Dave McGary Bronze Sculpture - Sioux Moccasins

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Fine Antiquities, Ancient & Pre-Columbian Art...

By Artemis Gallery

Dec 7, 2023

Set Reminder 2023-12-07 10:00:00 2023-12-07 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Fine Antiquities, Ancient & Pre-Columbian Art https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/fine-antiquities-ancient-pre-columbian-art-14361
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• Lot Description
  Dave McGary (American, 1958-2013). "Sioux Moccasins" bronze, ca. 2000. Edition 112 of 250. Signature and edition number inscribed on bronze base behind the moccasins. A stunning bronze sculpture depicting a pair of moccasins by Dave McGary who was a master of bronze realism. Skillfully modeled in a casual manner, as if just slipped off the wearer's feet, these moccasins present with convincing textures - notice the rumpled leather and wispy laces - as well as marvelous bead patterns and colorful patinas. McGary wanted to be remembered for "showing that there really are no limits in what is possible in bronze, that we can capture an amazing amount of details and depth of color for another level of realism." Size: 4.625" in diameter x 1.625" H (11.7 cm x 4.1 cm); 3.25" H (8.3 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  About the artist: "Dave McGary was born in 1958 in Cody, Wyoming and grew up on his family’s ranch. He won a scholarship at the early age of sixteen and traveled to Italy to study authentic bronze-casting as well as anatomy. During this time, Dave McGary learned much from the well-known American sculptor Harry Jackson.
  
  Four years later, Dave returned to the US and worked at a bronze foundry in Santa Fe for 3 years, where he perfected his own style. In 1981, he was able to open his own foundry in New Mexico. Here he made friends with creative students from the institute of American Indian Arts and he began visiting the Lakota Sioux reservation. There, Dave McGary became well acquainted with the Red Elk family and made many lasting friendships.
  
  Later in life, Dave settled in Arizona to live with his wife and their daughter." (Source: End of the Trail Gallery website)
  
  About Dave McGary's process: "To begin a new sculpture, Dave usually started with steel wire and bases to layout the general underlying shape. On top of this, clay would be layered and the shapes would be formed. Proportions and more defined details would then be worked on.
  
  Finally, the expressions and fine details were perfected, and a completed clay sculpture would remain.
  
  Next, the sculpture would be cut into pieces and molds were made of each piece. Details may have needed to be fixed by the artist at this point to accurately match the original work. Eventually, molten bronze was poured into the finished molds. The bronze pieces were then welded back together to match the original vision. The weld marks were ground down so that the sculpture appeared seamless and all pieces were welded to a base for stability.
  
  Finally, Dave would begin work on the patina. He would heat different areas with a torch and apply chemicals to change the oxidation of the metal and create a variety of metallic colors on the surface. After the patina was finished, Dave McGary would paint base coats on the majority of the sculpture before working on the finished painted details.
  
  Usually Dave would leave the skin tones a rich metallic patina while clothing and animals would be painted in various bright, beautiful colors." (Source: End of the Trail Gallery website)
  
  Dave McGary's sculptures have been collected by the Smithsonian Museum, the U.S. Capitol National Statuary Hall, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, the Wyoming State Capital, the Buffalo Bill Historical Museum, the Gene Autry Museum, Concordia University and many more.
  
  Provenance: private Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA collection, acquired between 1964 to mid-1990s
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
  We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
  
  #182870

  Condition

  Signature and edition number inscribed on bronze base behind the moccasins. Mounted on translucent acrylic base which is adorned with a lovely brass plaque inscribed with the title of the piece and the artist's name.
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