Elegant and expressive. Horses are frequently both at the same time. Every Alex Alvis sculpture captures both traits perfectly. With exaggerated features and unique patinas, Alvis' work in bronze has catapulted her to the forefront of contemporary equine sculptors.It is Alvis' love of horses that makes her work so incredible. Sculpture of any kind, and particularly wildlife sculpture, is at its finest when each piece speaks to the soul of the animals the artist has created. Capturing the animal's spirit allows the piece to strike its viewers on deep, emotional levels; just as artwork should. Alvis has mastered this difficult task.She says, "My sculpture shows horses as individuals with a personality all their own. If you look at traditional western art, the horses are usually transportation, or wild things to be broken. I want the viewer to see horses beyond their practical or recreational uses. Horses are incredible living beings and they enrich our human lives immeasurably."Alvis uses the horse to inform and extend human expression. In Alvis' work, horses are separated from their natural surroundings and their functional role in our lives. This allows her viewers to connect to the mythic and symbolic qualities ever present in our equine companions. Alvis sculpts so we see a horse's personality more than his or her usefulness. We see expressions presented through the animals that mimic our own thoughts, feelings and emotions. Each unique piece can appear full of energy and play or melancholy and reflective. Alvis uses slight gestures, such as a downturned head, a resting body, arched shoulders or an outstretched leg to animate her work and communicate the spirit each of her sculptures possesses.Viewers of her work are immediately taken by the long legs Alvis sculpts on her horses. This unusual element in her work speaks to the vibrancy and energetic spirit that horses possess. It seems to suggest that the horses can run forever and exist beyond their physical form. The spirit of youth is present in every work, not only from the horses long legs but also their vibrant colors. Alvis painstakingly picks distinctive patina colors for every sculpture. Bronzes are typically bronze in color. The colors of Alvis' work vary from sculpture to sculpture, making every piece within an edition unique.Alvis' two loves as a child were creating and horses. She could not get enough of either as a child. Markers, colored pencils and watercolor paints accompanied her everywhere she went. With her mother as a talented artist, Alvis' love for the arts was nurtured. She took every art class she could in school. All the while, she read about, drew, painted and even occasionally pretended to be a horse. Fortunately, her grandfather raised cattle and cow ponies at his ranch in Allenspark, Colorado. Alvis was able to spend time at the ranch riding, playing with and caring for her equine friends. The experiences have clearly stuck with her. Today, she lives in Northern Colorado on a ranch large enough to eventually have horses of her own. In the meantime, she spends her days sculpting them!