The National Sculpture Society presents a special Lifetime Achievement Award to honor sculptor Ed Dwight for a strong body of work over his long and influential career. For over forty years, Mr. Dwight has focused on monument memorials and public art projects.

Dwight’s childhood dream was to become an artist, but he was encouraged by his father to become an engineer. In 1957, he received a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from Arizona State University. His first serious artistic endeavor began with a commission to create a sculpture of Colorado’s first African American Lt. Governor, George Brown in 1974. In 1975, while in the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Program at the University of Denver, Dwight was commissioned by the Colorado Centennial Commission to create a series of bronzes depicting the contribution of Black Americans to the American Frontier West. The series of 50 bronzes that resulted from this commission was exhibited for several years throughout the United States, gaining widespread acceptance and critical acclaim.

Since the launch of his art career nearly 50 years ago, Dwight has completed over 128 public monuments and large-scale memorial installations throughout the United States, making him one of the most prolific sculptors in America.

Mr. Dwight lives in Denver, Colorado and was unable to join the NSS at our Honors and Awards Luncheon in early June. Basil Watson, an NSS Board member and Fellow, accepted the award on his behalf.