Vic Payne (1960- )
Noted western sculptor and artist, Vic Payne has been sculpting for over thirty-five years. He was born in 1960 to sculptor Ken and Priscilla Payne. Moving to a ranch in New Mexico instilled in Payne the roots of the West, which became central in the shaping of his character as an artist. His family’s ranching heritage, tales of Billy the Kid, the Lincoln County Wars, and pictures of paintings and bronzes by Charlie Russell and Frederic Remington made the “Old West” come alive for Payne, inspiring him to try his own hand at sculpting.
The inspiration for Braveheart originated from Native mythology. The story told of one way to obtain highly regarded eagle feathers for war bonnets. A brave had to courageously utilize strategy and trickery to draw an eagle near. Eagles were known to descend upon wolves feasting on their kill, and occasionally challenged these wolves in an effort to steal their dinner.
An eagle had no qualms fighting with a wolf, thus crouched under the guise of a wolf hide, a brave could lure an eagle in close enough to attempt this incredible feat. A hand to talon battle for supremacy ensued and showed the depth of the warrior’s Braveheart.