Biography

Tim Cherry produces sculptures which not only attract the viewers eye but also the viewer’s hand. Born in Calgary, Alberta in 1965, Tim grew up in Nelson, a town located among the rugged Canadian Rockies in southeastern British Columbia. This is where he developed a love of wildlife and the outdoors. Escaping into the wilds was then, and still is, a spiritual experience. At sixteen Tim began working summers as a cook and wrangler for a hunting outfit, which took him into the wilderness country of northern British Columbia. By the time Tim was eighteen he was guiding his own clients on two week trips.
The next twelve years saw Tim working with other outfitters who ventured further into the vast expanses of the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Throughout all of these experiences, Tim’s keen eye and mind were recording the shapes and movement of the wild animals of this vast wilderness. Tim’s love for these creatures led to an interest in taxidermy. Despite the fact that he was unaware of any aspirations for a future in fine art, his interests were going that direction. At age 19 Tim contacted taxidermist Forest Hart, who welcomed him to his workshop in Hampden, Maine. Hart specialized in sculpting mannequins – the artificial bodies used by taxidermists. As a student, Tim’s hand and mind became skilled in modeling animal’s’ musculature. He sculpted models for the production process in taxidermy, while learning animal anatomy from the inside out. Tim also observed Hart as he prepared a sculpture to be transformed into bronze. Accompanying Hart to a New York foundry, Tim experienced the fascinating and magical process of fine art bronze for the first time. This observation led Tim to realize that his own life work was finding direction as this would be the year Tim would complete his first sculpture.
In 1988 while Tim was living in Canada, he met noted sculptor Dan Ostermiller who invited him to visit his studio in Loveland, Co. “Ostermiller gave me the opportunity to begin my career,” Tim said. Tim then went to work in the studio of both Ostermiller and Fritz White learning the skills necessary for the sculptural process. According to Tim, “I learned direction, enthusiasm, and perseverance from Fritz White. He taught me the importance of mass and volume and gave me the confidence to keep trying different options, never quitting on a design. Fritz was, and still is a source of inspiration and a mentor.” White also gave Tim the opportunity to try stone carving in his studio. Carving alabaster, Tim began to find within it the shapes of the animals which were to become his life work, experimenting with graceful simple lines and forms. Tim states, “My sculptural approach involves the use of simplified shapes and lines to produce curvilinear forms. I enjoy orchestrating these elements into sculpture that is rhythmical, flowing and inviting to the touch. Capturing the grace and elegance of my subjects is a primary goal.”
It was from that approach that Tim’s unique style resulted: an expression of each animals personality, movement and behavior. The animals pulse with life and innately celebrate life. Grace and elegance truly are qualities immediately recognizable in Tim’s work, but another quality frequently present; is a sense of whimsy, which marks a number of his works. The sculptures are issued in small editions, a fact which collectors truly appreciate. The bronze sculptures are also enhanced by Tim’s highly polished surfaces, which glimmer with reflective light making them incredibly tactile. About the patinas, Tim says, “With the smooth surfaces I have a large palette of options available, since my work leans toward a more contemporary style, I enjoy experimenting with colorful lively patinas. To me color is an important part of the design.”
Tim has also been recognized by his peers: at the age of twenty- five he gained membership in the Society of Animal Artists and five years later at only thirty, he was elected to membership in the National Sculpture Society and also the National Sculptors Guild. Tim produces sculptures which bring pleasure to his clients and grace homes, offices and public places both nationally and internationally. He is also a sought after contributor to major exhibitions throughout the United States. In 2001, Tim received the James Earl Fraser Sculpture Award, presented annually for the sculpture exhibiting exception merit as deemed by the National Cowboy and Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City during the Prix de West Invitational for the sculpture “Snake in the Grass.” Tim also received in 2001 the prestigious Gold Medal from the National Sculpture Society for “Flea Flicker.” Tim continues to be recognized and awarded. In 2017 he received the Cyrus Dallin Best Sculpture Award at the Eiteljorg Museum and with a retrospective exhibition at the Woolaroc Museum in Bartelsville, OK, Best of the Best . Tim’s sculpture can be found in a handful of galleries across the continent in collectors homes internationally and gracing the pages of Southwest Art, Wildlife Art and Art of the West magazines.
Tim says sincerely, “It takes a tremendous amount of teamwork, time and money to cast bronze. I am extremely grateful for everyone involved with my artwork, their efforts means a great deal to me. As the saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, I feel it takes a tribe to raise a sculptor! My family, friends, peers, foundry personnel, patineur, galleries and collectors – are all apart of that tribe.”
Awards
• Cyrus Dallin Award for Best Sculpture Eiteljorg Museum Quest for the West Big Gulp Bronze (pelican) 2017
• Margaret Hexter Prize National Sculpture Society 77th Annual Exhibition Arctic Wrap Stainless Steel (arctic fox) 2010
• Best of Show, Sculpture at the River Market 2nd Annual Exhibition Sentry Duck 2008
• Gold Medal and Maurice B. Hexter Prize National Sculpture Society 74th Annual Exhibition Flea Flicker (fox) 2007
• C. Percival Dietsch Prize National Sculptor Society 71st Annual Exhibition Twig Trimmer (beaver) 2004
• Elliott Gantz and Company Foundry Award National Sculpture Society 70th Annual Exhibit Salmon Spiral 2003
• Bedi-Makky Art Prize National Sculpture Society 69th Annual Exhibition Butter Ball (turkey) 2002
• Bronze Medal National Sculptors Society 68th Annual Exhibition River Run (salmon) 2001
• James Earle Fraser Sculpture Award Prix De West Invitational Snake in the Grass(cougar) 2001
• Award of Excellence Society of Animal Artist Hare Ball (rabbit) 1997
• Award of Merit Anchorage Audubon Society River Mates (two otters) 1989
Memberships
• National Sculpture Society – Elected to Fellow 2007
• National Sculpture Society – Elected to Membership 1996
• National Sculptor’s Guild – Elected to Membership 1996
• Society of Animal Artists – Elected to Membership 1990
Public Installations and Collections
• Rotary Sculpture Park within Mercy Park – Joplin, Missouri Rabbit Reach (mont)
• National Museum of Wildlife Art – Jackson, Wyoming River Mates (mont)
• City of Sheridan, Wyoming Rabbit Reach (mont)
• Booth Western art Museum Cartersville, Georgia Vertigoat (mountain goat)
• TCU Texas Christian University – Fort Worth, Texas Daniel-Meyer Coliseum – Noble Frog
• Briscoe Western Art Museum – San Antonio, Texas McNutt Sculpture Park – House Sitter
• Arkansas Children’s Hospital – Little Rock, Arkansas South Wing Atrium Installation of 21 pieces
• Vogel Schwartz Sculpture Garden – Little Rock, Arkansas Wise Guy (mont)
• Marion Inc. – Indianapolis, Indiana Mountain Run Monument and many others
• Jackson Hole Airport – Jackson Wyoming Bison Columns Monuments
• Gilcrease Museum – Tulsa, Oklahoma Twig Trimmer
• Booth Western Art Museum -Cartersville, Georgia Snake in the Grass
• Leanin’ Tree Museum – Boulder, Colorado Several Sculptures (no longer there)
• Benson Park Sculpture Garden – Loveland High Plains Arts Council
• Loveland, Colorado Night Shadows – Formal Entranceway
• City of Cheyenne, Wyoming Rabbit Reach and Royal Red
• City of Edmond, Oklahoma Vertigoat and Royal Red
• City of Lakewood, Colorado Maternal Wrap
• City of Little Rock, Arkansas Rabbit Reach Monument, Stag Leap Monument, Wise Guy (mont), Roundbottomus Hippopotamus (mont)
• City of Thornton, Colorado Garden’s Edge
• Village of Fox Run –Trophy Club, Texas Maternal Wrap and Royal Red
• Forest Lawn Cemetery – Buffalo, NY Garden’s Edge
• Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum – Wausau, Wisconsin Bottoms Up Duck and Flat Fawn, Cotton Ball
• Forest Hills Cemetery – Boston, Massachusetts Garden’s Edge
• Worrell Investment Company – Charlottesville, VA Maternal Wrap, Night Shadow, Snake in the Grass
• Holland Hall School – Tulsa, Oklahoma Heads or Tails
• Florida – Environmental Protection Agency – Jacksonville, Florida River Mates
• America Stores Inc.,- Salt Lake City, Utah Mountain Run Monument
• Safeco Insurance Company – Redmond, Washington Royal Red
• Boys Scouts of America Oklahoma Headquarters – Tulsa, Oklahoma Maternal Wrap and Heads or Tails
• The Wildlife Experience – Parker, Colorado Fly by Night
• National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum – Oklahoma City, Ok Jackie Coles Collection – Hide and Seek
• State of New Mexico Workman’s Comp. Offices -Las Vegas, NM Fish Hook
Publications
• Western Art and Architecture – Illuminations (article Norman Kolpas) October/November 2019
• Art of the West – On on One (article Vicki Stavig) July/August 2019
• Art of the West – Animals with Attitude (article) November/December 2014
• Arabella – Artist to Collect, Tracking the Path of a Wildlife Artist (article) Spring/Summer 2014
• Western Art Collector– Essence of the Animal (article) July 2011
• Southwest Art – Animal Magnetism (article and cover) July 2009
• Western Art Collector – Rhythm in Bronze (article) January 2009
• Wildlife Art – Animals with Attitude (article) March/April 2006 18
• Art of the West – Magical Medium (article) July/August 2006
• National Sculpture Society – News Bulletin (article) January/February 2002
• Art of the West – A Whimsical World (article) November/December 2001
• Wildlife Art – (article) July/August 2001
• Southwest Art – Stylized Forms (article) July 1998
• National Sculpture Society – News Bulletin (article) June 1998
• Wildlife Art – Humor and Grace (article) January/February 1997
• Wildlife Art – Gardens’ Edge (cover) May/June 1996
• Inform Art Magazine – (article) September/October 1992