B.J. Mungenast, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, portrays in her sculptures and paintings the inspiration of nature’s influence on everyday life. Whether it be a lonesome cowboy, or the Masai warrior protecting his herd, B.J. enjoys exhibiting the beauty of nature in her works.
At an early age, B.J. gained a respect and love for the displays of nature, both creatures and landscapes. Beginning with oil paintings and evolving into sculptures, B.J. leaves no detail in question in her sculptures. Her pieces are representative of not only refined artistic skill and vision, but also a passionate dedication to recreate as essence of life and love in every one of her pieces. The sculptures watch you; they have a presence that demands your attention. The sculptures move you as you seek an angle that will reveal every proportion and detail. The sculptures reward you with an essence of B.J.’s love and passion for all things artistic. Many varied influences and experiences have shaped B.J.’s artistic development. Beginning with her early paintings, pastels, and drawings, her work has always been outdoor-oriented, focusing on the inhabitants, not necessarily the landscapes. |
Studying with Rob Sadler, B.J. honed her mastery of painting, choosing to focus on nature-oriented subjects.
This appreciation of nature developed B.J.’s artistic talents more than formal coursework, however, for she developed this focus into her most successful and rewarding venue, sculpting. Following an introduction from Charles Edelman, Barry Johnson served as her mentor, encouraging and helping develop her sculpting skills. This development demanded familiarity with both human and animal anatomy, for which B.J. completed courses of study in anatomy. Her work has been refined throughout the years, but came to a true culmination with sculpting. Through it all, having the common vision and virtue of loving nature has kept B.J. focused. Following a workshop with Fritz White at the Loveland Academy of Fine Arts, B.J. enjoyed the fruits of her labor as the bronze edition of “Sometimes” was cast. The pictures below detail B.J. Mungenast's work as she develops her creative vision for The Missouri Trooper Monument. |
LINKS
|
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE |
ADVISORY BOARD |
Captain John Hotz
Captain Kyle Marquart Ms. Barbara Mungenast Mr. Ken Sears Ms. Lynn Wallis Captain Roger Whittler |
Mr. Tom Drury
Senator Shalonn "Kiki" Curls Senator Doug Libla Dr. Wes Payne Colonel Ron Replogle -Retired Mr. Jeff Schaeperkotter Major Dale Schmidt - Retired Mr. Herman Styles |