MUSTANG PRIDE

MUSTANG PRIDE Monumental Bronze, 12’ x 9’ x 4’The mustang has long been the symbol and mascot for Natrona County High School in Casper, Wyoming. As a tribute to the school, I created Mustang Pride, a wild mustang stallion rearing forward with mane and tail flying. This was a special monument to me, as my two children, JC and Natalie, along with my wife, Lynne, all graduated from NCHS. I was able to dedicate the bronze while my son and daughter were attending school there. chrisnavarro.com

EAGLE AGAINST THE SUN

EAGLE AGAINST THE SUN - Bronze, and Stainless-Steel Monumental, 10’ x 6’ x 3’ A polished stainless-steel ring represents the sun. Attaching the Eagle’s upper wing to the top of the ring allows the lower wing to be surrounded by negative space, creating a stronger sense of flight.chrisnavarro.com

BUFFALO SOLDIER

BUFFALO SOLDIER Monumental Bronze, 120’’ x 50’ x 40’’ located in Cheyenne WY. “Buffalo Soldier” is a nickname given by Native American tribes to the members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment. Their combat prowess, bravery, and tenaciousness on the battlefield inspired Indians to call them “Buffalo Soldiers.” chrisnavarro.com

RING OF PEACE

RING OF PEACE Bronze and Stainless Steel Monumental Bronze, 19’ x 4’ x 3.5’ I created this sculpture in memory of Matthew Shepard, the University of Wyoming student who was killed in 1998. The 19-foot tall memorial is located in Casper, Wyoming. I was driving home to Wyoming from Texas in 1998 after delivering a monument when my wife Lynne called to tell me that Judy Shepard, Matthew’s mother, wanted to talk to me about a memorial to her son. Later, from my motel room, I awoke at 3 a.m. I have a habit of keeping a pen and paper next to my bed, so I quickly made note of my thoughts before falling back to sleep. The next morning, I noticed my sketch and the accompanying poem that had come to me as a dream. As I looked at it, I knew I would create this sculpture.
THE RING OF PEACE
If you believe in hope
And the need for peace,
Step up and ring the bell,
So it will sing
For the promise of tomorrow.

’’THE MESSENGER’’

’’THE MESSENGER’’ monumental bronze of John W. Smith for San Antonio, TX. Smith was the last messenger sent by Lt. Col William B. Travis. in 1836. He rode out to get reinforcements for the Alamo. The sculpture 12.5 feet in height and to be placed at the Alamo and be part of the Alamo Sculpture Trail, which includes 14 bronze sculptures, placed between the Alamo and the Briscoe Western Art Museum and will be dedicated in 2018 during San Antonio Texas tricentennial celebration. chrisnavarro.com

20% CHANCE OF FLURRIES

20% CHANCE OF FLURRIES Monumental Bronze, 15’ x 11’ x 7’ is a sculpture that won a national competition and was commissioned as a 15-foot tall monument by the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Placed at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, the sculpture honors the dedication and hardships of the people who make their living ranching and farming. Guy and Vern Robinett, my rancher friends from Casper, Wyoming, modeled for the sculpture. We were riding out in his pasture to catch a young calf to put across a saddle when he told me about a time a few years back when the weather forecast for that day was a “20% chance of flurries.” The seemingly small storm turned out to be a severe spring blizzard and killed more than half of their herd. As I depict him here, the rancher has his head down against the wind, calf across the saddle, with his horse pulling through deep snow in the middle of a blizzard.  For me, this image of a cowboy on a horse saving a young calf embodies the test of endurance that highlights the best qualities of the men and women who live in the West. They face hard conditions and take life as it comes.

WHEN CHAMPIONS MEET

WHEN CHAMPIONS MEET Monumental Bronze, 15’ x 11’ x 7’ Located in Greeley, Colorado, the Greeley Independence Stampede is known as the world's largest Fourth of July rodeo. I was commissioned to create the monumental sculpture When Champions Meet for the stampede’s 75th anniversary in 1997. The sculpture depicts saddle bronc riding, often referred to as “the classic event of rodeo.” The horse is rocketing out of the chutes, with a rider balanced in the mark-out position. What you see is a champion bucking horse against a champion cowboy in a beautiful, wild dance. I have probably sculpted more cowboys riding bucking horses than any other subject. There's always something epic about a horse trying to throw a man off of his back. Rodeo is more about trying than anything else. A man or women with guts and heart can become anything in this world they want or desire, because to be a champion, all you have to give is all you got.

CHAMPION LANE FROST

CHAMPION LANE FROST Monumental Bronze, 15’ x 11’ x 9’ World Champion bull rider Lane Frost lost his life at age 25 competing in the 1989 Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo. As a former bull rider, I wanted to honor the great young man who paid the ultimate price doing what he had a passion and love for,  I decided to commission myself as the artist. Champion Lane Frost is always going to be one of my favorite sculptures because of all of the difficulties and challenges it took to complete it. Every time I started feeling good about the project, something would come along and knock me down. Right out of the gate, the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo Committee turned me down, saying I would have to raise all of the funds on my own. My father suffered a stroke just as I was starting the monument. He died on Nov. 8, 1992. When I was nearly finished with the clay original, it burned up in a fire at Caleco Foundry in Cody, Wyoming, on March 6, 1993. I was living in the foundry when an electric heater warming the clay shorted out and started a fire in the building. I awoke at 3 a.m. to find my room filled with smoke and called 911 before jumping out of the second story window. The volunteer fire department arrived and extinguished the fire, but not before the surface of the clay sculpture and most of my tools had been destroyed. I ordered new tools and clay that very day and began working long hours to repair the damage. I was able to finish the monument and delivered it just days before the dedication on July 26, 1993. This was my first large public monument and it will always have a special place in my heart. Champion Lane Frost is located at Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Through its simple truth, the following quote by Lane touches my heart and gives me strength.  ''Don't be afraid to go after what you want to do and what you want to be. But don't be afraid to be willing to pay the price.''  ̶ Lane Frost

WYOMING COWBOY

WYOMING COWBOY Monumental Bronze, 16’ x 11’ x 5’ Wyoming Cowboy is located at the entrance to the University of Wyoming’s Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center in Laramie. The silhouette of a cowboy riding a bucking horse has long been the symbol of the state of Wyoming. The cowboy astride a bucking horse represents the toughness, pride, spirit, and independence of the people, animals, and landscapes of Wyoming

Spirit of the Thunderbird

Spirit of the Thunderbird Monumental Bronze, 15’ x 11‘x 4’ depicts the Native American warrior medicine man in his ritual dance. Reverence for the half-man, half-eagle mythological figure is designed after Casper College mascot the Heyoka and is located at Casper College in Casper, Wyoming, where I attended school.

ESSENCE OF REX - Monumental Bronze, 13.5’ x 28’ x 7’ This sculpture is a life-size Tyrannosaurus rex

ESSENCE OF REX  -  Monumental Bronze, 13.5’ x 28’ x 7’  This sculpture is a life-size Tyrannosaurus rex. One side is skeletal while the other side is “fleshed out.” LED lights illuminate the piece from within, and the light radiating outward gives the sculpture a special effect. The sculpture is located at the entrance to the Tate Geological Museum in Casper, Wyoming.  chrisnavarro.com

COLUMBIAN MAMMOTH By Chris Navarro

COLUMBIAN MAMMOTH By Chris Navarro Monumental Bronze, 20’ x 25’ x 16’
The Columbian Mammoth is the representative symbol for the Washakie Museum and Cultural Center in Worland, Wyoming. The Colby Mammoth Kill Site near Worland provides evidence of Paleo-Indian hunters: namely, the recovery of Clovis projectile points, along with various stone fragments and tools. The remains of seven prehistoric mammoths were excavated at the Colby Site, where animals were butchered and stacked in meat caches or piles to be used at a later time. These caches remained unopened until Dr. Frison opened them in 1973. The site provides us with a unique glimpse into the lives of some of Wyoming’s earliest hunters and gatherers.

‘’IF WE CAN’T GET ALONG LET’S GET IT ON’’ Quickdraw Buffalo Bill Art Show 2018

‘’IF WE CAN’T GET ALONG LET’S GET IT ON’’   Quickdraw Buffalo Bill Art Show 2018

chrisnavarro.com

‘’FAMILY TREE’’ Quickdraw Jackson Hole Art Festival 2018

‘’FAMILY TREE’’   Quickdraw Jackson Hole Art Festival 2018

chrisnavarro.com

Here is another sculptych I created with fellow artist Brandon Bailey.

Here is another sculptych I created with fellow artist Brandon Bailey. Most of the time I work alone in my studio it has been great to collaborate with another artist on creating this new art form. We plan on doing more of them. Let us know what you think.

I started on my book DARE TO DREAM BIG it is about my journey and experiences through Artprize 10.

I started on my book DARE TO DREAM BIG it is about my journey and experiences through Artprize 10. I wanted to share the early pages with my friends’ thanks Chris

'' Dare To Dream Big'' and the dream board had over a thousand dreams written down, from the young to the old.

In the 19 days at Artprize 10,'' Dare To Dream Big'' and the dream board had over a thousand dreams written down, from the young to the old. When the board filled up I recordered the dreams with photos and would then erase it and start over. It was so inspiring to read everyone’s dreams. I have decided to do a book about the experience and hope it will inspire others to write down and follow their dreams. I stated it today!

We LOADED Dare to Dream Big up.

We LOADED Dare to Dream Big up from the Gerald ford presidential museum Artprize 10 has ended and We are heading home with a 1300 mile drive to Wyoming. Has been a long three weeks can’t wait to get home.