"I don't care about the art world... I operate in my own artistic realm where 'making art that's the BIG THING.' That has always been my greatest thrill. It's a joy, an exhilaration; it's better than ten martinis."

Dorothy Dehner, an American sculptor and painter, is renowned for her abstract totemic structures. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Dehner initially pursued theater before moving to New York in 1922 to study visual arts. At the Art Students League, she met David Smith, whom she later married. Following their separation in 1950, Dehner turned to printmaking at William Stanley Hayter's Atelier 17 and discovered her passion for sculpture, stating that she always felt like she was sculpting. She began bronze sculpture at the age of 54, using wax to create metallic textures that blend natural and architectural elements. Influenced by her travels in Europe, her work incorporates constructivism and classical themes. Critic Jo Ann Lewis described Dehner's work as "sculptural impulses," ready to blossom into three dimensions. Dehner's constant innovation and mastery of form and light have solidified her status as a key figure in American modernist sculpture.