Carl Dahl
Carl Dahl, a Southwestern sculptor, brings a classical aesthetic to his work, one born from his life experiences, reflections, and the profound influence of the extreme desert landscape in which he was raised. Integral to his sculptures is the metaphorical exploration of the human condition, and the struggle to find mercy in an often-pitiless world. Biography
Untitled Porcelain, Steel 21 x 8 x 16″ tall $5500
“Female Angel for Taos” Porcelain, Steel 19 x 12 x 22″ tall $6500
Untitled Porcelain, Steel 21 x 6 x 20-1/2″ tall $5500
“Male Angel for Taos” Porcelain, Steel 17 x 8 x 28″ tall $6500
Carl Dahl enjoyed a lucrative career in technology before surrendering to his love of art over two decades ago. Having already earned from Arizona State University a BA degree in Philosophy, BS degrees in Finance and Computer Information Systems, and an MBA, Dahl returned to the university for his MFA in Sculpture.Dahl said, “In sculpture, I prefer to work on an intimate scale. This immediacy lets me work fast and with simple tools. My materials are moist clay, steel wire, time and heat. The emerging clay figures—bleached, bone-like and suffused with rusting iron—capture elemental parts of my desert experience. The wood bases reflect an instance of life grounding this entropy.”
Dahl has garnered worldwide recognition for his horse sculptures, which capture the grace of the regal creatures. “In horses, I find beauty, power and freedom; their legs, that seemed overly long to me as a child, rise to complete the perfect form.” Likewise, his studies of the human figure reflect the essence of the gestures, woes and joys that are the narrative of existence.
Carl Dahl was the recipient of grants from the Research Institute for Studies in the Arts, and commissions from Yamanshi University in Japan and the W.P. Carey School of Business. He is represented in galleries throughout the West, and in France.
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