From sneaking into art classes to setting up a studio in an abandoned pier, Guy Dill’s journey toward becoming a celebrated contemporary American sculptor is anything but conventional.
Dill’s first love was the sea. Intending to travel the world by boat, the Malibu, California native began a career working for the U.S. Coast Guard during the Vietnam war. In his time off, he visited his brother, Laddie John Dill, who was attending the renowned Chouinard Art Institute in Los Angeles and unofficially joined his life drawing classes after an instructor pressed him to bring a sketchpad. Dill enjoyed the classes and eventually accumulated enough work to submit to Chouinard for application.
After graduating from Chouinard with a bachelor's degree in painting in 1967, Dill put down the brush but continued to draw. Attracted to the Venice Beach lifestyle, Dill set up a studio with some fellow artists in an abandoned space on the Pacific Ocean Park (POP) pier. Located a few miles south of the now-famous Santa Monica pier, the POP pier slowly deteriorated under Dill’s feet while he began his sculpting career.
During the late 1960s, Irving Blum’s influential Ferus Gallery was the epicenter of L.A.’s art scene. Blum discovered Dill’s sculptures and put him in a group show with other exciting new talent from the area. Artists such as Ed Ruscha and Roy Lichtenstein had begun to make their names at the gallery, and the exposure proved important for Dill. Today he works in cardboard, glass, bronze, wood and more, and his large-scale abstract sculptures are known all over the world.
In 1972, Dill was awarded the Theodoron Award from the Guggenheim Museum in New York and First Prize at the Chicago Institute of Art’s “American Show” in 1974. Additional accolades include the California Heritage Museum Artist’s Award, the Stars of Design Lifetime Achievement for Art Award from the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles and more.
Dill’s work is held in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Smithsonian Institution, the Guggenheim and the Stedelijk Museum.
On 1stDibs, find authentic Guy Dill sculptures, prints and more.
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Pooja, sculpture by Guy Dill, abstract, contemporary, bronze sculpture, indoor
By Guy Dill
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Pooja, sculpture by Guy Dill, abstract, contemporary, bronze sculpture, indoor, outdoor Contact us with expected delivery times. Abstract sculptor GUY DILL is well-known and in suc...
Bronze
$1,338
H 15 in Dm 15 in
Nature II : Abstract, Bronze, Wood Sculpture by Indian sculptor "In Stock"
By Pradip Mondal
Located in Kolkata, West Bengal
Pradip Mondal - Nature (II) - 15 x 15 inches Medium - Wood & Bronze Single edition. About the Artist and his work : Born : 1977 in West Bengal. Education : 2001-02 : BVA (Modellin...
Bronze
$11,252
H 7.49 in W 14.57 in D 3.94 in
Accord No.5 by Martine Demal - Bronze sculpture, abstract, dark tones, balance
By Martine Demal
Located in Paris, FR
Accord No.5 is a bronze sculpture by contemporary artist Martine Demal, dimensions are 19 × 37 × 10 cm (7.4 × 14.5 × 3.9 in). The sculpture is signed and numbered, it is part of a l...
Bronze
$13,714
H 13.39 in W 13 in D 6.7 in
Signs and Writings No. 7 by Martine Demal - Bronze sculpture, abstract
By Martine Demal
Located in Paris, FR
Signs and Writings No. 7 is a bronze sculpture by contemporary artist Martine Demal, dimensions are 34 × 33 × 17 cm (13.4 × 12.9 × 6.7 in). The sculpture is signed and numbered, it ...
Bronze
$91,429
H 33.47 in W 55.12 in D 53.15 in
Boulder #3 – The Tunnel by Tom Price - Rock-like bronze sculpture, smooth
By Tom Price
Located in Paris, FR
Boulder #3 – The Tunnel is a bronze sculpture by contemporary artist Tom Price, dimensions are 85 × 140 × 135 cm (33.5 × 55.1 × 53.1 in). This artwork is available on commission. 8 ...
Bronze
$77,363
H 61.03 in W 39.38 in D 33.47 in
Boulder #4 by Tom Price - Rock-like bronze art, outdoor sculpture
By Tom Price
Located in Paris, FR
Boulder #4 is a sculpture by English artist Tom Price. This artwork can be customized— feel free to contact us for a quote. Tom Price’s artistic approach focuses on material explora...
Bronze
$22,000
H 53 in W 9 in D 8 in
Contemporary Cast Glass Sculpture, 'Geologic Editions #6, 2018 by David Ruth
By David Ruth
Located in Oakland, CA
Please allow a three month turnaround time for piece to be made. About the Geologic Editions: The Geologic Editions are studies for Colorado Cascade Mural. David pieced together bit...
Bronze
John Van Alstine - Tiller VI, Sculpture 2020
By John Van Alstine
Located in Stamford, CT
Stone and metal, usually granite or slate, and found object steel are central in my sculpture. The interaction of these materials is a major focus. On the most basic level, the work ...
Granite, Bronze
$5,157
H 23.63 in W 4.73 in D 3.55 in
Blue Gingko by Kuno Vollet - Contemporary bronze sculpture on rough granite base
By Kuno Vollet
Located in DE
Artist: Kuno Vollet Title: Brass Gingko with 5 leaves art sculpture Materials: Bronze, black granite base Polished bronze to gold adds highlights to the leaves. Art Deco Mid-centu...
Granite, Bronze
$6,915
H 31.5 in W 3.94 in D 3.94 in
Black and Gold Gingko by Kuno Vollet Contemporary Bronze sculpture on granite
By Kuno Vollet
Located in DE
Artist: Kuno Vollet Title: Grey Bronze Gingko with 8 leaves sculpture four or three of them in gold leaf - arrangement of gold leaves can be chosen by client. Base can be chosen be...
Marble, Gold, Bronze
Joel Urruty - Forza #2, Sculpture 2023
By Joel Urruty
Located in Stamford, CT
Medium: dyed ash, concrete As an artist I strive to create elegant sculptures that capture the true essence of the subject matter. Form, line and surface are used as the visual lan...
Bronze
$3,950
H 9 in W 3 in D 2 in
"The Man Without a Rod №2" Bronze Sculpture 9 x 3 in. Ed. 6/9 by Sergii Shaulis
By Sergii Shaulis
Located in Culver City, CA
"The Man Without a Rod №2" Bronze Sculpture 9 x 3 in. Ed. 6/9 by Sergii Shaulis 9" x 3" x 2'' inch Weight: 8 lbs "The man without a rod" series: The artist spent almost ten years...
Bronze
$5,157
H 27.56 in W 11.03 in D 7.49 in
Grey Gingko by Kuno Vollet - Contemporary bronze sculpture on rough granite base
By Kuno Vollet
Located in DE
Artist: Kuno Vollet Title: Brass Gingko with 5 leaves art sculpture Materials: Bronze, black granite base Polished bronze to gold adds highlights to the leaves. Art Deco Mid-centu...
Granite, Bronze
Sold
H 76 in W 47 in D 58 in
Navy, large abstract metal sculpture, white powder coated aluminum, vertical
By Guy Dill
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Navy, large abstract metal sculpture, white powder-coated aluminum, vertical Guy Dill is an American sculptor noted for his monumental bronze and marble abstractions.[1] His work is...
Metal
Sold
H 71 in W 105 in D 31.5 in
Large Frieze by Guy Dill, contemporary abstract large scale outdoor sculpture
By Guy Dill
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Large Frieze by Guy Dill, contemporary abstract large scale outdoor sculpture
Steel
Sold
H 52 in W 75 in D 33 in
Large Dorado by Guy Dill, abstract sculpture, outdoor, steel, powder coat
By Guy Dill
Located in Santa Fe, NM
Large Dorado by Guy Dill, abstract sculpture, outdoor, steel, powder coat
Steel