Michael A. Dunbar, Sculptor

Michael Austin Dunbar, American Sculptor, Born in Santa Paula, California (1947- ).

For more than four decades, Michael Dunbar has worked as a professional sculptor building monumental, abstract works of art for the grounds of sculpture parks, universities, corporate headquarters and public plazas throughout the country.

Sculptor

Commissions

2013, Orbits of Isaac, a 12 ft. tall, 2½ ton bronze sculpture for the entrance plaza of the administration building at Kettering University, in Flint Michigan. (1.)

2012, Touched by the Sun a 14 ft tall, 3½ ton bronze sculpture for the entrance plaza of the Sioux City Art Center, in Sioux City, Iowa. (2.)

2009, Arthur’s Odyssey, a 12 ft. tall by 10 ft. wide by 10 ft. long, painted steel sculpture for the College of Education plaza at Indiana State University, Terra Haute, Indiana (3.)

2008, Pivot Point, a, 19 ft. tall by 12 ft. wide by 13 ft. long, fabricated bronze sculpture commissioned for the entrance plaza of the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center, Schaumburg, Illinois

2004, Euclid’s Cross, a 21 ft. tall by 18 ft wide by 30 ft long,14 ton bronze sculpture for Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park in Hamilton, Ohio. One of the largest and most complex sculpture created by Dunbar to date, Euclid’s Cross is a tribute to the intelligence and creativity of the father of geometry, Euclid of Alexandria, (300 BC.) (4.)

2001, Chicago Dayton Transfer a 12 ft. tall by 10 ft. wide by 11 ft. long painted steel sculpture commissioned for the plaza of Time Equities’ building in Dayton Ohio

1997, Katmandu, a 12 ft. tall by 9 ft. wide by 15 ft. long painted steel sculpture for

Notre Dame University, South Bend, Indiana

1995, Allegheny Drift a 12ft. tall by 8 ft. wide by 13 ft. long painted steel sculpture commissioned for the entrance plaza of the Krasl Art Center, St. Joseph, Michigan (5.)

1996, Astro Treillage, a 18 ft. tall by 20 ft. wide by 20 ft. long painted steel sculpture commissioned for Southwestern Illinois College, Belleville, Illinois

1987, Dawn’s Departure, a 5 ft. tall by 3 ft. wide by 5 ft. long bronze sculpture commissioned for the entrance plaza of the Tarble Arts Center at Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois

1986, River Crossing, a 16 ft. tall by 10 ft. wide by 12 ft. long painted steel sculpture commissioned for the entrance plaza of the James H. Albertson Learning Resource Center on the campus of the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point, Wisconsin. (6.)

Dunbar has maintained an active career as a sculptor producing a commanding body of more than 41 large-scale works of public sculpture for placement throughout the country, including:

• Capital-One Financial Headquarters in McLean, Virginia

• Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan

• Flint Institute of the Arts, Flint Michigan

• Krasl Art Center, St. Joseph, Michigan

• Monticello Sculpture Gardens, Lewis & Clark College, Godfrey, Illinois

• Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park, Chicago Heights, Illinois

• Oakton Community College, Skokie, Illinois

• Rockford Art Museum, Rockford, Illinois

• Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois

• University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois

• University of Notre Dame, South Bend Indiana

• University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point, Wisconsin

• Wandell Sculpture Garden, Meadowbrook Park, Urbana, Illinois

• Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois

Exhibitions_________________________________________________

2017, Future, Vision, Past, at Findlay Gallery, New York, N.Y. A solo exhibition of small-scale versions of Michael Dunbar’s monumental abstract works of art in steel or bronze (7.)

2016, Continuum, the Art of Michael Dunbar in the Sculptural Tradition, the exhibition places Dunbar’s work within the context of the history of sculpture represented by examples from David Owsley Museum of Fine Art’s Collection, including sculptures by Daniel Chester French, Edgar Degas, Aristide Maillol, Jacques Lipchitz, Willem de Kooning, Alexander Calder, George Rickey, Clement Meadmore, Anthony Caro, Tony Smith, Joel Shapiro Henry Moore, and Eduardo Chillida, juxtaposed with seventeen recent bronzes from Dunbar’s Machinist Studies series, at the David Owsley Museum of Fine Art, at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana. The Continuum exhibition traveled to the Snite Museum of Art, at the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, in 2017 (8.)

2016, 5th China, Wuhu Liu Kaiqu International Sculpture Exhibition, Michael Dunbar was one of 35 international sculptors invited to participate in the, 5th China, Wuhu Liu Kaiqu International Sculpture Exhibition. Dunbar’s sculpture, Iron Mountain, was selected for the top “Special Honor Award” and was purchased for the permanent collection at the Wuhu Sculpture Park in Wuhu, China. (9.)

2015, Genesis, Origins of an Idea, an exhibition of ten Machinist Studies and seven 3-Dimensional Sketches featured in the solo exhibition at the Humanities Art Center Gallery at Kettering University, Flint Michigan (10.)

2012, Touched by the Sun, an exhibition of twelve bronze Machinist Studies accompanied the dedication of the outdoor sculpture Touched by the Sun for the entrance plaza of the Sioux City Art Center, in Sioux City, Iowa. (11.)

2012, Explorations in Space a solo exhibition displaying six outdoor bronze sculptures on the grounds of the Flint Institute of Arts in Flint, Michigan museum along with ten bronze Machinist Studies presented in the museum’s Contemporary Gallery. (12.) (13.)

2011, Instrumental Transitions a solo exhibition of Machinist Studies at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, New Jersey (14.)

2006 A Measure of Time and Space, a solo exhibit of bronze sculptures at Gerald Peters Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico. (15.) (16.)

Dunbar has maintained an active career as an exhibiting artist with over 100 solo or group shows at museums and galleries since 1974.

Art Administrator

1995-2000, Pier Walk, Chicago, Illinois

Created and along with fellow artist, Terry Karpowicz, co-produced Pier Walk, a venue that challenged sculptors from around the world to exhibit their artwork in Chicago. Over a five-year period, recruited or conducted the selection process for as many as 450 works by nationally and internationally known sculptors for exhibition at Chicago’s historic Navy Pier. Created and produced full color illustrated catalogues for each year’s exhibits from 1996-2000. The Pier Walk exhibitions evolved into the “World’s Largest Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition” showcasing public sculpture to more than 9 million viewers at Navy Pier each year. (17.) (18.) (19.) (20.) (21.)

1997 to 2013, Guest Curator for the Monticello Sculpture Garden at Lewis and Clark Community College

Assembled a permanent collection of bronze outdoor sculptures for the college campus. Included are works by Peter Voulkos, Stephen De Staebler, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Deborah Butterfield, Ruth Duckworth, Richard Hunt, Joel Perlman, Peter Fagan and others. (22.)

1977 - 2011, Coordinator, Art-in-Architecture Program, of the Capital Development Board for the State of Illinois

Served as the first Coordinator of the % for Art Program for the State of Illinois. Established the guidelines, procedures, and contracts for the newly enacted program. Represented the State of Illinois on the committee that traveled to Paris France to meet with Jean Dubuffet.to negotiate the purchase of Dubuffet’s last monumental sculpture, Monument with Standing Beast for the plaza of the State of Illinois Center in Chicago. Over his thirty three year tenure as the Coordinator of the Art-in-Architecture Program for the State of Illinois, Dunbar was responsible for the procurement of hundreds of works of public art totaling over 26 million dollars for state funded public buildings. (23.) (24.)

Books

Continuum, the Art of Michael Dunbar in the Sculptural Tradition, 2016, the David Owsley Museum of Fine Art, with catalogue essay by Ann Landi, (25.)

Michael Dunbar a Monograph by Suzanne Deats, 2006, a 144 page hard bound book filled with over 100 images published by Fresco Fine Art Publications, illustrating the evolution of Michael Dunbar’s sculpture from his earliest sculptures in 1977 to the fabrication and installation of his landmark bronze outdoor sculpture, Euclid’s Cross in 2008. In the foreword, the New York Art Dealer, Andre Emmrich stated “Euclid’s Cross now has pride of place in the new Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park in Hamilton, Ohio, near Cincinnati.” “Its glowing bronze constituent elements, rising to twenty one feet in height, will be a beacon both literally and figuratively capturing space and light. It promises to become what curators call a pilgrimage piece, a sculpture which people will go out of their way to see.” (27.)

Awards

2007, Pollock-Krasner Foundation, Grant Recipient 1988, Illinois Arts Council, Artist Grant Recipient 1984, Illinois Arts Council Governors Art Award Commission 1984, Who’s Who in American Art

1975, National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. .

Education

1980 M.S. Degree, Illinois State University, Normal Illinois

1976, M.A Degree, University of Illinois, Springfield, Illinois

1973, B.A. Degree, Illinois State University Normal, Illinois,

Family______________________________________

Michael Austin Dunbar was born in Santa Paula, California on September 21, 1947. He was the second of four children to Joe Austin Dunbar and Evelyn Margret Dunbar. His mother was the daughter of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania architect, Albert Michael Dietrich. Dunbar’s early childhood was spent in the coastal town of Ventura, California. In 1952, at age 5 he moved with his parents to Springfield, Illinois where he attended public schools graduating from Springfield High school in 1965.

Dunbar grew up and attended college in America’s heartland. On August 30, 1969 he married Linda Marie Haacke in Springfield, Illinois. Together, they have three daughters, Jennifer Dunbar, (1974-), Katherine, (1978-) and Melissa Dunbar, (1980-).

Documentation_______________________________________

1.) Orbits of Isaac comes to campus Kettering unveils sculpture as part of focus on art, creative use of public space, Dec 16, 2013, paragraph six, Kettering University News

2.) Touched by the Sun Forward-looking art Installation of bronze outdoor sculpture by Michael Dunbar, The Sioux City Journal, Sioux City, Iowa, July 12, 2013 Earl Horlyke

3.) Arthur's Odyssey Indiana State University Newsroom, August 26, 2009

ISU College of Education sculpture dedication scheduled for Sept. 2 Terre Haute, Ind. - Indiana State University will dedicate a new sculpture by Illinois artist Michael Dunbar Writer: Paula Meyer, ISU Communications & Marketing, (812) 237-3783 or paula.meyer@indstate.edu

4.) Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park, Michael Dunbar Sculpture Euclid’s Cross, Saturday, July 24, 2004 Cincinnati Enquirer, By Jackie Demaline Enquirer

5.) Michael Dunbar, Allegheny Drift at the Krasl Art Center, St. Joseph Michigan, Commissions, page 13, (Vol. 15, No. 6), July / August 1996 issue Sculpture Magazine, review by Amy Blankstein

6.) Huge work means end of an era for City Sculptor Michael Dunbar, River Crossing For Stevens Point Wisconsin, Margaret Boswell, page 25, June 29, 1985, Illinois State Journal Register, Springfield, Illinois

7.) Future Vision Past Exhibition Catalogue for the solo exhibition, Future Vision Past, at the Findlay Gallery, in New York.

8.) Continuum, the Art of Michael Dunbar in the Sculptural Tradition, with catalogue essay by, Ann Landi, a freelance writer and critic, for ARTnews, the Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Art & Antiques, the New York Times, and other publications

9.) Iron Mountain, 5th China, Wuhu Liu Kaiqu International Sculpture Exhibition, Page 31, ARTNews, Summer Issue 2016

10.) Genesis, Origins of an Idea, catalogue with essay by Geoffrey Bates at Kettering University Art Gallery in Flint Michigan

11.) Touched by the Sun Forward-looking art Installation of bronze outdoor sculpture by Michael Dunbar, The Sioux City Journal, Sioux City, Iowa, July 12, 2013 Earl Horlyke

12.) Explorations in Space exhibition catalogue, Flint Institute of Arts, Flint Michigan, 2012

13.) Explorations in Space, page 116, Summer Issue, ARTNews 2013, Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, Michigan, Review by Stephanie Ricke Miller

14.) Instrumental Transitions, page 119, January,2012, Issue ARTNews, Exhibit at Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, New Jersey. Review by Carly Berwick,

15.) A Measure of Time and Space, page 158, December Issue, 2006, ARTnews, Gerald Peters Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico

16.) Michael Dunbar, Santa Fe Exhibitions, Gerald Peters Gallery News, Summer 2006, page 7. Gale Maxon-Edgerton, Director of Contemporary Art, Gerald Peters Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

17.) Sculpture Sampler, Reviving An`80s Tradition, Pier Walk Reinforces the City's Commitment To Public Art, second sentence, paragraph four, July 29, 1997 by Lisa Finn-Graznak. The Chicago Tribune.

18.) Art is Larger Than Life at Navy Pier May 05, 1998 Chicago Tribune, By Sarah Downey, Tribune Staff Writer

19.) Chicago “Art 1997 Navy Pier pages 68-70. (Vol. 16, No. 8), October 1997 Sculpture Magazine, review by Ruth Resnicow,

20.) Pier Walk’96, pages, 8 and 9, July/August 1996, Chicago Life, Supplement to the New York Times, , Photo review and article by E. Kelly

21.) Artist-Organized Outdoor Sculpture Exhibitions Pier Walk’ 97, pages. 44-49 (Vol. 16, No. 7),

22.) September 1997, On Exhibition, Special Series, Part Three, Sculpture Magazine, Review by Jane Ingram Allen Monticello Sculpture Gardens, at Lewis and Clark Community College, Godfrey, Illinois, page 102, ARTnews, December Issue, 2013, Review by Ivy Cooper

23.) People in the News, Michael Dunbar, Coordinator, Art-in Architecture program page.17, Illinois State Journal Register, Review of the Willard Ice Building Art Collection, Thursday, January 17, 1985 by Doug Porkorski

24.) Dunbar Selects Art for Illinois, Page 6, Vol. 25, No. 4 Summer 1991, Illinois State University Today, Marc LeBovitz News Service Staff,

25.) Continuum, the Art of Michael Dunbar in the Sculptural Tradition, 2016 the David Owsley Museum of Fine Art, with catalogue essay by Ann Landi, contributing editor of ARTnews and writer for The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, Art & Antiques, etc. Copper & Tin on Paper {{ISBN|978-0-692-77733-6}}

26.) Michael Dunbar, by Suzanne Deats, published by Fresco Fine Arts, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number 2006925283

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