Ridge Runners
By Amanda Markel, Installed 2025
Amanda Markel’s wildlife sculptures stand apart through their striking balance of negative space, weaving depth and emotion into bronze. Her artistry captures the essence of the human experience, breathing life into the delicate dualities of the beauty and heartache that defines our lives. Growing up on 80 acres in Colorado, Markel adored animals and was an avid creator. She first started sculpting at 5 while playing in the mud in her backyard. At 14, she began selling her work to fund-raise for an orphanage in Africa and has since continued to grow more interested in the role art plays in the world. “I believe art shapes culture, it has the power to change the way we experience life. My aim is to tell honest stories through my work that invite us all, myself included, to find the truth, beauty, and strength within our own stories.”
Markel later moved to Montana, where she began sculpting professionally in 2020. Her award-winning bronze sculptures have swiftly earned international recognition, gracing the pages of prestigious magazines and being showcased in elite exhibitions across the United States.
