Nancy Graves

Nancy Graves was an American artist who worked as a sculptor, painter, printmaker, and even a filmmaker. Most of her artwork focuses on the different aspects of nature. Graves studied art and architecture at Yale University in the 1960s. Other artists who attended Yale at the same time included Richard Serra, Janet Fish, Rackstraw Downes, and more. Graves' most famous sculpture was entitled "Camels." This sculpture consists of three camels made of a variety of materials, including burlap, wax, fiberglass, and even real animal skin. Other unusual materials Graves used in her sculptures included latex, marble dust, and animal bones. The art project that brought Graves the most recognition was a project in which she took everyday objects, such as plants, tools, and food products, and cast them in bronze as sculptures. She received several awards for her artwork in the 1980s and 1990s and continued creating a variety of artwork until shortly before she died in 1995. (Artist website)