Art Résumé
of Michael Dunn


Enchanted Creek | Résumé | Artists Statement
Affiliations | Awards | Commissions | Education | Exhibitions | Publications


Enchanted Creek Studios

is located in one of the higher valleys of the Santa Cruz Mountains, above Boulder Creek, California. The studio sits atop a set of three large boulders overlooking one of the waterfalls along Enchanted Creek, and is made entirely of hand-milled lumber harvested on site. It started over twenty years ago with Enchanted Creek Woodcarving, which was centered around ornamental carving for furniture, door manufacturers, and custom orders. The studio grew in time along with the skills and the range of mediums to what it is now. In 1990 it expanded into Enchanted Creek Studios, which encompasses a wide range of media, including Bronze and Stone Sculpture, Moldmaking, Jewelry, Wood, of course, Photography, Video, Digital Art, Graphics, and others. The focus is, and always has been, to bridge the realities from the spiritual, conceptual, and beautiful to the material, and to do it with as much attention and care as is possible in the finite, limited world we're passing through.

Much of my work is influenced by the environment in which I live. The never-ending babble of Enchanted Creek whispers and talks, the voices of ancient spirits, calm yet very strong, speak of wisdom and an understanding of time. We are only here for a short while, and we can do something good while we are here. My art is intended to make the world a better place with a little more beauty in it than there was before. Lately I have been working more with form, space, line, light, and color than in the past, but I still enjoy a realistic interpretation now and then. There are particular points in time that seem worth preserving, as a photo, video, or sculpture. Most of what I do feels as if it comes through me, not from me, but that, of course, is subjective. The process of creation is a great thing to be able to be part of. The product of that creation is to be shared, and that is why I am offering my art to the public.


Affiliations | Awards | Commissions | Education | Exhibitions | Publications


Education

1991 - 1996

Cabrillo Community College, Aptos, California - Art Major - classes in Small Scale Metals/Jewelry, Drawing, Calligraphy, Printmaking, Graphic Design, Business, Sculpture, Moldmaking,, and for the last three years, a concentration in Bronze Casting, among other things.

1980 - 1981

San Jose State University, San Jose, California - Multiple Subject Elementary School Teaching Program.

1974

Schnitzlerschule, (Woodcarving school) Brienz, Switzerland. Audited classes, private sessions with headmaster, special interest in ornamental woodcarving with some instruction in sculpture.

Middlebury, Vermont - Independent study with focus on joinery, Shaker-style furniture, loom making, and wood finishing.

1972 - 1974

University of California at Santa Cruz - Independent Major - B. A. Degree in "Communication."

1970 - 1972

Cabrillo Community College, Aptos, California. Basic undergraduate courses, major in Early Childhood Education.

1968 - 1969

U. S. Navy - Basic Electricity and Electronics School, San Diego, California. Electronics Technician "A" School, San Francisco, California.

1966 - 1968

Heald's College of Engineering, San Francisco, California. Mechanical Engineering major, Electrical Engineering minor.


Exhibitions

2002

Reson8 Gallery Monrovia, CA - Bronze Sculptures - "Birdwoman," "Wizard in Ecstacy," "Life," "Mother and Child," "Coming and Going"

1999

Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center, Ben Lomond, CA - "Figuratively Speaking" - Bronze Sculpture - "Woman in Bronze"

Las Cumbres Holiday Festival Los Gatos, CA - (Invitational) - various works and media-

Santa Cruz County Government Center, Santa Cruz, CA - The works of Michael Dunn - Various sculptural fine art works in a variety of media - Continues to be on display on the fifth floor, in the District Attorneys office

1998

Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center, Ben Lomond, CA - "Holiday Affordable Art Show" - Artworks priced under $300 - Hydrostone Sculpture - "Woman in Stone," Jewelry boxes, and framed Photographs

Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center, Ben Lomond, CA - "Members Exhibition" - (Invitational) - Alabaster Sculpture - "Study in Negative Space," Bronze Sculpture - "Birdwoman"

Santa Cruz County Government Center, Santa Cruz, CA - The works of Michael Dunn - Various sculptural fine art works in a variety of media - Continues to be on display on the fifth floor, in the District Attorneys office

Santa Cruz Art League, Santa Cruz, CA - Annual Statewide Exhibition (Juried) - Photograph - "Valley View"

Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center, Ben Lomond, CA - "Deep Waters" - California Sculpture Exhibition (Juried) - Alabaster Sculpture - "Study in Negative Space"

The Duncan House, Boulder Creek,CA - Celtic Art - Digital creation - "Celtic Heart"

Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center, Ben Lomond, CA - The Poet's Eye/The Artist's Tongue - Digital creation - "Touch Me"

Santa Cruz Art League, Santa Cruz, CA - Membership Show - Digital creation - "Beauty"

1997

Santa Cruz County Government Center, Santa Cruz, CA - The works of Michael Dunn - Various sculptural fine art works in a variety of media, two floors for two months.

Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center, Ben Lomond, CA - Flight - Digital creation, "Coming Home"

Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center, - Grand Opening - Invitational - bronze sculpture, "Birdwoman"

City of Santa Cruz - Art on the Wharf - with the Monterey Bay Bronze Guild - bronze sculptures, varied

Santa Cruz Art League - Art Fair with the Monterey Bay Bronze Guild - Bronze and Alabaster sculpture, "Mother and Child"

1996

Santa Cruz Art League - New Works Membership Show (Invitational) - Bronze and Alabaster sculpture, "Mother and Child"

Holiday Art Show - Boulder Creek, Calif. - Fine Arts Exhibition (Invitational) - Bronze and Alabaster sculpture, "Mother and Child"

Santa Cruz Art League - Three Decades - Three Dimensions (Invitational) The Artworks of the students of Holt Murray from the last thirty years of his teaching sculpture and bronze casting - Bronze and Alabaster sculpture, "Mother and Child"

Santa Cruz Art League - Statewide Exhibition (Juried) - Alabaster and Bronze sculpture, "Coming and Going"

Metro Center - Santa Cruz, Calif. - Bronze Sculpture Exhibition: "Birdwoman", and "Life"

Redwood Faire - Ben Lomond, Calif. - Fine Arts Exhibition - Bronze Sculptures: "Wizard in Ecstasy", "Mother and Child", "Coming and Going" and "Hand of the Woman Scorn'd"

Boulder Creek Art and Wine Festival - Fine Arts Exhibition - Bronze sculptures: "Wizard in Ecstasy", "Mother and Child", "Coming and Going" and "Hand of the Woman Scorn'd"

Una Celebrazione alla Compagnia per il Maestro dei Bronzini, Corralitos, Calif. - Sculpture Exhibit - Bronze sculpture, "Infinity Cubed"

Santa Cruz Art League - Members Exhibition - Bronze sculpture, "Infinity Cubed"

The Duncan House,, Boulder Creek, Calif. - Guest Artist - Bronze Celtic Tiles

Dancing Crane - Boulder Creek, Calif. - Featured Artist - various photographs

1995

Enchanted Creek Gallery - Sonoma Online (SoCoOL) - Sonoma, Calif. - World Wide Web - http://www.socool.com/socool/gallery.html - various works

The Duncan House, - Boulder Creek, Calif. - Guest Artist - Bronze Celtic Tiles

Dancing Crane - Boulder Creek, Calif. - Featured Artist - various photographs

Cabrillo College Gallery - Aptos, Calif. - "Student Art Show" (Juried) - Bronze sculpture - "Infinity Cubed"

Redwood Mountain Faire - Ben Lomond, Calif. - Fine Arts Exhibition, Bronzes "Birdwoman", "Yosemite Falls," and "Infinity Cubed"

Boulder Creek Art and Wine Festival - Boulder Creek, Calif. - Fine Arts Exhibition, Bronzes, "Birdwoman", "Wizard in Ecstacy" and Photo "Winter Home"

Studio 42 Gallery - Los Gatos, Calif. - Limited Edition Bronze Sculptures

Menzies Gallery - Boulder Creek, Calif. - Resident Artist - Various Works

The Pope Gallery - Santa Cruz, Calif. - "Alchemy Exhibition" (Invitational) - Mixed Metals and Sapphire piece - "Yosemite Door"

Santa Cruz Art League - Santa Cruz, Calif. - "Regional Exchange Exhibition" (With the Pacific Grove Art Center) - (Invitational) - Alabaster sculpture, "Study in Negative Space"

Cabrillo College Gallery - Aptos, Calif. - "Student Art Show" (Juried) - Bronze sculpture, "Woman in Bronze"

Santa Cruz Art League - Santa Cruz, Calif. - "Uncommon Ground Exhibition" - Bronze sculpture, "Wizard in Ecstasy"

Bookshops, Santa Cruz County, Calif. - Computer Art, Notecards


1994
Santa Cruz Art League - Santa Cruz, Calif., - "Points of View Exhibition" - Alabaster sculpture, "Study in Negative Space"

Studio 42 Gallery - Los Gatos, Calif. - Limited Edition Bronze Sculptures

Menzies Gallery - Boulder Creek, Calif. - Resident Artist - various works

Redwood Mountain Faire - Ben Lomond, Calif, - Fine Arts Exhibit (Invitational) - Sculptures

Graphfix - Santa Cruz, Calif. - Fractals, Notecards

White Raven - Felton, Calif. - Computer Art, Notecards

Village Book Cafe - Scotts Valley, Calif. - Computer Art, Notecards

Capitola Book Cafe, Capitola, Calif. - Digital Art, Notecards


1993
Student Art Show - Cabrillo College Gallery - Carved alabaster sculpture, "Elements of Life"

Cabrillo College Student Artists Coalition Show and Sale - various works

Fine Arts Exhibit - Redwood Mountain Faire, Santa Cruz County (invitational), stone sculpture, "Elements of Life," intaglio print, "Quest," carved relief, "Yosemite Falls"

Simply Brilliant Art Gallery - Scotts Valley, Calif. (invitational), silver jewelry and sculpture

Ampersand Gallery - Sandpoint, Idaho - alabaster sculpture, "Elements of Life"

Santa Cruz Art League - Statewide Art Competition (invitational) - intaglio print, "Quest," selected for exhibition

Bay Photo Lab - Aptos, Calif. (solo invitational), photography

Reicke's Bayside Gallery - Bigfork, Montana -

Cabrillo Gallery - Student Art Show, Cabrillo College, Aptos, Calif. (invitational), Alabaster Sculpture, "Study in Negative Space", and plaster master sculpture, "Rapture"

Santa Cruz Art League - Santa Cruz, Calif., Points of View Exhibition, Alabaster Sculpture, "Study in Negative Space"


1992

Student Art Show - Cabrillo College Gallery - Combination cast silver and fabricated base metals piece with pave' set sapphire, "Yosemite Door," and a graphite drawing, Reflected Self-Portrait

New Beginnings Fine Arts Gallery - Placerville, California - silver and mixed metal jewelry


1991

Student Art Show - Cabrillo College Gallery - fabricated bronze piece, "Crossed Heart"

Elkin's Lodge - Priest Lake, Idaho - jewelry boxes

Las Cumbres - Los Gatos, California - Christmas Cultural Event, various artworks

1975
Cooper House Gallery - Santa Cruz, California - large carved round table


Commissions

2002

Interlocking Hearts - 3" Redwood hearts for the daytime TV program, "One Life to Live" - American Broadcasting Corporation - New York, New York

Great Oak Tree - a 7' x 8' x 4" brass and copper Oak tree wall hanging for the board room of - Avon Corporation - Newark, Deleware

Picture frame Moulding - Mark Henson, Fine Arts Oil Painter - Lakeport, CA

2001

Victorian Stair Railing - cast bronze - Commissioned by Ron and Katie Bodkin - San Francisco, CA

Picture frame Moulding - Mark Henson, Fine Arts Oil Painter - Lakeport, CA

2000

"GOD" - 3' x 3' x 3" Walnut carving commissioned by Jeanine Frank for the Eternal Father Adoration Chapel - Villa Park, Illinois

Picture frame Moulding - Mark Henson, Fine Arts Oil Painter - Watsonville, CA

1998

Internet Web Site Creation and monthly maintenance - Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center - Ben Lomond, CA

Picture frame Moulding - Mark Henson, Fine Arts Oil Painter - Watsonville, CA

Web Pages for Barbara Winner, Artist - Boulder Creek, CA

Mould for "Surfer" and Bronze casting - Brad Landino - Aptos, CA

1997

Web Pages for Barbara Winner, Artist - Boulder Creek, CA

Web Pages for Helené, International Oriental and Middle Eastern Dance Instructor - Ben Lomond, CA

Web Pages for Michael Lussier, Bronze Sculptor - Brookdale, CA

Internet Web Site Creation - Timeless Tile - Felton, CA

Web Pages for Lloyd Turner, Architect and Artist - Boulder Creek, CA

Internet Web Site Creation and monthly maintenance - Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center - Ben Lomond, CA

Internet Web Site Creation - San Lorenzo Valley Cultural Committee - Boulder Creek, CA

Internet Web Site Creation - Monterey Bay Bronze Guild - Santa Cruz, CA

1974 - 1993

Various works, mostly for private parties, small businesses, and lodges, the majority being wood related

1993

Cremation urn, carved cherry wood, dogwood motif, for Michele Staub

Silver and sapphire ring, "Aum" motif, for Steve Robertson

1992

Large carved and inlayed oak round table, Celtic motif, for Richard Bledsoe

Cremation urn, carved cherry wood, personalized for Robert Park

Silver ring made to fit raw fire opal for Teresa Landino

1982 - 1992

Built custom homes for owner-dwellers, several single-handedly, in the $400,000+ range. Also did repairs and additions.

1975 - 1985

Master carver for Art Quinn Hardwood Doors, Inc. of Fiddletown, California. Designed and carved many custom raised paneled hardwood doors, primarily in oak.

1975 - 1976

Carved interior of home for Robert Croft, Ben Lomond, California.

1975

Replicated antique furniture and antique car parts for Robert Sohl, restorer of antique cars in Bonny Doon, California

Partners in "Iron Mountain Furniture." Manufactured and carved large tables, chairs, bed frames, etc.

1974

Interior carvings for Marie-Ecole in Murbach, France, a building constructed in 1006.


Publications

Valley Arts Newsletter - San Lorenzo Valley - July 1996 - "Wizard in Ecstasy" featured on front page.

San Lorenzo Valley Arts Newsletter - Santa Cruz County, Calif. - 1995- Featured Artist - Article and image of "Wizard in Ecstasy" - (Bronze sculpture)

Valley Press - San Lorenzo Valley - September 1993 - Intaglio print, "Quest" featured in article about SLV artists.

Scotts Valley Banner - Scotts Valley, Calif. - September 1993 - Intaglio print, "Quest" featured in article about SLV artists.

Valley Press - San Lorenzo Valley - June 1993 - Alabaster sculpture, "Elements of Life" featured in article about SLV artists.


Scholarships and Awards

1994
Merit Award, "Points of View Exhibition" - Santa Cruz Art League

1993

Norman J. Shields Memorial Award, Cabrillo College Art Department

1992

Donna Christine Fichera Memorial Scholarship, Cabrillo College Art Department


Affiliations

Santa Cruz Art League - Santa Cruz, CA - Member and Exhibitor

San Lorenzo Valley Cultural Committee of the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County (SLVCC) - Boulder Creek, CA - Member and Exhibitor

Santa Cruz Mountains Art Center - Ben Lomond, CA - A Nonprofit Corporation - Initiator and Board Member

Monterey Bay Bronze Guild - Santa Cruz CA - A Nonprofit Corporation - Coordinator, (Two Terms) Initiator and Board Member


Michael Dunn - Artist's Statement

Art has been a love and a passion since childhood, but was not encouraged in the middle class background I was raised in. It lay dormant until 1972 when I started to actively pursue woodcarving under the instruction of Roy Pierce, a retired gunsmith and carver. In 1974 I traveled on a quest through Europe and found the main woodcarving school in Switzerland where I learned all I could, focusing at that time on ornamentation.

The next several years were spent on perfecting techniques and learning related skills. A background of seven years of drafting and electrical theory, and an understanding of three-dimensional curves and enclosed abstract volumes led me into freeform sculpture. Combining the discipline of ornamentation and the freedom of sculpture with the variability of wood was, and continues to be, an interesting challenge. I was back in school from January of 1991 to June 0f 1995 where I learned to be comfortable with metal, stone, graphite, ink, oil, and the computer, which gives me a good range to work with.

Professionally, I've been self-employed most of my adult life other than a year with IBM and a short stint with the Navy. All of my artwork has been custom ordered and/or commissioned until recently, the result being that I've had very little, other than slides, to show the high quality of my craftsmanship. Reputation by word of mouth worked well in that realm, but isn't much help in the world of gallery art.

A few years ago I decided to break away from Gallery showing, and try to offer my art directly to the public without the 100% mark-up that most galleries charge. The internet seems like a good way to make the connections between the artist and the art appreciator.

Since I utilize a variety of media, I'm finding a means to express my inner mind, philosophies, perceptions, hopes, dreams, and fantasies, sometimes realistically and sometimes symbolically, but always with thoughtfulness. I believe art is valuable in giving the hope, faith, and beauty we all need to make life an enlightening and worthwhile experience. Art makes the world a better place. As Tom Robbins said, "In the haunted house of life, art is the only stair that doesn't creak."



These pages are created and maintained by:

Enchanted Creek Studios

If you are interested in having your own pages or web site developed, please send an email describing your ideas. Rates are flexible and reasonable and depend on what you want.


Please note: All the images you see and the pages you see them on are covered by copyright laws and it's a lot cheaper to deal with me directly than not. Thanks for supporting the rights of the artists.

Copyright 1995 - 2001 by Michael Dunn

All rights reserved


Enchanted Creek Studios
Box 455
Boulder Creek
California
95006

Phone: 408 395-0881

Email: michael@enchantedcreek.com
URL: http://www.enchantedcreek.com


Last updated on September 18, 2002