$400.00
b.1953
educated at Williams College in Massachusetts, where he earned degrees in Biology and Art Design. Much of his training was attained during a long apprenticeship in the Exhibits Department of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
After leaving the Cleveland Museum, Walter worked for eleven years with the Nature Conservancy, a national non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of endangered species and unique habitats. He served as the organization’s vice president in charge of land management.
He began casting bronze sculptures in 1980. Initially, he concentrated on bird life, over the years he has worked on sporting dogs and other mammals. In 1987 he began a series of large fountain and garden pieces. In 1989 the Blair House Restoration Committee placed one of his fountains in the formal garden of the United States President’s Guest House. To complement the fountain, Walter produced a bronze wall frieze for the Blair House in 1992.
His works have been exhibited in one man shows at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art. He is regular participant of the Society of Animal Artists; National Sculpture Society; Masters of the American West; Coors Western Art and the Prix de West Invitational. Walter is a Fellow of the National Sculpture Society, a Master Signature Member of the Society of Animal Artists and a Master Wildlife Artist at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. He has received the National Sculpture Society Gold Medal Award; the Bronze Medal Award Pietro & Alfriedo Montana Memorial Prize; the Society of Animal Artists Leo J. Meiselman Award; the Prix de West Fraser Sculpture Award; the Masters of the American West, Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation Sculpture Award and James R Parker Trustee Purchase Award.
His sculptures have toured with various shows to dozens of museums both in the United States and abroad. Major commissions include: the Wichita Kansas Botanical Gardens, Wichita, KS; Benson Park Sculpture Gardens, Loveland, CO; American University, Washington, DC; Deerwood Office Park, Jacksonville, FL; National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson Hole, WY; Merrill Lynch corporate regional offices; NFL Houston Texans Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX; Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland, OH; The Fried Farm, Crozet, VA; the Bird Dog Hall of Fame, Grand Junction, TN and Gonzaga College High School, Washington, DC.
Walter Matia Functional, Bronze & Wood 3 X 8 X 6 (Interest categories: Bronze & Wood, Container, Box, Functional, Sculptures and Accent Pieces, Fine Art, Art Gallery, Walter Matia Artist)
1. Clay – Chavant Le Beau Touche. Get the regular clay, not HM (high melt).
2. Clay warming devices, a metal bucket with a clamp on heat lamp or 100 W bulb works great.
3. Tie wire.
4. Aluminum foil.
5. Scissors.
6. Favorite sculpture tools.
7. Plank of wood (pine) approximately 8″ x 8″ x 2″.
Bring as many planks as you wish…the wood is used as the base for your sculpture.
8. Plumber’s pipe, 1/2″ threaded: Bring several different lengths…up to 10″…not PVC pipe.
Plumber’s pipe T joint.
Plumber’s pipe couplers.
Plumber’s pipe flange.
9. Screws and screwdriver to secure the flange to wood…this may be done before you arrive. (Place flange in the center of plank)
10. Wire cutters
11. Needle nose pliers
12. Rubber mallet.
13. Spatula
14. Measuring devices such as rulers, measuring tape, dividers, and calipers.
15. Because we concentrate on BIRDS IN FLIGHT, live models in the classroom are more distracting than useful. I will demonstrate the technique of constructing a cantilevered bird armature that can be used for many different bird species and will show you how to assemble shapes to capture the “gist” of the specific bird.
16. Bird field guides such as Peterson, Stokes, Golden, or Sibley. Sibley’s Guide to Birds (not Sibley’s Guide to Bird Life and Behavior) is best if bringing only one field guide. This popular book can usually be purchased at any bookstore.
17. Bring your laptop to the class if possible.
18. Bring your sketchbook.
1 Lake Circle Colorado Springs, Colorado 80906
broadmoorgalleries.com
