Jerry McKellar

Artist’s Bio

EDUCATION & BACKGROUND
Graduated University of Washington, DDS degree, June 1969.

Primarily a self-taught artist, his vivid imagination combined with input from life experiences, travel, and nature influence his creative spirit. McKellar’s education at the University of Washington dental school provided him with extensive studies of facial and human anatomy that has helped greatly in sculpting the human body. He began making jewelry in dental school, and continued throughout his dental career to experiment with different art forms, including painting, scratchboard drawing, and sculpting. He has been seriously sculpting in bronze and steel since 1987 and retired from dentistry in 1994 to pursue his art career full time. He has taken patina classes, and has expanded on that knowledge with years of experimentation. He currently does much of his own patina work, including his lifesize and larger sculptures.

Characteristic of McKellar’s work is his realistic style, embodied with power and movement. His work varies from extremely fine detail to smooth muscle studies emphasizing the human form.

As an accomplished and inventive artist, he is constantly expanding his style and subject matter. Many monumental and life-size sculptures have been installed in public and private collections.

MUSEUMS/ CORPORATE/ PERMANENT PUBLIC SCULPTURE
2020 Life-size “Huckleberry Daze” – Spokane Valley Arts Council for Spokane Valley, WA
2020 Life-size “Indomitable Spirit” – Spokane Valley Arts Council for Spokane Valley, WA
2019 Life-size “Huckleberry Daze” – LCAC and the City of Chelan, WA
2019 Life-size “Flower Dancing in the Wind” – Vinson Fund for the City of Colville, WA
2019 “Elk Woman” Steel sculpture – Vinson Fund for the City of Colville, WA
2018 Life-size “Huckleberry Daze” – Vinson Fund for the City of Colville, WA
2018 “When Buffalo Roamed” – City of Sioux Falls, SD
2017 “Coup Ponies” Monument – City of Spokane Valley, WA
2017 “Broken Silence” – City of Sheridan, WY
2017 Life-size “A Bad Hair Day” – City of Creston, B.C., Canada
2016 “Quiet Bear” – Avera McKennon Hospital Group – Sioux Falls, SD
2015 Monumental “Dance of Sun & Moon” – Spokane Valley, WA
2014 Life-size “Huckleberry Daze – Mason City, IA
2013 Life-size “Huckleberry Daze” – Sheridan, WY
2012 “Into Thin Air” – Permanent Outdoor Collection, Chelan, WA
2010 Life-size “Flower Dancing in the Wind” – Sioux Falls, SD
2010 “Message to Sky Father” – Kessler Canyon Guest Ranch – DeBeque, CO
2010 Life-size Steel Mountain Goat Nanny & Kid – City of Chelan, WA
2009 Life-size Steel Mountain Goats – City of Chelan, WA
2009 Monumental “Working the Line” – City of Spokane Valley, WA
2008 Life-size “Flower Dancing in the Wind” – City of Chelan, WA
2007 Monumental “Dance of Sun & Moon – El Monte Sagrado Resort & Spa, Taos, NM
2007 Monumental “Working the Line” – Sublette County Visitor Center, Pinedale, WY
2006 Steel Wall Sculpture- Colville Public Library – Colville, WA
2005 Monumental “Dance of Sun & Moon” – Casa del Sol y Luna, Lake Forest, IL
2005 Life-size “Flower Dancing in the Wind” – City of Sheridan, WY
2005 Monumental “Bow Stringer” – Beaver Creek Lodge, Beaver Creek, CO
2005 Life-size “Huckleberry Daze”- Kessler Canyon Guest Ranch, DeBeque, CO
2004 Life-size “Huckleberry Daze” Beaver Creek Lodge, Beaver Creek, CO
2004 “He Hunts at Night” –Steel, 10’ H – Kessler Canyon Guest Ranch, DeBeque, CO
2003 “Working the Line” – Clymer Museum Permanent Collection, Ellensburg, WA
2001 Life-size “Flower Dancing in the Wind”- Fountain Hills Civic Assoc., Fountain Hills, AZ
2001 “New Guinea Tribesman” – Kessler Collection Boardroom, Orlando, FL
2000 Monumental “Bow Stringer” – Celebration Hotel, Celebration, FL
1999 “Bow Stringer”- Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, VT
1999 “Shawl Dancer”- Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, VT
1999 “Challenger” -Steel Sculpture, 10’ H- City of Ellensburg, WA
1999 “Bow Stringer” – University of Montana Permanent Collection, Missoula, MT
1998 “First of the Season” – Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Logan, UT
1997 “Osage Silver” – Clymer Museum Permanent Collection, Ellensburg, WA

HONORS AND AWARDS
2018 – “Otter Woman” People’s Choice Award – University of Sioux Falls, SD
2017 “When Buffalo Roamed” People’s Choice Award – Sioux Falls, SD
2017 – “Coup Ponies”- Spokane Valley Arts Council Board Choice Award – Spokane Valley, WA
2016 “When Wealth Was Pelts” Best of Show – Sioux Falls Sculpture Walk- Sioux Falls, SD
2015 “Quiet Bear” – People’s Choice Award – Avera Sculpture Walk – Sioux Falls, SD
2014 “Indomitable Spirit” (life-size) Bronze Award City Art Sculpture Tour, Mankato, MN
2013 Selected as Charter Member of the C. M.Russell Museum Skull Society of Artists
2013 “Indomitable Spirit”(life-size) Best in Show Sculpture Tour Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI
2013 “A Bad Hair Day” (life-size) 2nd Place Bronze City Art Sculpture Tour, Mankato, MN
2012 “A Bad Hair Day” (life-size) People’s Choice Best in Show Bronze-Sculpture Tour Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI
2012 “Indomitable Spirit” (life-size) Director’s Award -Sculpture Walk, Sioux Falls, SD
2012 “Double Trouble” People’s Choice Award- Lake Chelan Juried Art Show, Chelan, WA
2011 “Dog Society” Best Artisan Award- Lake Chelan Juried Art Show, Chelan, WA
2010 “Flower Dancing in the Wind” (life-size) People’s Choice Award -Sculpture Walk Sioux Falls, SD
2010 “Broken Promises” People’s Choice Best Sculpture Award- C.M. Russell Show, Great Falls, MT
2010 ” A Bad Hair Day” – Patrons’ Choice Award- Spokane Valley Arts Council, Spokane Valley, WA
2010 “A Bad Hair Day” Best Artisan Award- Lake Chelan Juried Art Show, Chelan, WA
2009 “Message to Sky Father” People’s Choice Best Sculpture Award – C.M. Russell Show, Great Falls, MT
2006 “Coup Ponies” CM Russell Museum CEO Award -C.M. Russell Museum, Great Falls, MT
2006 “Coup Ponies” People’s Choice Best Sculpture Award- C.M. Russell Show, Great Falls, MT
2005 “Otter Woman” People’s Choice Best Sculpture Award C.M. Russell Show, Great Falls, MT
2004 “Working the Line” Award for Excellence – JH Urology Conference, Jackson, WY
2003 “Working the Line” Western Art Assoc. Purchase Award – Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2003 “Working the Line” Old West Museum Gallery Award- Western Spirit Art Show, Cheyenne, WY
2002 “Indomitable Spirit” John Clymer Award- Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
2001 “Serenity” 2nd Place Contemporary Sculpture- Phippen Western Art Show, Prescott, AZ
1999 “Bow Stringer” Juried Annual Exhibition- National Sculpture Society, NY, NY
1999 “First of the Season” 2nd Place Traditional Sculpture- Phippen Western Art Show, Prescott, AZ
1998 “Woope’s Gift” Best of Show/Bronze- Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
1998 “Bow Stringer” Honorary Award/Traditional Sculpture- Phippen Western Art Show, Prescott, AZ
1997 “Osage Silver” Artists’ Choice Award – C.M Russell Show, Great Falls, MT
1997 “Osage Silver” Best Sculpture- C.M. Russell Show, Great Falls, MT
1997 “Osage Silver” Purchase Award- Clymer Museum, Ellensburg, WA
1997 “Time of the Cold Maker” 1st Place/3 Dimensional- Spokane Western Art Show, Spokane, WA
1996 “Kit Fox Lance Bearer” Best of Show/ Bronze- Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
1995 “Black Raven” Best of Show/ Bronze – Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA
1994 “Kwottenai Kanye” 2ND Place Bronze- SCI Art Competition, Reno, NV
1993 “On Eagles’ Wings” Best of Show/ Bronze- Western Art Show, Ellensburg, WA

COMMISSIONS
2017 “Wind Spirit” to 1 ¼ Life-size Monument – Kessler Collection Commission
2017 EOD Sculpture “The Homecoming” – Private Commission
2016 EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) Memorial Sculpture “The First Goodbye”– Private Commission
2015 “Defiance” – Mirror Image – Private Commission
2014 Two bronze award trophies for SCI, Tucson, AZ
2013 Steel Mountain Goat – Private Commission – Chelan, WA
2013 Bronze Longhorn Bull- “The Boss”, Private Commission- Boerne, TX
2012- Life-size steel Mountain Goat – Private Commission – Chelan, WA
2010- Life-size burro “A Bad Hair Day” – Private Commission, Boerne, TX
2010- Steel Mountain Goats (2 additional) – Rotary Club for the City of Chelan, WA
2009- Steel Mountain Goats – Rotary Club for the City of Chelan, WA
2008- Bas-relief bronze sculptures- “Big 5” motorcycle – Mountain Choppers, Colville, WA
2006- Caroline Lambert Grassell Foundation, Pinedale, WY –Monumental “Working the Line”
2006- Life-size “Coup Ponies” (4 horses/1 rider) Private Commission-Sandy, Utah
2006 Stevens County Library – steel “Reading Tree” – Colville, WA
2005 –Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Missoula, MT – Elk bust “The Challenge”
2004 –Spokane, WA Ronald McDonald House – life-size bear prototype for Spokane Fundraiser
2004- 16’ Monument, “Dance of Sun & Moon” Private Commission – Lake Forest, IL
1999- 8 1/2′ Monumental “Bow Stringer” – Private Commission – Hygiene, CO
1997- Private Commission – Sculpture, “Last Load”, Seattle, WA
1995 Rotary International – Original Sculpture for Rotary International President – Calgary, Alberta

MEMBERSHIPS
2013 -Charter Member – C.M. Russell Museum- The Russell Skull Society of Artists
National Sculpture Society – Colleague Member
Western Art Association Past Member Artist Advisory Board
Spokane Valley Arts Council
Lake Chelan Arts Council

MEDIA
Art of the West Magazine – feature article – July/Aug 2018
Art Chowder Magazine –feature article- March/April 2017
Spokesman-Review – Dance of Sun & Moon Installation -March 2015
KSPS Spokane Public Television – Northwest Profile Segment –May 2015
YouTube – Northwest Profiles: Patina Pizazz
Cover Safari Award Magazine – Spring 2015
The Current – Spokane Valley News Magazine – March 2015
KVCL Radio – 2 day interview segment – April 2015
Statesman-Examiner- August 2013
Western Art Collector Magazine – February 2010
Spokesman-Review Feature – September 2009
Art of the West Magazine – Mar/April 2008
Coeur d’Alene Magazine – Winter 2005
InformArt Magazine- Winter Issue 2005,2002
Southwest Art Magazine – July 2001
Art of the West – November/December 2000, July/Aug 2005
InformArt Magazine – Summer Issue -1999
Sculpture Forum Magazine – Summer 1998
Indulge Magazine – Art Review – Summer Issue 1998
Washington State Dental Alumni Magazine – Fall 1997

PAST & CURRENT EXHIBITIONS/ SHOWS
Western Masters Show Great Falls, MT
Juried Outdoor Sculpture Sioux Falls, SD
Juried Outdoor Sculpture Eau Claire, WI
Juried Outdoor Sculpture Mankato, MN
Juried Outdoor Sculpture Mason City, IA
Juried Outdoor Sculpture Castlegar, B.C., Canada
Juried Outdoor Sculpture Invitational Sheridan, WY
“Magnificent 7” Artist – C.M. Russell Show Great Falls, MT
Juried Outdoor Sculpture Walk Gillette, WY
Maryhill Museum 2004 Outdoor Sculpture Invitational Goldendale, WA
2004 Juried Outdoor Sculpture Art on the Plaza Sheridan, WY
C.M. Russell Show Great Falls, MT
Loveland Sculpture Invitational Loveland, CO
National Sculpture Society Annual Exhibition (1999) New York, NY
Old West Museum 2003 & 2004 Western Spirit Show Cheyenne, WY
Will Rogers Masters Trappings Exhibition Fort Worth, TX
Old West Museum 2003 Gallery Awards Art Show Cheyenne, WY
Phippen Western Art Show Prescott, AZ
Museum of Fine Arts, University of Montana Missoula, MT
Jagen Und Fischen Show (SCI Pavilion) Munich, Germany
Shared Visions Exhibition/Clymer Museum Ellensburg, WA
Mountain Oyster Club Art Show Tucson, AZ
Art Associates of the Missoula Art Museum Missoula, MT
Trails West Western Art Show Vancouver, WA
Spokane Western Art Show Spokane, WA
Artists for Open Space Bigfork, MT
Fred Oldfield Western Heritage Center Tacoma, WA
Thunderbird Artists Carefree, AZ
Caswell Gallery Out of Africa Exhibition Troutdale, OR
RMEF Banquet Program Artist Missoula, MT
National Western Art Show Ellensburg, WA