M E L V I N    J O H A N S E N
 

         
Grizzly Sow                                                   Gathering                                                      Royalty     
 19" High-Bronze                                         24" High-Bronze                                        19" High-Bronze    

         
          Cougar Bust                                                       Mountain Lion Pair                                              Mountain Goat Pair
    9.5" High-Bronze                                            20" High-30" Long-Bronze                                           23"-High-Bronze

         
   Natural Ram Bust                                                The Catch                                                                 Startled                     
 13" High-Bronze                                          14" High-Bronze                                                    16" High-Bronze          

             
           Amore Relief                                    Standing Grizzly and Cubs                      Spotted Sentinel Relief
   18" x  16"-Bronze                                         10" High-Bronze                                     20" x  16"-Bronze

         
   Lion Relief                                                     Ram Relief                                                   Royalty Relief
24" x  23"-Bronze                                         16" x  16"-Bronze                                           21" x  21"-Bronze

"A sculptor of remarkable accuracy and nuanced observation, Melvin Johansen brings to his work a legacy of study of the natural world. 

Born in 1915, Johansen has devoted his life to the celebration of wildlife through reverent and joyous representation.  He began his career as a taxidermist with the Snow Museum of Natural History in Oakland, California.  Through his work at the museum, Johansen traveled throughout the Western United States, Mexico and Canada photographing and documenting various species in their natural environments.  His work allowed him to study animal anatomy and form with an academic comprehensiveness.  The photographs and sketches produced from these trips appeared in several natural history publications and films.

In 1972, Johansen retired as senior curator of the Natural Sciences Division of the Oakland Museum in order to focus on his artwork.  The result was a body of work that represents the animal world with reverence and spirit.  Johansen’s technical knowledge imbibes his work with authenticity and completeness.  Despite his precision, Johansen’s unique style allows the work to transcend pure representation and serve as testimonials to the beauty of nature. 

Vivid and assured, Johansen’s figures feature a loose, appropriately unrefined texture that prevents them from appearing overly technical and suggests movement and presence even when his subject is depicted at rest.  His appreciation and insight of form leads to compositions of validity and grace."

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