Guadalupe Barajas, a native of Wyoming, received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in three-dimensional design from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.After graduation, he chose to stay in Chicago working for the Chicago Public School System as an art instructor.

He received many honors during his tenure, culminating with the prestigious Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching. This award afforded Barajas a sabbatical leave, during which time he rediscovered his true calling as a sculptor. Retiring from teaching in 1994, Barajas returned to Wyoming and committed himself full-time as a bronze sculptor. Early in his career, Barajas focused primarily on wildlife as his subject matter. Today, he has expanded his range of interest in telling life stories of his Native American heritage through sculpture.

His talent and recognition have afforded him his share of monumental commissions. As he says, “The challenges and frustrations of working on monumental works of art can often become overwhelming. But it’s the longevity and legacy of bronze that becomes the driving force within me to accept yet another proposal”. As an artist, he has achieved many of the goals he set for himself. To date, his most prestigious commission is “Open Season” (a 13’ monument of three mule deer) to be installed in front of the Governor’s Mansion in Cheyenne in September 2008. As a sculptor, there are several awards Barajas considers his most prestigious, to date. Being selected as “Artist of the Year” in 1997, by the National Bison Association, and winning 1^st Place Gold in 1999 from the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, and “Best of Show” twice (2007 and 2008) at the Western Spirit Art Show. Galleries currently featuring Guadalupe’s bronzes include Brazos Fine Art in Taos, New Mexico, Deselms Fine Art in Cheyenne, Wyoming and the Blackhawk Gallery in Saratoga, Wyoming.

Guadalupe is quoted as saying, “Unless one has seriously sculpted, it would seem difficult understanding the feeling of literally taking a lump of clay, and breathing life into it. This is my reality as a bronze sculptor. Unlike painting, where I’ve created illusions of space, sculpture consumes its space, as it takes on a life of its own. Every angle of its composition presents a new perspective, and an added challenge to my creative energy. Sculpting, for me, is truly an intimate experience. Capturing that inner spirit and energy of one’s subject involves an intimate connection. This is what separates mediocrity from the real deal.”