Dave Parvin was born in the Midwest, raised in the Northwest and has lived in Colorado for over 30 years. Although he was attempting to sculpt before his third birthday, the road to becoming a professional sculptor has had several detours: studying for the priesthood, earning a bachelor of science in natural science from Seattle University, flying helicopters for the Marines in Viet Nam, remaining married for thirty-five years, raising a son to manhood and becoming a grandfather.

Dave is essentially a self-taught artist whose primary subject is the human form which he executes in a classically realist manner. Though principally known for his bronzes, he has also worked in wood, concrete, polyurethane, polyester, Forton MG, pewter, acrylic, glass and raku. Dave has become internationally recognized also as a life casting expert and has contributed many new techniques and materials to his art form. He was one of the artists to be honored with a lifetime membership in the Association of Lifecasters International and is one of only six to be certified as life casting instructors by the same institution.

Because Dave feels an obligation to pass on what he has learned, he teaches workshops on life casting, figurative sculpture and making a living as an artist. He has traveled by invitation as far as London, England to lecture. He has written over forty articles on various aspects of sculpting for different art publications and has two instructional videos available.

Dave presently has work in galleries in Colorado and California and has given a man show at Gallery One in Denver in January 2006. However, his commissions now consume most of his time.

Winning Entry