Celebrating Passion for Art: A Labor of Love
Art and passion arguably go hand-in-hand. For sculptor Paul Rhymer, the passion for art was something innate from childhood – perhaps sparked by his grandparents and parents who were all artists.
“I’ve been doing [art] since I can remember,” Paul said. “I started out doing a lot of painting and drawing, then got into sculpture.”
After graduating with an associate’s degree in art, he took a job with the Smithsonian Institution doing taxidermy and model making. Paul held this position, doing three-dimensional work for the museum, for more than 25 years.
His time at the museum coupled with his passion for birding and waterfowl hunting has shaped his artistic style and inspires his sculptures today.
“I love translating my experiences with animals and wildlife, and seeing what I can do with that in creating sculptures,” Paul said. “I like the creative process…and I love the influence of other artists and how that’s changed my work.”
Paul uses the labor-intensive lost wax process to create his bronze works, and it’s evident passion is behind each masterfully crafted piece. Aside from his love for art and wildlife, Paul said being around other creative minds also fuels his passion.
“Being here at the Celebration of Fine Art is wonderful because there’s all of these incredibly talented people here, and I’m already working on some collaborative pieces,” he said.
