Sabin Howard Sculpture

One of this year's all pervasive trends has been the birth of the pop-up retail location. Bordering on a societal craze, the pop-up store has even invaded the rarified world of art. Artists no longer feel bound by the traditional and often closed gallery system. Empty economy struck storefronts are acting as DIY gallery showcases. Among the many shows that have recently sprung up - one by the talented Classical Realist sculptor Sabin Howard is of note. Howard transforms the short term space which houses his third life-size sculpture, Apollo, and other Bronze Gods. The show opens at Gallery 300 at 300 West 22nd Street (under the Gem Hotel), from January 22 through February 28, 2011.

Bucking the trends and banking on beauty, Howard's aesthetic is both minimalist and sumptuous, with a focus on timeless appeal and harmony. Apollo (2010) is Mr. Howard's third life-size work - a companion to Aphrodite (2006) and successor to Hermes (2005).

Fine Art Connoisseur said of Howard, "Many sculptors revere the Italian Renaissance, but few are as effective as Sabin Howard in channeling that era while remaining grounded in our own time. His large bronze figures constitute a paradox that succeeds brilliantly: Sumptuously crafted yet streamlined in design, dynamic in composition yet serene in mood."

Of his own work Sabin says, "My work is an alchemy of form and energy. It speaks a universal narrative of what it means to be human." He works from life and was trained in the classical tradition. He was the son of an Italian mother and German father and had a dual upbringing in both Italy and New York. At 19, he decided to be a professional artist and received his formal training from the Philadelphia College of Art (BA) in 1986, New York Academy of Art (MFA) in 1995, then apprenticed in Rome under Paolo Carosone (1986-7). After returning to New York City, he taught at both of his alma maters for 16 years, before embarking upon the profession of full time artist. He has exhibited his work internationally, and is collected in Shanghai, the Americas, and Europe by over 120 collectors, both private and public, including New Mexico State Public Art, The Archdiocese of Newark, The Leslie Lohman Art Foundation, The Mount, and Millennium Partners. With the unveiling of Apollo, 2011 brings the culmination of twenty-eight years of artistic creation and over 40,000 hours of sculpting from life. Sabin Howard resides in New York City with his wife, author Traci Slatton.

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