Biography
Dan Ostermiller’s works are usually given the label “animal sculpture,” yet within that field can be found a wide range of subjects. From the barnyard to the Great Plains, and from the back porch to the Zambezi Valley, his animals are studies in elegance and power. A thorough knowledge of animals, acquired from years of experience working with his father, Roy Ostermiller, a renowned taxidermist, is the foundation for Ostermiller’s work. Drawing from his many travels abroad, he creates animal figures in context with their natural surroundings. His work has a realism that is not only an accurate rendering of the subject, but also a sophisticated composition of line and form. His grounding in taxidermy lends authority, while his technique gives his work spontaneity. Infusing each design is personality — a combination of the sculptor’s and the subject’s. This spirit, the feeling the work imparts, is the hallmark of an Ostermiller sculpture. A fellow of the National Sculpture Society and the Society of Animal Artists, Dan Ostermiller served as president of the National Sculpture Society from 2011 to 2014.