Jeremy Bradshaw has long understood how his fascination with wildlife was forged and fostered over the course of his life and career. As a boy in rural California, he passed the time chasing frogs, snakes and other critters, and tending the chickens, rabbits and cows on his grandparents’ farm, which led him to working, exploring and fly-fishing in the Sierra Nevada mountains as a young adult. His ever-deepening connection to the creatures of the natural world turned his attention to falconry, an art form he has practicing for the past three decades.
House of Cards, bronze, 6 x 14 x 9 in.
When Bradshaw picked up another art form, sculpture, roughly eight years ago, it was no surprise that his bronzes would take the shape of wildlife, from the tiniest of birds to the biggest of beasts, and everything in between. A selection of his bronzes, both novel and collector favorites, are at the center of a show at Gallery Wild in Jackson, Wyoming, from September 10 through 20, overlapping with the town-wide Jackson Hole Fall Arts Festival.
Bradshaw’s sculptures are cheerful and uplifting, fashioned to evoke a smile. A Bradshaw bobcat will not be ferociously on the hunt for prey. He will posed as if asking for a belly rub. His mountain lion will not be depicted as a stealthy blood-thirsty stalker. She will be looking up at twittering birds in a stand of aspen, as Bradshaw imagined the scene around her. His fox, one of his signature subjects, will be curled up in a nap, content as can be.
Winter Blues, bronze, 4½ x 7 x 10 in.
His titles are clever and add an extra touch of humor to his work. A new series of birds, their bright hues achieved through a meticulous chemical patina process, includes a cluster of cardinals called House of Cards, and a huddle of blue birds titled Winter Blues. His darling fox have names like Red Repose and Red’s Reach. Bradshaw says, “If you walk by my booth or see my work, I don’t care how grumpy you seemed to be when you came in, I’m 99 percent sure you’re going to crack a smile when you see my work and chuckle a bit when you read my titles.”
Bradshaw has always attributed the positivity that his sculptures exude as a reflection of his own generally happy, upbeat nature, but in recent years he had a deeper realization about why he always portrays the sweet and playful side of his wildlife subjects.
Red Repose, bronze, 10 x 18 x 15 in.
“When I was a kid, I had a really active imagination and was utterly fascinated with animals,” he says. “We didn’t have pets, and I would fantasize about this idea of being friends with animals…the birds and the rabbits wanting come around and be near me—every Disney idea out there. I think what I’m doing unintentionally is what I wish I had as a kid, and expressing that through my sculpture. To have that connection where wildlife is comfortable around you rather than afraid of you. I think I’m speaking to my own childhood and that’s where the real authenticity is coming through. This childhood desire to be close with wildlife, so I make [my subjects] a little more approachable. And then, I do live with falcons, so there is that.”
The Birdwatcher, bronze, 19 x 57 x 25 in.
Bradshaw’s solo show opens with an artist reception on Wednesday, September 10, from 2 to 6 p.m. Bradshaw will be on site throughout the weekend conducting a demo with a work in progress. —
Gallery Wild 80 W. Broadway • Jackson, WY 83001 (307) 203-2322 • www.gallerywild.com
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