength" exhibition at the Beacon Street Gallery in Geneva, IL, at The Bennington Center for the Arts in VT and in the "Great American Artists" exhibition at the Cincinnati Museum Center, as well as shows in FL, PA, MN, MT, WY and GA and, of course, her home town of Loveland, CO.

Lynx

I wish I could say the inspiration for this piece came on some high-country camping expedition when a wild Lynx strolled through my camp. But it actually came from the "Tonight Show" when a guest naturalist brought a Lynx on stage. My first reaction was:
"My God, that cat is all legs and feet!"

Subsequent research revealed that one of the few ways to tell a Lynx from a Bobcat is that the feet are larger in proportion to the rest of the body. This is because they act as snowshoes. To me, this characteristic, along with the large eyes and ears of these cats, keeps them looking like kittens even in adulthood.

The first bronze in this edition was permanently installed in a beautiful rock garden in front of The Home State Bank in Loveland, CO in August 1993.

The Lynx has been exhibited in the National Museum of Wildlife Art in WY, the National Sculpture Society in NY, and the Colorado Governor's Invitational.

Siblings

The dichotomy of life for a litter of wild feline cubs is a familiar story: the carefree antics of kittens at play and the ever-present threat of death by starvation or predation.

This piece has been exhibited at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum's "Wildlife: The Artist's View", The National Sculpture Society's 100th Anniversary exhibition in Italy, The Bell Museum of Natural History, Tucson Art Museum, Nicolaysen Art Museum, the Society of Animal Artists, Audubon Artists, Los Alamos County Sculpture Competition, the Colorado Governor's Invitational, the Hiram Blauvelt Art Museum, the Lindsay Wildlife Museum, "Great American Artists" at the Cincinnati Museum Center, "American Women Artists" at Nedra Matteucci Fine Art in Santa Fe and the Western Rendezvous of Art in MT.

The over-life-sized version was commissioned by the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago.

Serengeti Cheetah

This piece was created in response to a request from the East African Wild Life Society. They were planning a fund-raising auction and asked for pieces with the theme: "Wildlife in Danger - An Understatement". Number 1 of the edition was sold in Kenya. The subtitle for this sculpture is "Vanishing Species." The Cheetah is one of the most endangered of all of the big cats due to a lack of genetic diversity, its inability to defend its cubs against the lions that kill them, as well as the habitat loss that threatens them all.

When the Cheetah lies in this characteristic pose, half hidden by the tall grasses of the Serengeti Plain, he seems to be disappearing into Mother Earth, perhaps forever.

It has been shown in the Loveland Museum and Gallery in CO, the Nicolaysen Art Museum in WY, the Colorado Governor's Invitational and the two-person "Cat Spirit/Cat Strength" exhibition at the Beacon Street Gallery in Geneva, IL.

Cougar Bench

When the historic building at Fourth and Lincoln in Loveland, CO, burned down, the city decided to build a Pocket Park on the spot, for "quiet times, lunch-time concerts, and gatherings for community festivals."

The "Cougar Bench" was created to provide a resting place for visitors to the park, affording the unique experience of sitting with a friendly Mountain Lion at one's shoulder. It was commissioned via open competition by the Visual Arts Commission of Loveland, installed in 1990, and has since become a popular place for kids, adults and family pets to have their pictures taken.

No one knows how to relax like a cat. But even in repose, the feline is always alert, always aware of what goes on around him.

Cougar

"Cougar" was the maquette for the over-live-sized "Cougar Bench" sculpture.

No one knows how to relax like a cat. But even in repose, the feline is always alert, always aware of what goes on around him.

"Cougar" has won awards at the Pen and Brush Sculpture Exhibition in NY and people's choice "Best Piece in the Berkley Gallery" at the Best of Scottsdale event, AZ.

It has also been exhibited in the North American Sculpture Exhibition, the Colorado Governor's Invitational, the Society of Animal Artists and the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in CA.

Roaring Lion

This piece is the result of a weekend spent at Shambala, Tippi Hedren's private preserve near Los Angeles. The part of that experience that impressed me the most was the roaring sessions. I'd be sitting alone, watching the big cats in a natural, nearly silent setting, when a deep, resonant roar would start up on the left, joined immediately by one to the right, another in front, another behind, and another and another until the air was filled with the most incredible sound and vibration that permeated my whole being. Then, gradually, the chorus would taper off until one last lone roar would die out to nothing and silence would reign again.

I spent much of my time there watching two magnificent black-maned lions whom I observed during many of these roaring sessions and who became the inspiration for this sculpture.

The Roaring Lion has won awards from the Allied Artists of America, St. Hubert's Giralda Animal Art Museum and Louisiana State University.

It has been exhibited at the National Academy of Design and the Society of Animal Artists in NY and the National Sculpture Society's exhibition in Italy.

Running Cheetah

Grace and speed, the two qualities the Cheetah is best known for, are what this sculpture is all about.

Unlike most of the big cats, the Cheetah hunts during the day because he doesn't have to rely entirely on stealth to make the kill - he relies on speed.

During a full-out charge, which can reach speeds up to 70 mph, the Cheetah's body flexes rhythmically from a full stretch with back swayed to the pose depicted here, with the back arched and feet gathered in, ready to spring into the next stretch.

During a high-speed chase, though the Cheetah will cover varied terrain and twist and turn on a dime to follow its prey, his small head, with eyes locked on the victim, remains amazingly level and stable, as if suspended on a line connected to the prey animal.

This piece has been exhibited at the National Sculpture Society's 100th anniversary show in Italy, as well as other NSS and Society of Animal Artists shows in NY, the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, a two-person exhibition called "Cat Spirit/Cat Strength" at the Beacon Street Gallery in Geneva IL, the Colorado Governor's Invitational, "American Women Artists" at Nedra Matteucci Fine Art in Santa Fe and "Wild Cat Art" in CA.

Panther

Small: 12.5" x 14" x 6" Edition of 100, ©1987
Medium: 27" x 30" x 12" Edition of 12, 1991
Life-sized: 8' x 5' x 2' Edition of 5, 1993

Although it is just the melanistic (dark) variety of the spotted Leopard, the Black Panther's shadowy presence carries an aura of mystery, stealth and power all it's own.

The same skill and strength that make him the consummate predator also make the Leopard a powerful climber with agility unparalleled by any of the other big cats. Thus, in attempting to capture the essence of this most formidable feline, I chose a pose which would embody both the attitude of a climber and the stealthy stalk of the hunter.

This sculpture was awarded the Donald R. Miller Memorial Award by the Society of Animal Artists in 1990, and was purchased for display in the Tactile Gallery in the Colorado Springs Fine Art Center.

It has been exhibited at the National Academy of Design, The National Sculpture Society, and the Museum Without Walls in New York, as well as in Museums in WY, CA, NJ, VA, OH, and CO. It was also in the "Cat Spirit/Cat Strength" two-person exhibition at the Beacon Street Gallery in Geneva IL, "American Women Artists" at Trailside Gallery in AZ and the Smithsonian's Conservation Research Center in VA.

Stone Lion

When the college town of Fort Collins' favorite Stone Lion Bookstore moved out of its charming but cramped building on Old Town Square, it gained a bright and spacious location, but lost its stone lion head that guarded the entrance of the old store.

Although a new "Stone Lion" had to be found, the antique style and over-door location of the original were not appropriate for the new store, so my style was perfect to bridge the gap between the old and the modern.

The lion's location inside the street-facing window created a design problem: we wanted him looking out toward the window-shoppers, but also needed interest on the inside. The leg and tail hanging down on the "back" side provide the in-store browsers with an interesting view as well.

I created this regal male lion to look noble and intelligent, friendly and inviting, rather than intimidating, to fit his bookstore home.

Another casting graces Beckwith Park in the city of Dowagiac, MI, and one is in the collection of American Stores in Salt Lake City.

Alpha Pair Large Bronzes

This Life-sized "Alpha Pair" resides in the collection of American Stores in Salt Lake City, as well as in private collections.

Lynx Legacy Maquette

As the Lynx struggles to perpetuate its species, the birth of a kitten is a very special occasion. The survival of that kitten to adulthood is even more of a challenge, and this Lynx mother is determined to meet that challenge. Assuming a protective stance over her young, she’s going to do whatever it takes to insure its survival. The next generation is this Lynx mother’s legacy.

Defiance

Defiance…of the intruder; of the threat; of the odds.

But the mighty Tiger remains defiant.

Defiance was awarded 2nd Place at the Indoor Sculpture Exhibition, Steamboat Springs Art Council, CO, and has been exhibited in "American Women Artists" in Sorrento, Italy and Taos NM, the Bennington Center for the Arts in VT, Society of Animal Artists Annual and traveling exhibition, the National Sculpture Society in NY, "Wild Cat Art" in CA and the Colorado Governor's Invitational.

Red Fox

AWARD:
In it's debut show, "Red Fox Maquette" won the People's Choice award for sculpture at the 2005 Western Rendezvous of Art in Helena, MT.

Cape Buffalo Mask

15" x 20" x 6" Edition of 24, 2006

There aren't many animals more formidable than the Cape Buffalo. The stare of a large male is all the warning one needs to approach no further. The males will surround the females and young and face a perceived threat face-on, knowing that there are very few animals (man included) foolhardy enough to try to penetrate that line of defense. The strength and determination of that challenge are the qualities that inspired this mask.

ROSETTA
405 8th Street S.E. #15 • Loveland, CO 80537
970-667-6265 • E-mail: rosetta@rosettasculpture.com

Photography by Mel Schockner

Visit Rosetta's page on the
Artists for Conservation website,
www.natureartists.com/rosetta.htm