Dave McGary, at 44, is becoming a living legend among contemporary artists of the American West. He is considered the Master of Realism depicting Native American Indians and his many awards during the past decade more than verify his popularity among collectors and fellow artists. His ability to capture the human spirit knows no equal, and his attention to detail in form and historic content are exhilarating.

Dave was born the son of a ranching family in Cody, Wyoming. As a teenager, he was one of four students in the United States awarded a grant to study anatomy and the bronze-making process with master craftsmen in Italy. After returning to America in 1978, Dave spent the next three years working at a bronze foundry, developing his own style and techniques. In 1981, Dave opened his own foundry and finishing facility in the southern mountains of New Mexico.

By 1982, Dave’s bronze work began receiving recognition at national art competitions, receiving Best of Show, and gold and silver medals for Death Mask, Story Of The Little People, My Heart Is The Eagle, War Deeds, Birth Of Long Soldier, and Long Soldier. Two of his bronzes, Horse Thief and Buffalo Warrior are in the permanent collection in the Old Executive Office building at the White House Complex, Washington, D.C.

Dave has been selected by jury twice to show in the prestigious Hubbard Art Award For Excellence Show, where he was one of the most popular artists, selling out his work. His life-size work, Long Soldier, was selected for public display at the State Capitol Building in Santa Fe. He was commissioned by the City of Santa Fe to depict Don Pedro de Peralta, founder of Santa Fe, and his engineer. The one and one-half times lifesize, 18 foot high and 22 foot long monument was installed and dedicated during Fiesta Days in September 1992.

In July of 1993, Dave’s work was exhibited in a One-Man Show at the Russell Senate Rotunda in Washington, D.C. In 1994, Dave was selected as the only artist from the United States to have a one man show in the United Nations Environment Programme’s exhibit, Art and the Earth-A Dialogue With Nature.

Early in 1995, he constructed his own Finishing Studio and Expressions In Bronze Gallery. In July, Free Spirits at Noisy Water, Dave’s monumental sculpture of eight horses running through a natural landscape, was installed at Hubbard Museum of the American West in Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico. The bronze sculptures and the surrounding park were designed, sculpted and engineered by McGary. Considered an engineering feat, the eight horses, weighing 3,000-5,000 pounds each, are balanced on only nine hooves. The monument depicts seven American breeds: Thoroughbred, Quarterhorse, Appaloosa, Paint Mare with Foal, Arabian, Morgan and Standardbred. One of the largest equine sculptures in the world, it totals 255 feet in length. The top-most horse, a Standardbred, stands more than 36 feet in the air as he leaps from a man-made mountain.

In July of 1995, Dave also received the New Mexican of the Year Award, and in October he received the Honorary Lifetime Alumni Award from Eastern New Mexico University for his contributions to the Arts in New Mexico.

In 1996, Dave introduced three new Masterworks, Not Afraid of Pawnee, Young Men of the Enemy Fear His Horses, and The Rainmaker Top-Edition. He also introduced Crow King Study and his third artifact, Lakota Hoofprints.

In March of 1997, Dave premiered Stronghearts, the first bronze in a series of Native American women. Stronghearts portrays a Sioux Mother with her baby son in a beaded cradle board on her back and her young daughter at her side. They represent the surviving family of a Stronghearts Society Warrior who died protecting his family and the tribe. In August, he also premiered his second new image for the year, A Matter of Honor depicting the famous warrior Crow King on his war horse at the Battle of the Little Big Horn.

Dave released his new limited edition book in May of 1997 entitled “Dave McGary, American Realism in Bronze: A Twenty Year Retrospective”. This limited edition volume features text by noted author Michael Duty, as well as detailed photographs of Dave McGary’s works over the past twenty-three years. A signed, numbered book is enclosed in the walnut base of each bronze. In October of 1997, as a show of appreciation for all of his Collector’s continued support over the years, Dave and Molly held a Gala for all of the Collectors who had purchased this piece. Each Collector and a guest was flown from their current locations to Ruidoso and stayed at the Inn of the Mountain Gods for the Gala. During this Gala there were many different functions that the guests attended including one evening with a dinner and dance. The performers were internationally acclaimed recording artists Ottmar Liebert, and Native American flautist, Douglas Spotted Eagle. Each performed a private concert for the guests at this function. Also, one of the events on the itinerary was a book signing in which Dave personalized each book for the Collectors. During this book signing, his Collectors where also introduced to the first piece in his Native American Children Series, In Her Father’s Footsteps. In addition to the Basic Edition book, and The Rainmaker Top Edition Bronze, Dave premiered the second state of The Rainmaker, the Bust. This bronze also came with a walnut base and a book inside.

On February 22, 1998, Dave installed a 30 foot tall, 15 foot wide monument weighing over ten tons at the Houston Astrodome. The sculpture, Touch The Clouds, depicts a nineteenth century Miniconjou Chief who fought alongside Crazy Horse at the Battle of Little Big Horn. The project was announced at a ceremony and national media press conference in February of 1996, where Dave unveiled a 43 inch bronze Masterwork of the monument. Although the fine art collection owned by The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is extensive, Touch The Clouds is the first Native American depicted and the largest bronze figure of the sculpture collection.

In 1998, Dave introduced several pieces. The first, released in March, depicted the warrior Gray Hawk and was entitled Bounty of Gray Hawk. Walks Among The Stars, the second in his Native American Women Series, was released in May. Later he released a two-figure piece in which a Stronghearts Society Warrior and his wife are depict in a piece titled Hearts of Conviction. Along with these pieces, Dave released the newest addition to his Artifact Series, Home Sweet Home, which depicts a field mouse sitting on top of his home, a pair of beaded moccasins.

February, 1999, saw the premier of the newest addition to Dave’s Warrior Series. The piece depicted a Teton Sioux Warrior name “Iron Hail”. “Iron Hail” was thought to have a special power that he developed during one of his encounters with his enemies. Each time he was attacked or in the presence of an enemy, he was thought to have the power to make it rain and hail on them. This, of course, making his enemies retreat. This piece was premiered in many of Dave’s networked galleries.

In May, “Bounty of Gray Hawk” and “Bear’s Nest” masterworks were on loan to the International Museum of Art in El Paso, Texas. The museum had been closed for several years and had just recently been purchased by an individual and remodel for the reopening of the museum. The pieces were placed on exhibit during the grand opening month of the newly established museum.

August 20, 1999, brought wonderful news to McGary Studios, Dave was selected to sculpt the Shoshone Warrior and Peacemaker, Chief Washakie. There will be three monuments completed of Chief Washakie, all of which will be approximately eleven feet in height. One of the three pieces will be placed in our nations capitol, and the other two remaining will be placed at the Wyoming State Capitol and at the joint Shoshone and Arapaho Complex in Fort Washakie. Several artists were selected to send in their portfolios. Once their portfolios were received and looked over, then five finalists were chosen to go to Riverton, Wyoming for an interview and presentation. Dave was selected by the committee in which there were several members of the Washakie Family.

He will be working closely with the committee and the family members on the completion of this project. The first piece was unveiled in a ceremony in September of the year 2000, and the second one in a ceremony in the month of October. Finally, the last one was installed in the month of February of 2001.

With portraits of America's founding fathers as a backdrop, descendants of legendary Shoshone leader Chief Washakie danced and drummed in colorful celebration as their ancestor was honored with a larger-than-life bronze monument in the history-rich U.S. Capitol rotunda. Internationally known artist Dave McGary was commissioned by the State of Wyoming to create the 11-foot-high tribute to the chieftain. The bronze will be permanently displayed in the U.S. Capitol's prestigious National Statuary Hall Collection. Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert, former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson, Governor Jim Garinger of Wyoming and other dignitaries, including McGary, spoke to a crowd of over 300 persons at the Chief Washakie dedication ceremony on September 7, 2000. Decendants from the Wind River Reservation (Shoshone) in Fort Washakie, Wyoming, and the Flathead Reservation (Salish/Kootensi) in Arlee, Montana, and other Native Americans led the program. A National symbol for all Native Americans, Chief Washakie will remain in the U.S. Capitol rotunda for up to a year where more than 25,000 people a day will view it. The only other Native American depicted in the National Statuary Hall Collection is Sequoyah, a bronze donated by Oklahoma in 1917. The rotunda dedication kicked off two days of Washakie-related events in Washington D.C. On September 8, the Washakie family donated a 28-inch-tall Masterwork of Chief Washakie to the permanent collection of the Smithsonian at the headquarters of its National Museum of the American Indian. Also during the week, an exhibit titled "Legacy in Bronze: The Life of Chief Washakie, The Works of Dave McGary" was displayed in the rotunda of the Russell Senate Office Building.

Dave is represented by an exclusive group of prestigious galleries found in important art centers around the country. His work is found in public and private collections throughout the United States, Canada and internationally. In addtion to major invitational art exhibits, Dave's work can be seen at private shows in each of his galleries throughout the year.

For more information contact:

Expressions In Bronze Gallery
7077 East Main Street, Scottsdale, Arizona 85251
800-291-3026 or 480-424-7412
az@expressionsinbronze.com

Expressions In Bronze Gallery
2002 Sudderth Drive, Ruidos, New Mexico 88345
800-687-3424 or 505-257-1004
nm@expressionsinbronze.com