“Gifted Hands” Bronze Sculpture Bookends by Susan Kliewer [SOLD]

This pair of bronze sculptures features Maria and Julian Martinez of San Ildefonso Pueblo. The artist, Susan Kliewer of Arizona, set out to study the artists Maria and Julian by purchasing all the books on them she could find in advance of making sculptures of the pair. When ready to start sculpting, she thought that since her research was based on books, perhaps it would be appropriate to make the sculptures in bookend form.

The sculpture of Maria shows her seated with a pottery vessel in her lap while she is polishing it with a polishing stone in her right hand. Maria is dressed in traditional pueblo fashion with her dress over one shoulder and under the other one. Underneath the dress she is wearing a blouse. She is wearing a necklace and traditional moccasins. Maria's hair is cut across her forehead and tied up in the back.

Julian is also shown seated and in the process of painting a jar. He is wearing traditional western clothing and has a scarf around his neck. A striped blanket with a Chief Blanket pattern is wrapped around his shoulders. Julian's hair is braided and hangs down in front.

Kliewer's work highlights the beauty of her subjects and the artworks they are producing. Careful attention was paid to Maria and Julian's faces, as well as their clothing and jewelry. Textural variations appear, enhancing visual depth and tactile appeal. Subtle variations in color appear as well. "Gifted Hands" offers a wonderful tribute to Maria and Julian.

Award winning artist Susan Kliewer has been a painter since the age of ten. Susan turned to sculpting in 1987, after working in an art-casting foundry for ten years and has had many more monuments commissioned and installed in the United States and Europe.

Native of Southern California who has made Arizona her home for 40 years. She spent five of those years at Marble Canyon Trading Post in a remote area of northern Arizona adjacent to the Navajo Reservation. A painter since the age of ten, Susan turned to sculpting in 1987, after working in an art-casting foundry for ten years.

Susan often uses her Native American friends and relatives as models to capture that special intimacy that is a hallmark of her work. Susan says, "My work aims to show the common thread that underlies all human experience and which I hope brings us to a greater understanding between all people. If you do what you know and love, the feeling will shine through, giving your art a life of its own."

The bronze sculpture pair was issued in an edition of 45 and is signed by the artist. This set is numbered 20, and was issued in 2007.

Condition: very good condition

Provenance: this "Gifted Hands" Bronze Sculpture Bookends by Susan Kliewer is from the collection of a client from Colorado

Recommended Reading: Western Art Collector, January 2021

TAGS: Western Art, Bronze Sculpture, Susan Kliewer