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

Dahl_h7
Untitled  Porcelain, Steel  21 x 8 x 16″ tall  $5500

female angel for Taos“Female Angel for Taos”  Porcelain, Steel  19 x 12 x 22″ tall  $6500

dahl_h8Untitled  Porcelain, Steel  21 x 6 x 20-1/2″ tall  $5500

Male angel for Taos72dpi“Male Angel for Taos”  Porcelain, Steel  17 x 8 x 28″ tall  $6500

31f875fa0e91ab960559a17dea94c843

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.
Back to top