B I O G R A P H Y Thomas Ostenberg was born in Nebraska, grew up on a ranch in Colorado and subsequently spent his teenage years between Colorado and Florida. At an early age he learned of the grace, form and even the psychology of the animals he was surrounded by, both domestic and wild. He travelled extensively. At age 40, Thomas Ostenberg exchanged his successful financial career for art school. In 1994 he earned his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute, and in 1997, his MA from the Royal College of Art in London, England, aided by a grant from the Henry Moore Foundation. Now a full time sculptor, he claims his biggest break was "discovering that I wanted to be an artist". Ostenberg maintains this change was precipitated by "fifteen years of seeing great art on three continents". In particular he cites the major Velazquez exhibition in Madrid and a visit to the Rodin Museum in Paris. He works primarily in bronze. The power and durability of his finished pieces belie his approach to the medium, which is quite fluid and intuitive. "Sometimes I will have a bit of clay or wax in my hand, and, by playing with this lump, some image or other just begins to appear." Thomas Ostenberg's sculptures explore the theme of motion and balance. His work reflects his personal search for emotional and spiritual equilibrium. For him, the work "touches on the moment of stepping into the unknown and doing so willingly." Ostenberg's sculpture has been called joyful and magical, words not often applied to contemporary art. The surfaces of these bronze sculptures communicate a tangible love of process.