Artist Bio

A Colorado native, I studied sculpture at the Art Students League of Denver and the Loveland Academy of Fine Arts, as well as participating in ISC (International Sculpture Center) workshops at the Art Institute of Chicago. I sculpt in clay on maquette size works and cast in bronze via the lost wax method. On life size and monumental works I prefer to sculpt in low density foam with a hot-knife, applying clay to the surface before casting in bronze via the lost wax method.

I began my artistic career sculpting representational, figurative works, studying with and in the tradition of many of the highly regarded sculptors working in and around Loveland and Denver, Colorado. I realized in time however, that it was neither my desire nor ambition to sculpt "photographs" in bronze. Rather, I felt that I wanted to create my own new and unique direction in representing the human form and the forms of the multitude of special creatures surrounding us, exploring the unique attitude, emotion and personality of each, while attempting to capture the "Joie de Vivre" that I believe is "lurking" somewhere inside all of us.

In 2002 and 2003, my work was selected Best of Show, Best of Sculpture or 2nd place sculpture on 14 separate occasions at nationally recognized exhibitions. In 2003, my work "Chauncey" (monumental sizing) was selected by the Loveland High Plains Art Council for purchase and permanent installation in the Benson Sculpture Park, Loveland, Colorado.

I was honored to be an invited Juror (3dimensional work) in the 2003 and 2004 Sausalito Art Festivals, the 2003 St. James Court Art Festival, the 2003 Highland Park, Port Clinton Art Festival and the 2004 La Quinta Arts Festival.

Jim Budish - Curriculum Vitae

I typically sculpt in clay and cast my work in bronze via the lost-wax method. I began my artistic career sculpting representational figurative works, studying with, and in the tradition of, many of the highly regarded sculptors working in and around Loveland, CO which had become one of the worlds sculpting capitals. I realized in time however that it was neither my desire nor ambition to sculpt “photographs” in bronze. Rather, I felt that I wanted to created my own new and unique direction in representing the special creatures surrounding us, exploring the unique attitude, emotion and personality of each, while attempting to capture the “Joi-De-Vie” that I believe is “lurking” somewhere inside of each of us.

EDUCATION

1969 – 1972 Metropolitan State College Denver, CO
1996 – 1999 Loveland Academy of Fine Art, Loveland, CO
1998 ISC Workshop , School of the Art Institute Chicago
1999-2000 Denver Art Students League

PUBLIC EXHIBITIONS AND AWARDS - Group – Partial Listing

1998 Fort Lupton Art Museum, Fort Lupton, CO
1999 Gilpin Art Museum, Central City, CO (Awarded Best of Sculpture)
2001 Denver Art Students League, Denver, CO
2001 Denver History Museum Joy of Sculpture, Denver, CO (Awarded People’s
Choice Award)
2001, 2002, 2003 One of A Kind Show and Sale Chicago, IL (Awarded Best of Show, Best of
Sculpture, Best of Sculpture respectively)
2002 - 2009 Loveland High Plains Arts Council, Sculpture in The Park (Purchase Award
2003)
2003 –2009 Von Leibig Art Musuem, Naples National Art Show, Naples, FL (Best of Show, Best of Sculpture, 2nd Place Sculpture
2004 Niagara University, NY, within the collection of Ami and Warren Greatbatch Sculpture respectively 2005 – 2008)
2005 – 2009 Scottsdale Art Museum, Scottsdale, AZ (Awarded 2nd Place Sculpture
2005 and 2008)
2009 Fort Lauderdale Art Museum, Fort Lauderdale, FL

An expanded listing of exhibitions provided upon request

ADDITIONAL AWARDS

Include 26 Best of Show - First in Sculpture - Honorable Mention/Second in Sculpture

SELECT GALLERY EXHIBITIONS SOLO/GROUP

2000 Gallery Jan, La Jolla, CA Group Show
The Studio’s at La Quinta Resort, La Quinta, CA One Man Show
Maple Avenue Gallery, Evanston, IL Two Person Show
Hilligoss Galleries, Chicago, IL One Man Show
Smith Klein Gallery Boulder, CO Two Person Show
Diehl Gallery, Jackson, WY One Man Show
2005 Smith Klein Gallery, Boulder, CO Two Person show
2005 Zantman Gallery Carmel, CA One Man Show
2005 Zantman Gallery Palm Desert, CA One Man Show
Maple Avenue Gallery, Evanston, IL One Man Show
2006 Wood River Gallery, Sun Valley, ID, One Man Show
2006 Phoenix Gallery, Park City, UT, Group Show
Wilde Meyer Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ Group Show
Smith Klein Gallery, Boulder, Two Person Show
2008 S.O.F.A. CHICAGO, Chicago, IL, Niemi Gallery
2008 Diehl Gallery, Jackson, WY, One Man Show
2009 S.O.F.A. CHICAGO, Chicago, IL, Niemi Gallery

SELECT LISTING OF PUBLIC/SEMI-PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

Benson Sculpture Park, Loveland, CO
The Denver Children’s Hospital, Denver, CO
The Worrell Collection, Charlottesville, VA
The Leanin’ Tree Museum, Boulder, CO
The University of Western Kentucky, Bowling Green Kentucky
The City of Edmonds, OK/Randall Shadid
Mercy Saint Joseph’s Hospital Ann Arbor, MI
Port Clinton Square, Highland Park, IL
The City of Fountain Hills, AZ
Poudre Valley Memorial Hospital, Fort Collins, CO
Centerra Corporation, Fort Collins, CO
Sublette County Library, Pinedale, WY

A partial listing of significant private collections and collection bequests will be provided upon request.

JURYING/JUDGING

2001 – 2004 Juror Port Clinton Art Festival, Highland Park, IL
2002 – 2004 Juror Gold Coast Art Festival, Chicago, IL
2002 – 2009 Juror La Quinta Arts Foundation, La Quinta, CA
2005 Judge, La Quinta Arts Foundation
2005, 2006, 2007 Juror, Loveland High Plains Arts Counsel Sculpture in the Park, Loveland, CO
2003 – 2009 Juror, Sausalito Arts Festival, Sausalito, CA
2007 Invited Guest Speaker Loveland High Plains Arts Council, Sculpture in The Park “The Business of Art”