It is our pleasure at artsales.com to host the
official web site of Alonzo Clemons and Gifted Hands, Inc., representing
his bronze sculptures.
Alonzo Clemons is an artist with a remarkable
background. His sculptural specialty is the creation of animal
figures, full of life and spirit, which
are made with amazing speed, great accuracy in form and artistic
beauty.
Alonzo Clemons with his sculptures
As a toddler, Clemons suffered a head injury
in an accident; this changed the way he thinks, learns and communicates.
While much was lost due to the injury, something miraculous also
occurred, for as Clemons sometimes puts it, "God gave a gift."
He began showing a fascination with modeling materials and a tremendous
inner drive to make sculpture. Even in situations where he did
not have access to modeling clay, his determination to make models
of animals was so great that he found materials in his environment
that he could use for sculpting.
For over twenty years he continued to practice
his art in obscurity until the early 1980's, when the movie Rain
Man, which featured Dustin Hoffman in the role of a disabled
man with remarkable skills of memory, brought international media
attention to a phenomenon known as the Savant Syndrome.
Savant Syndrome is a descriptive term applied
to individuals who have both a developmental disability and
a spectacular, genius-level skill in a specific area. Clemons
is recognized as one of the world's prodigious savants and has
been featured on programs such as 60 Minutes,
Geraldo, and the Discovery Channel's World
of Wonder.
This media exposure gave him the
opportunity to gain worldwide recognition for his art. From
his youth, Clemons had not only the genius for his art, but
has shown an inner vision to become successful with it, and
those dreams are truly continuing to unfold in his life.
Clemons with one of his animal friends
His personal successes extend beyond his art,
for he has a rich and active lifestyle in his community of Boulder,
Colorado. He lives in his own home with some assistance, and works
part time on jobs in the community, in addition to doing his work
as a sculptor. Seeking to inspire children's creativity, he demonstrates
his sculpting at schools in the area. Other personal interests
include power lifting, in which he competes at the Special Olympics,
and visiting the animals he enjoys so much at the Denver Zoo,
the National Western Stock Show, as well as local farms and ranches.
His radiant personality touches all who know him.
Clemons competing at the Special Olympics
Colorado state meet in 2003
Clemons with his assistant Nancy Mason at
a
sculpture demonstration at the Gold Hill School
Boulder Valley School District
Sculptor Chester Comstock had these observations of Alonzo Clemons
and his art:
"Being a sculptor myself and having lived
and worked in Colorado for most of my life, I had heard of Alonzo
and had exhibited my art in the same gallery that represented
his work. Although I had seen and appreciated his work and helped
with the manufacture of many of his bronzes, when I first met
Alonzo it was immediately apparent that he had not only unique
abilities as an artist but that he had a personal charisma that
completely overshadowed the fact that he had some degree of mental
disability. From conversations that I have had with others, many
people who have had the opportunity and privilege to meet him
personally share this observation.
Clemons works in wax and clay, using only
his hands and fingernails to create his sculptures.
Joy radiates from him as he sculpts.
See
Youtube Video
His success as a person is a credit to himself
and to the family, friends and helpers who through the years have
allowed him to blossom in both his artistic skills and personal
development.
While his savant nature undoubtedly provides
him skills which contribute greatly to his genius as an artist,
Alonzo's personality, artistic sensibility, and love for his subjects
are also expressed in his beautifully rendered sculptures. His
approach to his art is simple, direct from the heart, and uncluttered
by cultural conventions. In Alonzo's art and life his accomplishments
are truly heroic."
Sculptures available for sale:
|
"Mustang Sally"
5 3/4" high
X 4 3/4" wide
x
4 3/4" deep
Price: $ 285.00
|
|
"Prince of the Plains"
6" high
X 4 " wide
x
8" deep
Price: $ 625.00
|
|
"Giraffe"
11 " high
X 5 1/2" wide
x
5 3/4" deep
Price: $ 825.00
|
| |
"Young Arabian"
9" high
X 7 1/2" wide
x
3 3/4" deep
Price: $ 810.00
|
|
" Ernie
The Bull "
28"
long
X 18" high
X 16" deep
Price: $ 5,000.00
|
|
"Fighting Stallions"
28"
long
X 21" high
X 10" deep
Price: $ 3,000.00
|
|
" King of Salmon"
12"
long
X 10" high
X 9" deep
Price: $ 900.00
|
|
" Grizzly Bear"
11"
long
X 7 1/2" high
X 4 1/2" deep
Price: $ 860.00
|
|
"The
Oldtimer"
12"
High
X 7 1/2" Wide
X 8 1/4" deep
Price: $ 1,500.00
The first piece of this edition was commissioned by
Kaiser-Permanente for the New medical center in Boulder
County, Colorado
|
Gifted Hands is the Official Representative
of Alonzo Clemons:
To order these sculptures contact
Nancy Mason at:
Gifted Hands
11510 Gold Hill Road
Boulder CO 80302-9716
Telephone: (303) 459-3397
E-mail: info@giftedhandsalonzo.com
Other examples of Clemons' sculpture:
Three Frolicking Foals
Life-Sized Sculpture
Commissioned by Trammel Crow, Itasca IL
It is one of Clemons' goals to have
the opportunity
to create additional life-sized sculptures.
See Dr. Darold Trefferts
Explanation of the Savant Syndrome
All images are copyrighted and are solely and wholly owned
by Alonzo Clemons and Gifted Hands, Inc. ©Copyright 2004
Gifted Hands
