Visual Language Magazine Contemporary Fine Art Vol 2 no 10 October 2013

VL
Studio Visit Dave Sime
Dave Sime, has spent a lifetime studying, sketching, painting and sculpting his landscape,
western, Indian and wildlife subject matter. Some people find their calling in life early on and
through many different directions the journey ends right where it started. As a young boy Dave
carved small birds which were correct in every detail and mounted over driftwood found on the
shores of nearby lakes or streams. Today he incorporates natural driftwood into his clay sculptures
which are then cast in bronze. He states, “The wonderful forms found in nature cannot be
duplicated by man so I find satisfaction in the inclusion of these forms with my sculptures.”
Sime conveys the gentler side of a Montana grizzly in this limited edition bronze sculpture,
“Something in the Wind”. While working for the Forest Service, he encountered this bear in the
north fork of the Flathead River near Glacier National Park. Here he shows the large bear, an
almost silver tipped grizzly alerted by something in the air.
Concerning his “Silent Watch” sculpture he states, “When I was sixteen I spent the summer of
1956 on a United States Forest Service, forest fire lookout called Cougar Peak in northwest
Montana. While on a hike I saw a mountain lion about thirty feet away and never forgot his intense
look and attitude. After all these years I created this sculpture from that encounter.
Dave Sime’s deep sense of feeling, knowledge and enthusiasm for his subject matter, whether
it be wildlife, Indian, western or whimsical themes allow him to paint or sculpt clean lines and
fluid forms. They declare their presence with expressive emotion and gestures capturing the
feeling and attitude of the subject to involve the viewer in a visual adventure.
He owes a great debt of gratitude to watercolorist, Harold Olsen and sculptor, John Coleman for
their knowledge and instruction.
Dave Sime’s sculptures and watercolors have been juried into Gilcrease Museum, Mountain
Oyster Show, Charlie Russell Show, Arts for the Parks and the Briscoe Museum of Western Art.
Silent Watch Dave Sime
www.redcliffgallery.com
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Something in the Wind Dave