Pieter Vanden Daele

Belgium, 1971
Pieter Vanden Daele was born in the area of Ghent, Belgium where he lives and works. His bronze sculptures of different fish species and frogs are now exhibited in Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, France, the USA, Canada and Russia.

Pieter found himself fascinated by the underwater-world and its amazing fauna. Being creative by nature, he went to the art academy where he attended painting classes. In 2000, he started working in an art-foundry where he learned the process of mold making, bronze casting, and patinating.

In 2003, he began casting his own bronze sculptures of different fish. Pieter sculpts his original models out of organic materials such as leaves, wood, leather, wax and many other materials. This results in the rough and elaborate surface of his pieces, thus beautifully rendering the actual skin of fish. His fish are alive, captured for eternity in bronze, just as nature captured prehistoric fish in fossils. Also the wonderful patina that Pieter creates for his pieces that sets him apart as an artist.