Skip to main content

David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

American, b. 1956
David Phelps grew up on a farm on Roberts Island, part of the Delta in the Central Valley of California. The farmyard was an ancient burial ground and from a very young age his spirituality was rooted in the dirt of the farm. He remembers a constant worry about drought. And then when it rained, everyone worried about high water. This constant ebb and flow of the environment affected the family dynamics as well as his own personal development. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in 1979 from Humboldt State University, Arcata, California; his Masters of Fine Art in 1994 from the University of Oklahoma. After receiving his MFA in 1984 David continued sculpting while doing exhibit design work for the Omniplex Science Museum in Oklahoma City. "At the outset, I thought that by combining opposites, I could infuse my art with the power of that tension. I also realized that this imagery is strengthened because the viewer has to put it together. There is a participatory element with a positive outcome. When I'm working on an image and start developing it, I think about the edges as they intersect with the plane. I see ways to change them to get the whole image to focus. It's the difference between a strong piece and an average one." Phelps' sculpture evokes reaction no matter what the proportion. The large ones (two or three times life size) are light, the small ones, solid. All are accessible, yet there is content a plenty for those who require it. Because of the dynamics of opposites, the sculpture excites both visually and intellectually. In 1987 David was awarded a prestigious six-month residency at the Kohler Co. Arts in Industry program where he sculpted in both vitreous china and cast iron. After completing the Kohler program he began large-scale public art commissions and sales of large bronzes, both of which are continuing to date. From 1992 through 1995 David taught sculpture at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma and has since been focused solely on sculpting in his studio. David Phelps has created monumental sculptures for more than twenty years. Public art commissions have come from across the United States including for McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada at the International airport. The sculpture is one of "Clark County Wildlife" pieces created by David Phelps and displayed the airport terminal. His figurative bronzes are in notable international public and private collections including St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO, and Barbie Benton and George Gradow, Aspen, CO. Granada Park, in Phoenix, AZ and the City of Palm Desert, CA. His sculptures appear to emerge from the ground and have surfaces that look like dried, cracked mud. The figurative works are serenely contemplative and imbued with a dry, subtle humor.
to
1
1
Overall Width
to
Overall Height
to
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
138
113
90
71
2
Artist: David Phelps
"Pastoral Dreamer" 2X LifeSize, boy relaxing with his hands behind his head
"Pastoral Dreamer" 2X LifeSize, boy relaxing with his hands behind his head

"Pastoral Dreamer" 2X LifeSize, boy relaxing with his hands behind his head

By David Phelps

Located in Edgartown, MA

David grew up on a family farm in California. He attended elementary school in a one room schoolhouse on Roberts Island where his elementary teacher, Mrs. MacIntosh, taught him first...

Category

2010s Contemporary David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

"Oarsman" two piece bronze sculpture of man in rowboat
"Oarsman" two piece bronze sculpture of man in rowboat

"Oarsman" two piece bronze sculpture of man in rowboat

By David Phelps

Located in Edgartown, MA

David grew up on a family farm in California. He attended elementary school in a one room schoolhouse on Roberts Island where his elementary teacher, Mrs. MacIntosh, taught him first...

Category

2010s Contemporary David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Related Items
Little Zen (Turquoise Patina) 1/99

Little Zen (Turquoise Patina) 1/99

By Giuseppe Palumbo

Located in Napa, CA

Giuseppe Palumbo’s whimsical, anthropomorphic sculptures delve into the human psyche through irony, wit, and humor. By applying classical techniques to his contemporary subjects, Pal...

Category

2010s Contemporary David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Lotte- 21st Century Bronze Sculpture of a sitting Young Girl
Lotte- 21st Century Bronze Sculpture of a sitting Young Girl

Lotte- 21st Century Bronze Sculpture of a sitting Young Girl

By Wim van der Kraan

Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant

Lotte 50 x 21 x 30 cm Bronze The theme van der Kraan likes most is to show the growing of young girls. Living in their own world. Like this girl watching ...

Category

2010s Contemporary David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Man with Arms Raised
Man with Arms Raised

Ian Rank-BroadleyMan with Arms Raised, 2023

$4,484

H 12.6 in W 3.94 in D 3.94 in

Man with Arms Raised

Located in London, GB

Bronze Numbered 1/10 32cm × 10cm × 10cm (incl. base) Ian Rank-Broadley is one of the foremost sculptors working today. His effigy of the late Queen Elizabeth II appears on all UK an...

Category

2010s Contemporary David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

"Clara" Bronze Sculpture 13" x 9" x 6" inch by Sarkis Tossonian

"Clara" Bronze Sculpture 13" x 9" x 6" inch by Sarkis Tossonian

By Sarkis Tossonian

Located in Culver City, CA

"Clara" Bronze Sculpture 13" x 9" x 6" inch by Sarkis Tossonian Sarkis Tossoonian was born in Alexandria in 1953. He graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts/Sculpture in 1979. He st...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Facile- 21st Century, Contemporary Italian Bronze Sculpture of a woman
Facile- 21st Century, Contemporary Italian Bronze Sculpture of a woman

Facile- 21st Century, Contemporary Italian Bronze Sculpture of a woman

By Eva Steiner

Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant

Facile 59 x 30 x 30 cm bronze Facile is a bronze sculpture by Italian contemporary artist Eva Steiner. In her work she focuses on the gracefulness of women. Her sculptures of bronz...

Category

2010s Contemporary David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Couple - 21st Century bronze sculpture of 2 People
Couple - 21st Century bronze sculpture of 2 People

Couple - 21st Century bronze sculpture of 2 People

By Antoinette Briet

Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant

Antoinette Briet (Dutch artist) Couple 25 x 11 x 8 cm Bronze Antoinette Briet's sculpture can be called both a figurative and an abstract work of art. Her sculpted animals show thei...

Category

2010s Contemporary David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Seating Group Green Velvet
Seating Group Green Velvet

Carlo RampazziSeating Group Green Velvet, 2007

$21,301

H 43.71 in W 98.43 in D 35.44 in

Seating Group Green Velvet

Located in Zug, CH

CARLO RAMPAZZI (b. 1949) Seating Group 2007 Sofa covered in green mohair velvet, supported by a bronze structure slide; Armchairs with shell artisan decoration, with green Haute Cout...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

"Cinnilla" Bronze Sculpture 16" x 13" x 10" inch by Sarkis Tossonian

"Cinnilla" Bronze Sculpture 16" x 13" x 10" inch by Sarkis Tossonian

By Sarkis Tossonian

Located in Culver City, CA

"Cinnilla" Bronze Sculpture 16" x 13" x 10" inch by Sarkis Tossonian Sarkis Tossoonian was born in Alexandria in 1953. He graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts/Sculpture in 1979. ...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

"Existence" Bronze sculpture 35" x 22" x 15" inch Edition 4/8 by Huang Yulong
"Existence" Bronze sculpture 35" x 22" x 15" inch Edition 4/8 by Huang Yulong

"Existence" Bronze sculpture 35" x 22" x 15" inch Edition 4/8 by Huang Yulong

By Huang Yulong

Located in Culver City, CA

"Existence" Bronze sculpture 35" x 22" x 15" inch Edition 4/8 by Huang Yulong 35 2/5 × 21 7/10 × 15 in 90 × 55 × 38 cm ABOUT THE ARTIST Huang Yulong was born in 1983 in Anhui Prov...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Wild Horse - 21st Century Contemporary Bronze  Sculpture of a Horse
Wild Horse - 21st Century Contemporary Bronze  Sculpture of a Horse

Wild Horse - 21st Century Contemporary Bronze Sculpture of a Horse

By Frans van Straaten

Located in Nuenen, Noord Brabant

Frans van Straaten Wilde Horse VII Bronze on bluestone pedestal H 65 cm W 65 cm D 35 cm Dutch artist Frans van Straaten (1963) should be called an artist of balance always searching for harmony between force and movement in combination with space. Because of the wide range in his art-education he has mastered the art of drawing, painting and sculpting technology. However, the classical plastic art of sculpture and modelling opens up the possibility for him to create his own language of sculpture in answer to his urge for art. Due to this style of sculpting, the preference for bronze is natural. After his study of sculpture at the Academy of Art in Rotterdam (1988), Frans van Straaten creates bronze sculptures in which he unites force and movement. Feeling and Emotion converted into Matter Sculpture is an experience of space combined with the challenge of the three-dimensional. The tension of space and movement are the themes, which Frans expresses in his sculptures. Summary it can be said that the power of life and being, the feeling and emotion by force and movement will be converted into matter. The experience of space is being expressed in the shapes and characters in each of Frans’ sculptures. His sculptures of bulls express explosive power while the horses find their strength in being elegant. Each sculpture recalls this way their own association and serves as a metaphor for a certain emotion. Feelings, which has inspired the artist for each sculpture. Powerful and Elegant Looking at the works of this artist, it becomes very clear that one of his most important sources is his background in art history. The Renaissance period as well as several Italian artists served as inspiration to Frans as a sculpture. For instance the expressions in Leonardo da Vinci’s artworks, and also Giovanni...

Category

2010s Contemporary David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Don Quixote - Bronze Sculpture
Don Quixote - Bronze Sculpture

Gyunay AlievDon Quixote - Bronze Sculpture, 2021

$15,384

H 32.29 in W 26.38 in D 6.7 in

Don Quixote - Bronze Sculpture

By Gyunay Aliev

Located in Winterswijk, NL

Sculpture Don Quixote (on horseback, holding spear); Unique original work, handcrafted, carved, chiseled, patinated, polished, and mounted on a pedestal by the artist. Artist state...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Contemporary David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Granite, Bronze

Previously Available Items
"Oarsman" two piece bronze sculpture of man in rowboat
"Oarsman" two piece bronze sculpture of man in rowboat

"Oarsman" two piece bronze sculpture of man in rowboat

By David Phelps

Located in Edgartown, MA

David grew up on a family farm in California. He attended elementary school in a one room schoolhouse on Roberts Island where his elementary teacher, Mrs. MacIntosh, taught him first...

Category

2010s David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

"Oarsman" two piece bronze sculpture of a man rowing a boat

"Oarsman" two piece bronze sculpture of a man rowing a boat

By David Phelps

Located in Edgartown, MA

David grew up on a family farm in California. He attended elementary school in a one room schoolhouse on Roberts Island where his elementary teacher, Mrs. MacIntosh, taught him first...

Category

2010s David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Pastoral Dreamer X2
Pastoral Dreamer X2

David PhelpsPastoral Dreamer X2

Sold

H 36 in W 128 in D 67 in

Pastoral Dreamer X2

By David Phelps

Located in Edgartown, MA

David grew up on a family farm in California. He attended elementary school in a one room schoolhouse on Roberts Island where his elementary teacher, Mrs. MacIntosh, taught him firs...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

Oarsman

David PhelpsOarsman

Sold

H 7 in W 7 in D 11 in

Oarsman

By David Phelps

Located in Edgartown, MA

David grew up on a family farm in California. He attended elementary school in a one room schoolhouse on Roberts Island where his elementary teacher, Mrs. MacIntosh, taught him first...

Category

21st Century and Contemporary Modern David Phelps Figurative Sculptures

Materials

Bronze

David Phelps figurative sculptures for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic David Phelps figurative sculptures available for sale on 1stDibs. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Joshua Goode, Robin Whiteman, and Betsy Enzensberger.