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Biography:
Raised on a ranch in Southeastern Washington state, Mike Maiden
grew up roaming river bottoms and ridge tops. As a youngster,
he raised quarter horses as a, member of 4-Hand followed family
traditions learning to hunt pheasant and quail, giving him early
lessons about migratory birds. Eventually, Mike traded in the
rifle for a color palette and modeling clay, turning his attention
to learning and recording the life in theplains and mountains
of his home.
At Central Washington State University, Mike earned a Bachelor
of Arts degree in fine art and education in 1972. Upon graduation,
he left for basic training in the Army National,Guard. The
discipline and leadership skills he learned from his exposure
to military life have become an integral part of Mike. Mike
returned to Washington state ` and taught art in the public
school system while pursuing his interest for sculpting and
bronze casting.
In 1975, Mike resigned his teaching position and established
The Maiden Foundry. Thanks to Mike's sense of quality and
quest for excellence, The Maiden Foundry is the most reputable
fine art foundry in the world. Having spent the past twenty
plus years intensely focused on art, Mike's talent has emerged
into a sculptor worthy of world wide recognition. He is continually
in great demand for commissioned, one of a kind sculpture..'
An appreciation for nature is central to the perfection of
Mike's American Eagle Collection.
It's not enough to create sculpture by simply mastering the
. modeling media. You must also have a connection to the spirit
of wildlife ...becoming an expert on their life cycles and
behaviors, developing a natural sensitivity to tile animal's
being." _ M. Maiden'
Whether the powerful flight of his "Team Commissary"
or the nurturing posture of a nesting-parent, Michadi's American
Eagles portray magnificence. He has so completely put the
eagle before us, we can't help but recognize,their prominence
in our natural world. The sculptures are filled with Maiden's
abundant knowledge and axtistic skills. They speak directly
to the forces of nature and the art Which shape them, displaying
for our aesthetic appreciation an existence far more significant
than routine survival.
Each work is cast in solid bronze, faithful in design, form
and intricate detail-to its original sculpted model. Mike
has enhanced the finish of his works by selectively applying
color-rich patinas indistinct contrast to highly polished
metal surfaces. Maiden's eagles are as impressive in art as
they are in nature. Collectors and gallery owners acknowledge
that they are among the finest available. His sculpture can
be found in many museums and corporate collections around
the world.
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