Mayan Wind - Loveland, CO - Figurative Public Sculpture on Waymarking.com

"Martin was born in Lebanon,Oregon in 1955.It was here at his grandparents cabin near Sisters,Oregon that he made his first carving,an Indian head from a piece of juniper out of the firewood pile. With a claw hammer and a carpenters chisel a dream was born. His family moved south in the mid 1960's and finally settled in Gainesville, Florida. After high school he tried college and then married his high school dream girl,Roxann. He worked with his father in the antique importing business. With this he had the opportunity to study fine European carved furniture and other decorative arts firsthand by restoring and carving many missing pieces.

In 1976 he studied woodcarving with famed Appalachian carver Jack Hall at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina. Never losing his dream of being an artist he kept at his carving part-time and apprenticed for wildlife artist Dan Demendoza in Sanford, Florida. It was'nt until 1987 when Martin won his first major competition that he turned to art as a full time career. Since then he has won many awards and exhibited in major shows and museums across the country.

His carving of a life sized Bald Eagle pulling a Bass from the water titled "Wind,Wings and Water" was presented to the National Wildlife Federation by the Corporate Conservation Council to celebrate the Eagle's removal from the endangered species list.

Martin's work ranges from a lifesize Madonna for the catholic church, to tiny Hummingbirds. His carvings have a unique style of absrtact shapes and forms and often capture motion with his use of line and mass.

Martin is a member of the Society of Animal Artists and lives and works in Micanopy, Florida with his beautiful wife Roxann and two lovely daughters. " (from (visit link)

Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Mayan Wind Figure Type: Animal Artist Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Martin Gates Date created or placed or use 'Unknown' if not known: 2004 Materials used: Bronze Location: Benson Sculpture Garden

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