Tom Brun

"Jim Jim" Ebony Sculpture with Dark Patina, Portrait of Detroit Zoo Gorilla

1950s-1960s

"Birth" is a small intimate sculpture of a women in the act of pending birth. She gazes skyward beyond her own condition of birthing an earthly being, to encompass the intellectual a...

"New Man" standing is a subject that continually holds the interest of the artist, a depiction of man awakening from a more dormant state to stretch into the glory of his creation. M...

All my life I have worked on three levels of consciousness: Portraits, Social Injustice & Metaphysics. In my work I strive to heal, uplift and inspire viewers and collectors to find ...

The bronze sculpture "Owl" is an exaggerated rendition of an owl that emphasizes the bird's most prominant characteristics - a big fluffy round body and large unblinking eyes making it a charicature of the bird. It is very touchable and calls for one to pet its rounded back. Tom Brun, the sculptor and zookeeper, is well-known for his wood, stone, marble, ceramics and ivory sculptures. One of them, a large hippopotamus, carved from walnut wood travelled the world in the State Department collection. It is said that Tom would often go into a house and pick up one of his sculptures and say that it was unfriendly – meaning that it had not been handled enough. Morley Driver has said of Brun in a newspaper article from the 1950’s “In Any Animal He Sees Beauty”: No one who has ever seen a Tom Brun hippopotamus will ever again think of it as ugly or ungainly, meaning that the artist not only gives you beauty but teaches you to see it. Tom has said: “Small pieces are like a proverb – a gem of meaning that one can dissect.” They are meant to be picked up, caressed and held. This owl, too, seems destined to be caressed. Brun was born in England in 1913. A few years after the end of World War I his father moved the family in 1919 to Detroit, Michigan. In 1935 at age 23, he officially became a U.S. citizen. He served in the army during World War II for five years and upon discharge and at the age of 36 took advantage of the GI Bill and applied for admission to Society of Arts and Crafts (now known as the College for Creative Studies) where he was gladly accepted. While at Arts and Crafts his instructors and established artists such as Sarkis Sarkisian, John P. Foster, Morris Brose, Richard Koslow, Patricia Burnett, Lloyd and Renee Radell...

Gorilla Sculpture, 1960's Additional Information: Style: Mid century, Scandinavian Produced by Gabriel in Sweden Dimensions (W x D x H): 20 x 26 x 2...

A black stone stylized monkey anonymous work.

Jean Joachim (1905-1990, France) : "Silverback gorilla" Original black patinated bronze sculpture numbered /8 Signed "J. Joachim" Numbered "8/8" Foundry stamp "Rosini" Dimensions ...

This bronze gorilla sits astutely with it's left hand out and it's right arm relaxed to the ground. The glass eyes are black and reflect surrounding lig...