alive!

Eva Stanley, Artist Extraordinaire 
As a young teenager I was fortunate enough to have made a friend of a fellow competitor in high school sports. I was also fortunate enough to have met his father who was an amazing landscape artist.  His work was recognized as being comparable to Andrew Wyeth. It opened my eyes to the magnificence of creativity. Something I have chased for these my ninety years. Sometimes successful, sometimes not so much. But I learned, and came to recognize those artists who are capable of truly wonderful works of art. I find Eva as one of those artists. She has demonstrated her amazing talent in the process of achieving a variety of excellence in a wide field of art endeavors. Whether it is in painting wildlife, sculpture, wood carving, and other equally challenging venues.  Her wildlife photography is breathtaking, particularly those of a momma Grizzly bear with her cubs somewhere in Alaska. I am consistently amazed at her wide ranging ability to seize the moment and convert it into a wonderful exhibit of the beauty of nature. It has been my pleasure to have known Eva for some twenty years, and for her to further exhibit that supreme talent very few of us have. I will continue to cherish that relationship for whatever time I may have left.  The journey for me started eighty years ago in a landscape. It will most probably come to completion in having known Eva Stanley.
--Fausto DelGrosso., Master Carver, Breinigsville, Pennsylvania, USA--

Alive!   Eva Stanley's works are alive.  That is the most descriptive word I can attach to hers pieces.  Many years ago I bought her Box Turtle and every time I look at it it still surprises me as to how alive it looks.  As I pick it up and feel the weight of the bronze, and look closely at what is clearly a metal patina, I know logically it is a sculpture, but when I put it down I feel it will just slowly walk away on its own.  The Gila Monster which Ms Stanley displayed at last year's Sculpture in the Park show in Loveland produced that same feeling.  I -- and numerous other admirers -- just stared at the Gila Monster waiting for it to move.   

-- Jim Q., Loveland, Colorado, USA –        

I first met Eva at the Loveland “Sculpture in the Park” show.  I am an avid birder and had been looking for some bird sculptures to display in my home.  She had several bird pieces on display at her booth as well as other animals.  I really became attached to a sculpture of a Baltimore Oriole she had on display and purchased it.  Since then I have commissioned her to do two more pieces for me.  I have never found her less than professional in our contractual dealings. She shows me the work in progress, and keeps me posted on her thoughts and feelings on the piece.  It makes me feel like I am part of the process.  I've had the privilege of watching her take measurements of museum specimens and was struck by the amount of respect and reverence she shows to her subjects.  She obviously loves what she does, and the animals she reproduces in bronze.   To me personally, to have some of these birds displayed in three-dimension in my home is the next best thing to actually being out in nature with them.  It brings a sense of peace to a sometimes chaotic world.  As so many people have said, "art is food for the soul."  We may exist without art in our lives, but would we want to?  
‑‑Helmut R., Loveland, Colorado, USA –          

Our group contracted with Eva Stanley and Sharon Fullingim to design a sculpture which would greet visitors coming to the Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area in SW Indiana.    Their design, featuring bronze Sandhill Cranes upon a sculptured limestone base, was selected unanimously from among the designs submitted to our Board of Directors. The finished work beautifully captured the essence of our wetland’s signature bird species – the Sandhill Crane.   Eva and Sharon’s work was done on time, on budget, and with wonderful esthetic intent. We have no hesitation in recommending the work of these exceptional artists.    
--The Friends of Goose Pond – Linton, Indiana --   

I love Eva’s box turtle, “On My Way.”  It reminds me of a box turtle that came up from the woods on the west side of our house, walked across through the front yard and then went back to the woods on the east side of our house each summer for several years in a row.  I miss it now that it takes another path.  Eva’s attention to detail is unsurpassed; one could not ask for more accurate sculpture than Eva’s. Enjoy!         
--Joy B., St. Louis, Missouri, USA--  

It was a tough choice- The hummingbird is our choice.  It will be special to have one of your prints because you do such nice work!!
--Jim K., Gwinn, Michigan, USA--

Other References:  

Na ‘Āina Kai Sculpture and Botanical Gardens, Kauai Hawaii
     President:  Joyce Doty…….. jhd@NaAinaKai.org
     Head Horticulturalist:  Marty Fernandez…….. horticulture@NaAinaKai.org,   

The Wildlife Experience Museum, Parker (Denver), Colorado
     Head Exhibits Curator:  Connie Mohrman…….. cmohrman@twexp.org  

Goose Pond State Fish and Wildlife Area, Linton, Indiana
     Property Manager:  Brad Feaster…….. bfeaster@dnr.in.gov
     Friends of Goose Pond:  Nyle Riegle…….. n.riegle@comcast.net