MICHAEL C ANDERSON, ARTIST

www.michaelandersonartist.com

June 10, 2020

RE: Artist for McCall Urban Renewal District

To whom it may concern,

I am very interested in being the Artist for the McCall Urban Renewal District. The

Urban Renewal District is part of a regular bike route I use when I am in McCall. It is a very

important gathering area for both locals and visitors throughout the year. It is where we watch

fireworks, buy farmer’s produce, and gather with old friends and new. Art for such an already

popular area must compliment the attraction, make the area ever more useable and add to that

special interest. Such art should be enjoyable through the year, including snow and mud seasons.

Ceramic is my primary medium. I have used that medium to create art that is very user

friendly in high traffic areas such as schools and visitor centers. Glazed ceramic has the

durability of floor tile and is as washable as dinnerware so it works well for public art.

My public art projects have mostly involved sculptural ceramic tile, which is effectively

full color bas relief. I combine visual elements with tactile surfaces and exploratory details to

teach and entice viewers. I have ventured away from tile at times; creating special aggregates for

large floor patterns, using concrete colorants, and concrete texturing. I have used these to

complete creative ideas, drawing on experience and experimentation. I have also illustrated

books, created logos, and built houses; learning in turn about printing and enlargement,

foundations and materials, plan reading, perseverance, and detail. I have worked with structural

engineers, architects, and construction managers.

Several of my most significant commissions; Juneau’s Thunder Mt High School, Homer

Alaska’s Islands and Oceans Visitor Center, and Boise’s WaterShed all involved working with

other team members to integrate art into those public buildings and spaces. I truly enjoyed the

team environment and the collaboration with other artists and construction professionals to fit the

art with the situation. I have no doubt that this is a unique area where my skill sets and mind set

come together.

The mountains and high desert drew me to Boise State University and I lived for summer

weekends on the Sawtooth summits. Slick Rock lured me to McCall. I own a home in McCall.

My wife and I split our time between McCall and Cordova, Alaska.

Regards,

Michael Anderson

MICHAEL C. ANDERSON, ARTIST

RESUME’

SHOWS AND EXHIBITIONS, selected 2020 Show of work, Gallery 55, McCall Idaho

2019 Shades of Clay, Solo show, Copper River Gallery, Cordova, Alaska

2009 Spill, traveling invitational show, Homer, Kodiak, Cordova, Valdez, Anchorage

2008 Fish Follies, National Juried Show, Cordova Museum, Best of Show

2004 Nearly Solo, Clay, Canvas, & Paper Fireweed Gallery, Homer AK

2001 The CUP show II, Girdwood Center for the Visual Arts, Honorable Mention

1989 Earth Fire & Fibre XVII, all Alaska Juried, Anchorage Museum of Hist. & Art

COMMISSIONS AND PURCHASES 2019 Rookery, Boise Watershed, Boise, ID, City of Boise 1% Art

2019 Beneath the Surface +1, Tanalian School, Port Alsworth, AK 1% for Art

2017-18 Diving lessons +4, Iditarod El. School, Mat-Su Borough, AK 1% for Art

2016-17 Whitefish Trap + 8 works, Dena’ina Elem. School, Mat-Su Borough, AK 1%Art

2016 Wading IN -The River, Boise WaterShed, Boise, ID, City of Boise 1% Art

2015 The Early Bear, Kodiak’s Near Is. Research and Admin Facility, AK 1% Art

2012-13 Reared in the Round, William J. Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery, AK 1%Art

2011 Anadromous, Mt. Eccles Elementary School, Cordova, Alaska 1%Art

2010 Lori’s Kitchen, backsplash, Private Home, Springfield, Ill

2009 Sentinels of the River, Thunder Mountain High School, Juneau 1% Art

2008 By the River, Thunder Mountain High School, Juneau, AK 1% Art

2005 Eye to Eye, Valdez Ferry Terminal, AMHS, Valdez, Alaska 1% Art

2003-4 The Great Wet Room, The Islands and Oceans Center, USFWS, Homer AK

2002 Redfish, Meadow Lakes Elem. School, Wasilla, AK 1% Art Award

2001 An Otter’s Play…, Ocean View Elementary School, Anchorage AK 1% Art

2001 Dance of the Red Salmon, Sitka High School, Sitka, AK 1% Art Award

2000 Summer Return, Tustumena Elementary School, Kasiloff, Kenai, AK 1% Art

1998 Elvira’s Water World, Alaska Marine Highway, MV Kennicott, AK 1% Art

1997 Paleomarine 7, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Natural Sciences Bldg., 1% Art

1995 Salmon in the Sidewalk, City of Cordova, Cordova AK

1995 Selected Functional Pieces, B. P. Pipelines (Alaska) Inc.

1994 Intertidal Wall Relief- S.E. Alaska, Ketchikan High School, AK 1% Art Award

1993 Intertidal Wall Relief #1, Mt. Eccles Elementary Sch., Cordova, AK 1% Art Award

1979 Sea Wolf Newel, Lance Crosby Home, Friday Harbor, WA

USEFUL PAST EXPERIENCE City of Cordova Councilman, City of Cordova Planning Commission, Chair

EDUCATION 1975-79 Boise State University, BA 1978, John Takehara, master teacher, ceramics

1975 West Linn High School, West Linn, Oregon

REFERENCES

Ken Castner, Owner, Tonsina

Ken administered the artists for Islands and Oceans. At that time he was working for

the building contractor Jay-Brant. He is now mayor of the City of Homer, AK

Paul Volkers, Architect, MRV Architects,

Paul was the lead architect on Thunder Mountain High School

Karl Leclair, Public Art Program Manager,City of Boise,

My Contact person at the City of Boise, contracts, scheduling

Cindy Bushe, Environmental Education Coordinator at Boise WaterShed,

Cindy observed me working on site as well sharing research of the river.

MICHAEL C. ANDERSON, ARTIST

Image Identification Sheet

Anderson M 01 Dance of the Red Salmon, glazed ceramic relief tile, 6 ft. wide by 6 ft.

high, 2001

This work is based on the swimming patterns of spawning sockeye salmon

Anderson M 02 The Great Wet Room, glazed ceramic, see description for size, 2003

This commision involved the lower walls and floor and was really an exercise in

working with the contractor and subcontractors to achieve a common goal. The

floor, approx. 60 feet by 45 feet, is washed concrete with special aggregates to make

it a beach combing experience. The three ft.high wainscoat of the walls was tiled

with intertidal sea life. Two columns were redressed to create festuned piling.

Flounder were also placed in the floor to create directional arrows.

Anderson M 03 The Great Wet Room, glazed ceramic tile, porcelain aggregates 2003

This shows the room in action, The original tile festuned piling has transformed into

an educational tidal display where I created additional tile to meld the original work

with the display, in the background you see my tile framing the elevator and the

shell gravel bars in the floor that form a sea star.

Anderson M 04 By the River, glazed ceramic relief tile and sculpture, see description

for size, 2008

This commision asked 5 artists to collaborate to develop art that was integrated into

the architecture. This slide looks down on the main foyer/great room of the school.

I collaborated with the architect in the riverine floor with tile gravel bars and with the

totem carver with the base for the totem. There is about 80 sq feet of floor tile in the

river pattern. The floor tile featured artifacts, including an ancient fish trap, along

with the irregular debris and tracks found along a river.

Anderson M 05 By the River, glazed ceramic sculpture on concrete, 3.5 high, 6 ft wide

5 ft deep, 2008

The six corners of the hexagon featured creatures which began as the spreading roots

of the tree and morphed into totems as they met the pole. The theme of the base was

the mother tree from which all grows as the totem was the “auntie pole”. The spread

of the roots and floor texture was meant to be a passive redirection of rolling traffic

to protect the art.

Anderson M 06 By the River, Bear corner close-up, glazed ceramic sculpture, 2008

Closeup of the corner where the bear emerges from the mossy stump and pulls a

spawned sockeye salmon from the river.

Anderson M 07 By the River, Frog corner close-up, glazed ceramic sculpture, 2008

Closeup of the frog corner and the glossy frog whch seems to draw viewers for a rub

for luck. Wilsons warblers and black “stink”currants are also shown on this corner.

Anderson M 08 Wading In, glazed ceramic relief tile on concrete, heron 6 ft wide by 3

ft high, bench 10 ft long, 2014

This commision for the entry garden at the Boise WaterShed includes four benches

and both sides of the stair. Shown here are the foraging heron and one of the “cut-

bank”benches. The benches share the life in the river with a progression from cold

mountain stream to warm agricultural river.

Anderson M 09 Wading In, close-up, glazed ceramic relief tile on concrete, tiled 1 ft

high 2016

Closeup of a steelhead swimming below the pink willow roots

Anderson M 10 Wading In, beaver bench, glazed ceramic relief tile on concrete, tiled 1

ft high by 8 ft wide, 2016

This bench is one of four at the Boise WaterShed. McCall has a great beaver story

that could be a fun direction to take some artwork. I like to research history and lore,

as well as wading right into the river to collect content or direction for my art.

Anderson M 11 Under the Canoe, glazed ceramic relief tile, 4 ft. by 4 ft., 2017

This work was inspired by a canoe paddle through Nancy Lakes in the Mat-Su

region of Alaska. There we saw a loon on every lake. Dena’ina School, where this is

installed, is in Mat-Su

Anderson M 12 Whitefish Trap, glazed ceramic relief tile, 4 ft by 4 ft., 2017

The Dena’ina are Athabaskan native Americans that lived around Cook Inlet, They

have used fishtraps to catch fish for thousands of years. Whitefish were caught when

they migrated in the spring,and were the first fresh food of the year. This is also one

of many works installed in Dena’ina School

Anderson M 13 Diving School, glazed ceramic relief tile, 4 ft by 3 ft., 2018

Mother loon shows her young how she fishes. After watching a loon family for a

while this is what I believe was happening, when mom dove and the chicks heads

bobbed under to watch.

Anderson M 14 Rookery, glazed ceramic relief tile, each approx 2 ft high and 2 ft wrap

on a one foot diameter concrete column, 2019

Anderson M 15 Rookery, four of the six columns shown that make up this rookery.

The six nest columns that make up the Rookery hold up the shade

structure in the outdooor teaching area of the Boise WaterShed.

Anderson M 01 Dance of the Red Salmon, glazed ceramic relief tile, 6 ft. wide by 6 ft.

high, 2001

This work is based on the swimming patterns of spawning sockeye salmon

Anderson M 02 The Great Wet Room, glazed ceramic, see description for size, 2003

This commision involved the lower walls and floor and was really an exercise in

working with the contractor and subcontractors to achieve a common goal. The

floor, approx. 60 feet by 45 feet, is washed concrete with special aggregates to make

it a beach combing experience. The three ft.high wainscoat.

Anderson M 03 The Great Wet Room, glazed ceramic tile, porcelain aggregates 2003

Anderson M 04 By the River, glazed ceramic relief tile and sculpture, see description

for size, 2008

This commision asked 5 artists to collaborate to develop art that was integrated into

the architecture. This slide looks down on the main foyer/great room of the school.

I collaborated with the architect in the riverine floor with tile gravel bars and with the

totem carver with the base for the totem. There is about 80 sq feet of floor tile in the

river pattern. The floor tile featured artifacts, including an ancient fish trap, along

with the irregular debris and tracks found along a river.

Anderson M 05 By the River, glazed ceramic sculpture on concrete, 3.5 high, 6 ft wide

5 ft deep, 2008

The six corners of the hexagon featured creatures which began as the spreading roots

of the tree and morphed into totems as they met the pole. The theme of the base was

the mother tree from which all grows as the totem was the “auntie pole”. The spread

of the roots and floor texture was meant to be a passive redirection of rolling traffic

to protect the art.

Anderson M 06 By the River, Bear corner close-up, glazed ceramic sculpture, 2008

Closeup of the corner where the bear emerges from the mossy stump and pulls a

spawned sockeye salmon from the river.

Anderson M 07 By the River, Frog corner close-up, glazed ceramic sculpture, 2008

Closeup of the frog corner and the glossy frog whch seems to draw viewers for a rub

for luck. Wilsons warblers and black “stink”currants are also shown on this corner.

Anderson M 08 Wading In, glazed ceramic relief tile on concrete, heron 6 ft wide by 3

ft high, bench 10 ft long, 2014

This commision for the entry garden at the Boise WaterShed includes four benches

and both sides of the stair. Shown here are the foraging heron and one of the “cut-

bank”benches. The benches share the life in the river with a progression from cold

mountain stream to warm agricultural river.

Anderson M 09 Wading In, close-up, glazed ceramic relief tile on concrete, tiled 1 ft

high 2016

Closeup of a steelhead swimming below the pink willow roots

Anderson M 10 Wading In, beaver bench, glazed ceramic relief tile on concrete, tiled 1

ft high by 8 ft wide, 2016

This bench is one of four at the Boise WaterShed. McCall has a great beaver story

that could be a fun direction to take some artwork. I like to research history and lore,

as well as wading right into the river to collect content or direction for my art.

Anderson M 11 Under the Canoe, glazed ceramic relief tile, 4 ft. by 4 ft., 2017

This work was inspired by a canoe paddle through Nancy Lakes in the Mat-Su

region of Alaska. There we saw a loon on every lake. Dena’ina School, where this is

installed, is in Mat-Su

Anderson M 12 Whitefish Trap, glazed ceramic relief tile, 4 ft by 4 ft., 2017

The Dena’ina are Athabaskan native Americans that lived around Cook Inlet, They

have used fishtraps to catch fish for thousands of years. Whitefish were caught when

they migrated in the spring,and were the first fresh food of the year. This is also one

of many works installed in Dena’ina School

Anderson M 13 Diving School, glazed ceramic relief tile, 4 ft by 3 ft., 2018

Mother loon shows her young how she fishes. After watching a loon family for a

while this is what I believe was happening, when mom dove and the chicks heads

bobbed under to watch.

Anderson M 14 Rookery, glazed ceramic relief tile, each approx 2 ft high and 2 ft wrap

on a one foot diameter concrete column, 2019

Anderson M 15 Rookery, four of the six columns shown that make up this rookery.

The six nest columns that make up the Rookery hold up the shade

structure in the outdooor teaching area of the Boise WaterShed.