Tony Hochstetler (American, b. 1964). "Cycle of Life" (1990). Bronze and marble with wood base, edition 1 of 7. Signed with date and edition number on tail of whale. A remarkable cast bronze sculpture by Tony Hochstetler featuring a polar bear encountering a whale. The pair are mounted upon a large piece of white marble which in turn is mounted upon a wooden base. A wondrous sculpture created by an artist who is greatly inspired by the natural world. In Hochstetler's words, "I sculpt the animals and plants that fascinated me as I was growing up, and that still intrigue me today. Insects, reptiles, amphibians, and fish have always been the animals that interest me the most. The diversity of these animals, the way they move, and the compositions that they form are the driving forces behind my desire to sculpt." Size: 12.5" L x 30" W x 7" H (31.8 cm x 76.2 cm x 17.8 cm)

Artist's Biography: "Tony Hochstetler is a sculptor of unusual animals and botanical subjects. His repertoire of work revolves around reptile, amphibian, insect, marine life, and the occasional odd mammal. Born and raised in northern Indiana he spent his childhood in the forests, fields, and wetlands studying the natural world around him. Tony currently lives in Colorado where he continues to seek out and research unique subjects. A seasoned sculptor, Hochstetler has been featured in many publications and books including Masterworks of American Sculpture and Reptiles & Amphibians in Contemporary Art. He has also earned multiple awards for his wildlife sculpture including two Awards of Merit from the Society of Animal Artists. His work resides in numerous museums, zoological gardens, and city collections as well as important private collections. He has had several one-man shows and participated in numerous gallery invitational and museum exhibitions throughout the country. He is a member of the National Sculpture Society, and a Signature member of the Society of Animal Artists. " (artist's website)

Tony Hochstetler's works may be found in the permanent collections of Wichita Art Museum, Wichita, KS; Denver Zoological Gardens, Denver, CO; National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, WY; Benson Park Sculpture Garden, Loveland, CO; Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa, OK, and others. Hochstetler is represented by Simpson Gallagher Gallery in Cody, Wyoming; Bronze Coast Gallery in Cannon Beach, Oregon; Cheryl Newby Gallery in Pawleys Island, South Carolina; Wilcox Gallery in Jackson, Wyoming, and Wilcox Gallery II in Jackson, Wyoming.

Provenance: ex-private Bishop Family Trust collection, the Trust of the late Bill Bishop, a noted antiquarian with shops in Scottsdale, Arizona and Allenspark, Colorado, USA, acquired before 2010

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#172885

Signed with date and edition number on tale of whale. Limited edition, number 1 of 7. Minor chips to periphery of the marble and one crack to marble below the whale's tail. A few scuffs/nicks and white paint stains to the wood base. Otherwise excellent.