A wildlife sculptor who depicts anatomy of animals realistically, Tim Cherry was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and grew up in the mining town of Nelson in British Columbia.

At age 15, he became a wrangler and cook with an outfitter who led fishing and hunting trips into the wilderness of British Columbia. Over the next fifteen years, he continued that kind of work, specializing in moose and bear hunting, in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. His domain was 10,000 square miles.

He also became a taxidermist which led him to sculpting molds for trophy mounts and eventually to a career as full time wildlife sculptor. His primary studio is in Branson, Missouri, but he spends much time in Loveland, Colorado.

In in February 2007 exhibition of the National Sculpture Society, Tim Cherry received the society's highest honor, the Gold Medal and for his horse sculpture, Flea Flicker, was given the Maurice B. Hexter Prize.


Sources include:
Myrna Zanetell, "Tim Cherry: Animals With Attitude" Wildlife Art, March 2006M
Editor, "Quick Sketches", American Artist, May 2002, p. 17

Canadian born artist Tim Cherry has the ability to see the world from a unique perspective. Using a series of skillfully blended abstract shapes that evolve into delightfully stylized animals, birds and fish, he releases the being's essence. Cherry says, "Animals have personalities that make me smile, and that is what I try to convey through my work." The artist goes on to say, "Animals bring a degree of happiness to our lives that is difficult to explain."

Cherry grew up in Nelson, British Columbia, a frontier mining town at the edge of the Rockies. At age 15, he took a job as an outfitting guide, a job that brought him in close contact with wildlife such as moose, Dahl sheep, and grizzly bear. This fueled Cherry's interest in these animals so much that he later arranged to work with renowned taxidermist Forest Hart, and learned animal anatomy. When Hart began to sculpt, so did his protégé, and in the process, discovered his destiny.

From the beginning, Cherry rejected the more literal style of the late 19th century in favor of the art nouveau movement. Its' rich, free flowing forms seemed more suited to his playful animal creations. During the following 10 years, with shape and form taking precedence over exacting detail, he continued to experiment with a variety of concepts and images, creating an oeuvre that would run the gamut from Canadian wildlife to overstuffed pigs. Humor is a major force in Cherry's creations. "There are enough unpleasant aspects in life, so when it comes to my art, I prefer to view my subjects from a lighter perspective."

Although relaxed and easygoing, Cherry adheres to a demanding show schedule. Included in his yearly tour is the Prix de West in Oklahoma City, Sculpture in the Park in Loveland, the Western Visions Miniature Show in Jackson, Wyoming, and the National Sculpture Society Show, as well as several gallery exhibitions. Cherry was awarded the Earle Frazier award for sculpture that displays exceptional artistic merit at the Prix de West is 2001.

Tim Cherry's sculptures are inspired by aspects of art nouveau and a love for wildlife. His years of experience as a professional guide in the wilderness of northern Canada have inspired him to create artistic interpretations of wildlife.

"My sculptural approach is to combine simplified geometric shapes and lines to create flowing curvilinear forms. I enjoy orchestrating these elements into sculpture that is rhythmic, lyrical, and inviting to the touch. Creating sculpture that is unique and strong in design is my primary goal."

Cherry was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and raised in Nelson and Prince George, British Columbia. He now lives in Branson, Missouri, with his wife, Linda, and daughter, Amber.

Cherry has exhibited artwork in nationally known shows and exhibitions, winning several prestigious awards. He shows his sculptures in galleries across the United States and in Canada. In 2007 he won the NSS Gold Medal and Maurice B. Hexter Prize for Flea Flicker at the National Sculpture Society (NSS) Annual Exhibition, New York City. Cherry was selected as the featured sculptor for the 2008 Western Vision Exhibition and Sale at the National Wildlife Museum of Art, Jackson, Wyoming.

He is a Fellow of the National Sculpture Society, and a member of the National Sculptors' Guild and the Society of Animal Artists.

Source:
Masters of the West Show, Autry National Center, Lost Angeles, CA

Born in 1965, in Calgary, Alberta, wildlife sculptor Tim Cherry grew up in the frontier mining town of Nelson, nestled in the Canadian Rockies in southern British Colombia. When he was 15, Tim signed on as a wrangler and cook with an outfitter who led hunting and fishing trips into the wilderness of British Colombia. For the next 15 years, he worked with many companies that trekked into the Yukon and the Northwest Territories.

By the time he was 18, he was guiding his own clients on trips. Tim took an interest in taxidermy and eventually arranged to work with nationally renowned taxidermist Forest Hart in Hampden, Maine. He learned to sculpt clay musculature and build fiberglass molds for trophy mounts. Tim Cherry knew he found his preferred medium when he watched Forest Hart prepare a model to be transformed into a bronze.

At the relatively young age of 25, Tim earned membership in the Society of Animal Artists and six years later won entrance into the National Sculpture Society. Tim Cherry draws his inspiration from the art nouveau movement, which emphasizes the linear qualities as well as the spiritual elements of the piece.

Tim resides in Branson, MO, with his wife and daughter, but he considers Loveland, Colorado, his home away from home.

Tim Cherry was born in Calgary, Alberta in 1965, and grew up in Nelson, a town located amid the Canadian Rockies in southeastern British Columbia. At sixteen he began working summers for a hunting outfit, and by the time he was eighteen he was guiding his own clients on trips. Throughout his experiences during this time, Cherry focused on the shapes and movements of the animals in this wilderness. His love for these creatures led him to an interest in taxidermy.

At 19 Cherry contacted taxidermist Forest Hart, who specialized in sculpting mannequins used by taxidermists. Hart invited him to his workshop in Maine, where he learned the anatomy of animals and became skilled in modeling their musculature. In 1988 he met sculptor Dan Ostermiller who invited him to work in his studio. At this time Cherry was also working in the studio of Fritz White, where he began to carve animals in alabaster, experimenting with graceful lines and simple forms. Sculpting was to become his life work.

Today, his sculptures are bronze and issued in small editions. They are marked by highly polished surfaces, innovative patinas, elegant forms and a sense of whimsy. At age twenty-five, he gained membership in the Society of Animal Artists, and at thirty, he was elected into membership in the National Sculpture Society and the National Sculptors Guild.

In 2001 he received the James Earl Fraser Sculpture Award.

Tim Cherry's work is widely collected, and his work is seen in major exhibitions throughout the US, collector's homes, and in public places internationally.