ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Manuel Neri
American,  1930-2021
In 1980, Manuel Neri became the first artist to cast sculpture at Bronze Aglow, Inc. later known as Walla Walla Foundry when the name changed in 1988.  Neri is the longest client of the Foundry, work has been cast as recently as 2019. Neri taught alongside Robert Arneson at UC Davis and was professor to Deborah Butterfield and John Buck

Robert Arneson
American,  1930-1992
Robert Arneson was the second artist to work with Walla Walla Foundry in 1980.  Arneson was a sculptor and professor of ceramics in the Art department at University of California, Davis for nearly three decades. Both Deborah Butterfield and John Buck were students of Arneson, who introduced them to the Walla Walla Foundry. 

Nancy Graves
American,  1930-1995
Nancy Graves began working with the Foundry in 1991 until her premature death in 1995. Graves had a remarkable career, in 1969 she became the youngest artist to be selected for a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art. She was only the fifth female artist to be given the honor, which paved the way for more women to follow in her footsteps.

David Bates
American,  b. 1954
Bates is a nationally acclaimed contemporary artist but is particularly beloved in his home state of Texas. Bates is known primarily as a painter but he created many sculptures and relief paintings at the Foundry in the mid-late 90s. 

Deborah Butterfield
American,  b. 1949
Deborah Butterfield began sculpting horses in the 1970s using mud, clay and sticks. Searching for a more permanent and long lasting material for her work, Butterfield was introduced to the Foundry by professors Robert Arneson and Manuel Neri in 1985. To this day, Butterfield creates her work and casts regularly at the Foundry.

John Buck
American,  b. 1946 
John Buck is a prolific printmaker and sculptor. Known for massive woodblock prints, his work deals with current events and the ironies built-in to world history. Buck, married to Deborah Butterfield, began casting with Walla Walla Foundry in 1994.


Squire Broel
Squire Broel is a contemporary sculptor and painter. Broel worked at the Walla Walla Foundry in the 90s and early 2000s. He developed a close relationship with Mark and Patty who became patrons of his work. During his time at the Foundry, Broel was known for his unique artistic talents and his infectious sense of humor.

Brad Rude
Brad Rude is a contemporary sculptor and painter, known for his lively and often precarious depictions of animals. Rude began working at the Walla Walla Foundry at the age of 19. The Anderson's began collecting Rude’s work from an early age.

Viola Frey
American,  b. 1933

Lynda Benglis
American,  b. 1941
Lynda Benglis’s career extends more than six decade. Benglis was educated during the time of Abstract Expressionism. Instead of using gestural expression on paper or canvas, Beglis employed the concept of gesture through poured latex and foam, bringing expressionism off the wall and into three-dimensional space. Benglis is also know as an icon of the feminist movement for her outspoken criticism of the male dominated art world. Benglis’s relationship with the Foundry began in 1998 and works are still being cast today. 

Ian Boyden
Ian Boyden is a contemporary painter, sculptor, writer, and book artist. Boyden is best known for his unique expressions and inquiries into the relationship between art and the natural world. He creates his own pigments from rock minerals. His paintings, like the one pictured here, capture a fluid movement that references abstract landscapes. Ian was introduced to the Foundry by his father, artist Frank Boyden. The Anderson family has had a close working relationship with the Boyden family for over 25 years and has collected works by both artists.

Jim Dine
American,  b. 1935
In 1983, Jim Dine began working with Walla Walla Foundry. Dine rose to prominence during the 1950’s, participating in the first “Happenings,” interactive performance pieces, which associated him with the Pop Art movement. However, his vast and diverse body of work for the past six decades would defy specific movement categorization.  Dine’s work includes drawings, paintings, prints, sculpture, assemblage, and poetry. Dine provided the artwork for Foundry Vineyards’ inaugural vintage in 2003.

Keiko Hara    
Japanese, 1942