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Mike Curtis is well known for creating beautiful
and inspiring wildlife sculptures in bronze. He has been sculpting
the bald eagle since 1971 and is considered the foremost sculptor
of this magnificent creature. His artistic and accurate renditions
of the bald eagle are widely recognized as those best capturing
the beauty and freedom of our nation's proud symbol. Throughout
the year, Bald Eagles dive in the lake after fish and perch in
the trees near his studio. Studying eagles in the wild, Curtis
observes their courtship rituals, nesting habits, and drawing
their catches from the waters of the lakes and rivers. His commanding
portrayals of the powerful and symbolic eagle remain unequaled.
Exhibitions of Curtis sculptures include the Audubon Art Exhibition
in Alaska and The National Sculpture Society in New York. His
sculptures have also been exhibited in museums across the country,
most notably: the Alaska Museums Tour organized by the Gulf Oil
Corporation; the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum; and the Museum
of the Rockies.
Mike Curtis sculptures have been presented both to and by United
States Presidents. In 1989 he was the artist chosen by the White
House to prepare a work of art, presented by President George
H.W. Bush to the Chinese, which would symbolize the proud heritage
of the United States. A Mike Curtis sculpture was also selected
for presentation to President Gerald R. Ford upon his retirement.
In 2009 “Eagle Rock” was purchased for the permanent collection
of the Presidential Conference Center hotel. The life-size bald
eagle sculpture is prominently displayed in the lobby of the anchor
hotel for the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library in
Little Rock, Arkansas.
The United States Department of Defense Advanced Research Project
Agency has commissioned Mike Curtis bronze sculptures for presentation
to the winning competitors of one of the worlds most prestigious
events. The highly competitive event draws engineers and talented
designers from around the world engaged in scientific research
and the design of future technologies.
Mike Curtis and Carl Artman, Assistant Secretary
of the Interior for Indian Affairs
Above right: Mike Curtis prepares an Eagle Monument for installation.
To
honor our bravest heroes, Mike Curtis has been commissioned to
create sculptures for Veterans Memorials across the country. For
the men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice for the
freedom of our country, Curtis was commissioned to sculpt the
POW/MIA Bronze Eagle Memorials for both Fort Benning and the city
of Columbus, Georgia. Dedicated at a special Freedom Ride Ceremony,
the first memorial was installed outside the Columbus Government
Center. The sculpture depicts an eagle that has just broken free
from its chains, above an engraved granite monument. A Gathering
of Eagles book series Prisoners of Hope prominently features the
Curtis sculpture on its cover. Stories of leadership, courage,
and faith, this inspiring book by Col Jimmie Dean Coy is dedicated
to "those men and women who endured more for the cause of
freedom than any other single group, The American Ex-Prisoner
of War."
To commemorate the sacrifices made by the sons and
daughters of Greene County, Iowa, Curtis was commissioned to provide
a sculpture for a special memorial honoring all of Greene County's
fallen soldiers. The memorial was presented to the citizens on
behalf of the family of Lance Corporal Benjamin Robert Carman,
lost in Iraq. The American Eagle sculpture "Flight"
was selected as the centerpiece of the memorial. Each side of
the granite pedestal, on which the sculpture is mounted, has a
century 1800's, 1900's and 2000, with the number of Greene County
service men and women that have paid the ultimate price of freedom
in the course of freedoms fight. The memorial has been placed
in the County's Courthouse.
Curtis was commissioned to sculpt five life-size
eagles for the All Veterans Memorial Park in New Mexico, situated
along the banks of the Animas River. The memorial recognizes the
contributions of all American Veterans - past, present, and future.
In addition to Georgia, Iowa, and New Mexico, Curtis
has been commissioned to create bronze sculptures for Veterans
Memorials in Idaho, Colorado, Texas, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, and Florida.
A life-size bronze eagle, created by Mike Curtis, was acquired
by the State of Mississippi for the War Memorial Building "Patriotism
Experience Museum" in the State Capitol. The historical museum
proudly pays tribute to the soldiers of all wars and those who
have sacrificed to bring the state forward.
A Curtis eagle sculpture was commissioned in 2011 for the 9/11
Memorial which was constructed for Diamond in the Pines, Town
of Brookhaven, New York. The bronze eagle is landing on a section
of steel from the World Trade Center Towers. The 9/11 Memorial
honors the victims, rescue workers, and veterans of the war on
terror.
In a 2003 ceremony held during the annual meeting of the Association
of the United States Army (AUSA) in Washington, D.C., a Curtis
sculpture was presented in conjunction with a special scholarship
award created on behalf of SGT Major Larry Strickland, senior
adviser on personnel issues to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S.
Army. SGT Major Strickland was lost on September 11th, when American
Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon. His scholarship recognizes
noncommissioned officer involvement in the development of soldiers
through education.
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Dedication of the Culver Academies Centennial
Eagle
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Mike Curtis was the artist selected to design and
sculpt the "Culver
Centennial Eagle" for the Culver Military Academies in
Indiana. The inspiring monumental-size sculpture, depicting a
bald eagle with a fifteen-foot wingspan, was dedicated on the
one-hundredth year anniversary celebration of this historic institution.
Dedicated to law enforcement officers worldwide who have given
the ultimate sacrifice, a Mike Curtis Bronze Sculpture was commissioned
and installed at the
FBI National Academy Hall of Honor, Quantico, Virginia.
Mike Curtis has been commissioned to create sculptures for the
NASCAR races, which were presented both in Atlanta and in Daytona.
"Waves
of Success", "Flight",
and "Challenge" were among
those presented. At the Bass Pro Shops/MBNA 500 Winston Cup Races
- Atlanta Motor Speedway, winners Jeff Gordon (October 2003) and
Jimmie Johnson (October 2004) were presented with Curtis sculptures.
The 2003 race was dedicated to the sportsmen of America, celebrating
the 100th Anniversary of the National Wildlife
Refuge System and its creator, President Teddy Roosevelt. To commemorate
the event, Curtis was commissioned to help create the "Roosevelt-Rough
Rider Trophy". Steve Williams, Director of the U.S. Fish
& Wildlife Service, served as Grand Marshal for the race and
helped with the presentation of the Mike Curtis sculpture to the
race winner. July 2004, at Daytona International Speedway, Mike
Curtis sculptures were presented to Kerry Earnhardt, Richard Childress,
and Wayne Lapiere NRA.
Commissioned for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, this permanently installed
Curtis sculpture stands as a monument to the pair of bald eagles
which nested under the old bridge since the late 1990s. In June
1998 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, during a routine regional
flyover, identified the Bald Eagle nest in Betty Blume Park, located
in Prince George’s County, Maryland south of the Beltway near
the National Harbor property. The pair of bald eagles gained national
attention and affectionately came to be known as George and Martha
Wilson, the first family of eagles located at the Woodrow Wilson
Bridge.
Proudly displayed at the University of South Carolina,
in the center of the Gameday lobby, is the realistic and symbolic
"Fighting
Gamecock" bronze sculpture by Mike Curtis. Establishing a
new and honorable tradition at the university, each of the football
players touch the Fighting Gamecock sculpture on their way to
the stadium as a symbol of unity and commitment.
Numerous corporations and individuals have selected
Curtis sculptures for their own collections, as well as for their
most important and memorable presentations. Several private resorts
have commissioned Mike Curtis sculptures as well. One of which
is a life-size Red Tail Hawk sculpture which was installed in
2005 at the site of the beautiful new Heathrow Country Estates
RedTail Golf Club, Heathrow, Florida. Listed among the many well-recognized
collectors of his work is Astronaut Eugene Cernan, the last man
to step foot on the moon's surface and the commander of the Apollo
17 mission and the Lunar Landing Module Challenger. Captain Cernan
has acquired, for his own collection, number 17 of the majestic
American Bald Eagle sculpture "Narrow
Escape".
Mike Curtis has fond memories of his childhood, growing up on
the California coast and in the rugged mountains of Colorado.
Born in Los Angeles, his family later moved to a small rustic
log cabin on eighty acres in the Colorado wilderness. His days
were spent exploring, fascinated by the variety of wildlife that
inhabited the remote area. It was here that his love of nature
and connection to his subjects began. Returning to California
as a young boy, he discovered an appreciation for the beautiful
California coastline and the sea life that inhabited the ocean
waters. Shortly after serving his country in the United States
Army, Mike and his wife Marlene moved to the Pacific Northwest
where they raised their son Jason and daughter Elaine. A tree-covered
mountainside in Northern Idaho, overlooking Lake Pend Oreille,
is now the location for the home and studio of this renowned sculptor.
The scenic area is a gathering spot for bald eagles and abundant
with wildlife, a perfect environment for an artist who is a master
sculptor of wildlife subjects.
Mike Curtis sculptures are available in sizes ranging from desk-size
to indoor/outdoor
life-size, and monumental-size
commissions. His selection of impressive Limited Edition Bronze
Wildlife Sculptures are collected worldwide and are ideal for
personal collections, individual gifts, and corporate presentations.
For nearly 40 years the studio of Mike Curtis has been shipping
fine art sculptures to collectors and corporations around the
world. All sculptures are expertly packed and shipped from the
artist's North Idaho studio via FedEx or UPS, to your home or
business.
For orders or additional information, you are
welcome to e-mail Mike Curtis at:
studio@mikecurtis.com
To order a Mike Curtis
sculpture
call: 208-263-8074
or fax: 208-263-1428
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