Outdoor Spaces

Kenneth R. Bunn (born 1938), works to convey a sense of action and movement in his sculptures and clearly succeeded in doing so when he created this dramatic bronze of deer running through a pond for the opening of the Eiteljorg Museum in 1989. A close student of animal anatomy and behavior, the artist masters his work through observation of creatures in the wild. He has traveled throughout the world studying wildlife in natural habitats and at zoos and private preserves. Bunn’s work can be found at museums throughout the country; he is an Academician of the National Academy of Design and a Fellow of the National Sculpture Society.

Renowned artist George Carlson was born in Illinois in 1940 and studied art in Chicago. He is an Academician of the National Academy of Design and a Fellow of the National Sculpture Society. The subject of this work is a Blackfoot man welcoming visitors; he holds an eagle wing fan up in a gesture of friendship. The work is an allegorical expression of welcoming friendship. Carlson has been the subject of numerous exhibitions and publications, is represented in many public and private collections, and has received many awards at major shows across the country.

Bruce LaFountain was raised on the Turtle Mountain Reservation. He is of Chippewa, French, and Cree descent and often refers to himself as Metis. Drawing on his Native American heritage, he feels like sculpture is a meditative process that allows him to chip away at his materials until the excess is gone and he can see the simple truth and spirituality of his subject. Wisdom Keepers reflects both LaFountain’s heritage and spirituality with the warrior transforming into an eagle.

Doug Hyde (Nez Perce, Chippewa, and Assiniboine) was born in 1946, studied and taught at the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and is well-known for monumental works in California, Arizona, and elsewhere. He sensitively portrays Native peoples in a way that conveys pride and dignity. He is best known for his work in stone and for bold bronze castings with brightly colored patinas. His work is in the collections of major museums throughout the country, including the Smithsonian Institution. The woman holding the umbrella in this sculpture wears traditional Southwestern clothing and jewelry.

Allan Houser was a sculptor and painter who altered expectations of Native American artists in the 20th century. Houser is known as the patriarch of Native American contemporary fine art and is credited with pushing Native American sculpture into the modern era without sacrificing its traditional and enduring quality. Morning Prayer was originally shown as part of the 2001 Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship (then called the Eiteljorg Fellowship for Native American Fine Art). That year, Allan Houser was awarded the designation of Distinguished Artist posthumously.