The wildlife art and conservation communities are mourning the passing of internationally-renowned sculptor, Robert Glen - master sculptor and creator of the famous "Mustangs of Las Colinas" bronze monument in Dallas Texas. Rob was 83, and passed away peacefully in hospital in Cork city, West county cork, Ireland
In 2010, Rob jointly received AFC’s highest honor – the Simon Combes Conservation Award – with his life partner and fellow artist Sue Stolberger. A bronze sculptor, Glen is known for his dynamic and monument-sized creations. The two artist-activists lived and worked alongside one another in Ruaha National Park, Tanzania, and specialize in depicting African wildlife.
Since arriving in the Ruaha National Park, Tanzania, in 1994, Rob and Sue have led efforts to protect and preserve the Ruaha River valley and shared a dream of building an environmental center as a base for environmental education and support. Their dream became a reality with the opening of the Idodi Environmental Center in 2007. The solar-powered facility includes a library, a large hall for showing films and lectures, a display area focusing on the environment and a reception room for the headmaster and the teachers. The center is an indispensable asset to the community, and for the school children, the library has become a world of discovery and growth. Rob found the inspiration for his creations in remote areas of Tanzania’s Ruaha National Park —a vast area of virtually untouched wilderness.
Born in Kenya, Robert Glen’s interest in art and natural history began at an early age. At sixteen years old, he was accepted to serve an apprenticeship in taxidermy at the renowned studio of Coloman Jonas in Denver, Colorado. It was then that his interest in sculpture was born. Glen’s sculptures reside in many private collections including those of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, His Highness the Aga Khan, and the actor James Stewart. Glen’s public commissions include one of Texas’s proudest monuments and one of the largest equestrian sculptures in history—the Mustangs of Las Colinas. This impressive work—one and a half times life size—depicts nine Mustang horses galloping through water and celebrates the arrival in North America of the Andalusian horse. The monument was commissioned for the City of Las Colinas, Irving, Texas, and may be seen in Williams Square. The sculpture took him 8 and a half years to complete. It was created in oil clay and then cast in UK before being shipped in a 747 to Dallas, Texas and installed in a purposefully designed foundation. In 2012 it was voted the best loved public sculpture in the world.