ARTIST+
After graduating from Humboldt State University with a bachelor's degree in ceramics, David Phelps moved to Norman, Oklahoma in 1980 for graduate school, where he earned a master's degree in sculpture in 1984. He received a regional NEA fellowship and a six-month residency in 1985 and a Ph.D. from the Kohler Art/Industry Program in Wisconsin in 1987. After completing his studies at Kohler, he received his first large order commission in Knoxville, Tennessee. Since then, he has been commissioned to create large-scale sculptures throughout the United States.
Art Awards+
"The themes of my figurative sculptures are perseverance, optimism and humor in the face of adversity. I grew up on a farm, and in a way, my imagery stems from my early emotional and visual experiences. When I discovered that almost all of my dreams were connected to the farm in some way, it was these experiences that were ingrained in my subconscious. One influential memory is my instinctive reaction to creation, where earth, water, and sunlight interact naturally. Another strong memory is the anxiety, fear, and hope experienced during times of floods and droughts. I use cracked surfaces and hallucinations of characters emerging from the ground level to convey something to the audience about the feelings in those memories, hoping that everyone will be touched with appreciation and recognition. ”
My sculptures have been exhibited in many public and private collections in the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, South America, and Australia. My most recent large order was Sisyphus in Napa Valley, California. My symbolic bronzes are four times the size of life-size, and they seem to emerge from the ground. The sculptural figures are calmly contemplative, and each piece is imbued with a subtle sense of humor. ”
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