About J. R. Gabriel, Bronze Sculptor

J. R. Gabriel

1141 South 800 East
Salt Lake City, Utah 84105
801.355.5232

As a child isolated in a small Texas town, my early escape was to raid our little library in the basement of the town jail and look at pictures of art by the masters. I dreamed, painted, drew and mashed clay around. Passion for art led me to academia where I attended West Texas University, University of Utah (BFA), Brigham Young University (MS), University of Texas, Pepperdine University, Texas Tech University (one course left to complete MFA/MA), with emphases in all the arts including theatre and music. My greatest inspirations for creating fantasy came from my dear friend, Mary Lou Romney, U of U Art Department teacher, and James Christensen, BYU faculty emeritus. I also constantly study the form and composition in works created by acclaimed artists such as James Muir, Lincoln Fox, and Seth Vandable, all of whom have works residing in my permanent collection. I have a constant urge to create and keep the inspiration strong, as I exhibit across the country.

I love the fragile and inviting, cooperative, sometimes resistant nature of clay and the enduring stability of bronze. My creations are mysterious characters displaying humor in the rhythm of their body language: a camel flies; a rhino plays vulnerably; an anthropomorphic bird flaps into humanity; a masked figure searches but has no eyes; an ass climbs a mushroom. I hope each makes a noise and tells a story, an eerie mystery, or a fantasy - as many stories as there are people looking. It's fun, like it should be.

My ideas are "such stuff as dreams are made of," and the next piece comes to me unexpectedly, usually while I am working on the current project--sort of two at once. I prefer not to sketch. I see the finished product in my mind and the new idea continues to speak to me as I gouge and push the clay. I want the characters to move and dance as I find a rhythm in the art. I like exaggeration and impossible scenarios. Hopefully, people will open their imaginations when they look at my work.

Contact me through email (click on "contact") and I will send you a list of previous and future exhibitions.