Sculpting A Legacy

The Artist

One of the foremost figurative American sculptors today, Victor Issa is heralded for his ability to bring bronze to life. 

From Loveland, Colorado, Victor works with inanimate metal to create “living” art that’s been featured for decades in national and local exhibitions. 

A first-generation immigrant from Lebanon who moved to the United States in 1973, Victor started his college education at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska, studying music—admittedly because he didn’t think artists could make a living. However, he later switched his major to art education when an advisor brought to his attention that he spent more time in the art building than in the music building. 

For 10 years, he painted with oils and watercolors—one of his works was even acquired for the Nebraska governor’s mansion. Victor didn’t switch to sculpting until his agent saw his first piece in progress and commented that he sculpts better than he paints. In over 35 years, Victor has created more than 300  miniature- to monumental-sized bronze sculptures with nearly a thousand castings gracing public and private collections in the U.S. and beyond.

An invaluable figure in the Colorado fine arts community, Victor co-founded the Loveland Sculpture Invitational Show & Sale and presided over the annual event during most of its 23-year history.