a James “Bud” Bottoms was a native Californian who lived in Santa Barbara. His art education began at Jefferson Machamer School of Art in Santa Monica from 1947-48 and continued at the University of California-Santa Barbara (Riviera campus) from 1948-52. Among others, his mentors included renowned Italian sculptor, Renzo Fenci, and Santa Barbara Museum of Art Director, Donald Bear.

 

 Most of Bud’s sculpture is of sea mammals, inspired by his life-long love of snorkeling, diving, and sailing, and his unique artistry has captured their majestic spirit in everlasting bronze. He sometimes combined them with humans to express our essential inter-relationship. Bud’s admiration for the intelligence and beauty of dolphins and whales also inspired his work. His fascination for and love of Earth’s creatures led him to sculpt snails to condors, wherever he found beauty. 

 

Bud held a deep respect for the native Chumash people of the Santa Barbara area and dedicated the Santa Barbara Dolphin Fountain to them. Embedded in the fountain base is a bronze plaque of a local cave painting with dolphins swimming in a circle. In Chumash, dolphin is “a’lul’quoy,” which means to go around, protect, and go in peace. 

 

Bud was passionately committed to protecting and preserving the natural world. He believed all living creatures are connected in a great web of creation, and he was a dedicated caretaker. Along with his activism, Bud donated numerous sculptures for the causes of ocean and sea life preservation, and natural habitat and wildlife preservation. 

 

Bottoms is internationally known for his fountains in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Toba City, Japan; and Dingle, Ireland, which were Santa Barbara Sister Cities projects and promote respect and understanding between cultures.

 

A partial list of his other fountains and monuments include—

 

The Long Beach Aquarium, CA

 

Monterey Plaza Hotel, CA 

 

Malibu Bluffs Park, Malibu, CA

 

Wailea Office Complex, Oahu

 

Pt. Hueneme Alaska Airlines Crash Memorial, Pt, Hueneme, CA. 

 

Whale Tail Benches, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
 

Whalebone Park, Nag's Head, North Carolina
 

Sea Lion garden sculpture, Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital, Goleta, CA  

 

California State University at Channel Islands, Camarillo, CA.  

 

La Arcada Court, State St., Santa Barbara, CA

 

California Bear and cub, Woodland Animals, Rocky Shoreline Animals, Lucille Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford, Palo Alto, CA

 

Seattle-Tacoma Airport, WA

 

Private gardens in Montecito, La Jolla, Monterey, Oahu, Maui (partial list)

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His smaller sculptures are found in galleries in
California, Mexico, Hawaii, and Florida.

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**All sculptures can be enlarged up to Lifesize ** 

Excellent for indoor and outdoor, in the garden and as waterfeatures and fountains 

For more details and pricing contact info@SantaBarbaraFineArt.com