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Michael Austin Dunbar
Michael Dunbar (born 1947) is an important public art administrator as well as a noted American sculptor. As a public art administrator, Dunbar has procured hundreds of works of public art totaling millions of dollars for the State of Illinois as the Art-in-Architecture Coordinator and has curated over 20 art exhibitions for the state. As an American sculptor, Dunbar has created large scale outdoor sculptures located on the grounds of universities, sculpture parks, and public plazas throughout the country.

Early life
Born in Santa Paula, California on September 21, 1947, Michael Austin Dunbar 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 1951, at age 4 he moved with his parents to Springfield, Illinois.

Education
Dunbar attended Southern Illinois University in 1967 and the Chicago Academy of Art in 1969. In 1971, Dunbar graduated with a B.A. degree in studio sculpture from Illinois State University in 1973. Dunbar received his M.S. Degree from Illinois State University, in 1980.

Coordinator, Art-in-Architecture, 1977-2010
In 1977, Governor James R. Thompson signed Public Act 80-241 establishing the Art-in-Architecture program for the State of Illinois. On November 15, 1977, Michael Dunbar was hired to serve as the first Art-in-Architecture Coordinator for the Capital Development Board until his retirement in 2010. In that position he wrote the guidelines, procedures, and contracts for program and produced ## exhibitions and procured a sizable collection of contemporary art for the State of Illinois.

In 1979, Dunbar produced the Illinois % for Art Dedication Exhibition for the grounds of the Illinois Department of Transportation building for the State of Illinois. On display were large scale sculptures by Illinois artists, Richard Hunt, Jerry Peart, Barry Tinsley, John Henry, Bruce White, Tom Scarff, Ed McCullough, and a number of other Illinois sculptors. As a result of the Illinois % for Art Dedication Exhibition, Dunbar was asked to create and produce the On-going Exhibition Program for the lobby of the Department of Transportation from 1979 to 1981.

In 1983, he represented the State of Illinois on the committee that traveled to Paris France to meet with Jean Dubuffet to negotiate the commission of Dubuffet’s last monumental sculpture, Monument with Standing Beast, for the plaza of the State of Illinois Center in Chicago. (7.a) (7.b) (7.c) (7.d)

Over the years Dunbar coordinated a number of important competitions for the Art-in-Architecture program including the seven phase Illinois Collection for the State of Illinois Center, from 1981 to 1986, commissioning important works by Don Baum, Roger Brown, Ruth Duckworth, Roland Ginzel, John Henry, Richard Hunt, Miyoko Ito, Ellen Lanyon, Gladys Nilsson, Jim Nutt, Ed Paschke, Carl Wirsum, Claire Zeisler and over a hundred other Illinois artists in painting, prints, drawing, photography, sculpture, fibers, ceramics and glass, to create artwork specifically for the building. (8.) From, 1984 to 1986, Dunbar coordinated a competition and assembled a collection of 22 paintings, 7 large sculptures and one large hanging glass assemblage for the Willard Ice Building, in Springfield, Illinois. (9.a) (9.b)

From 1990 to 1991 Dunbar coordinated a competition and assembled artwork for the Portrait of Illinois collection, at the Illinois State Library. Included in the collection are the two monumental paintings by Harold Gregor, Illinois Spring Morning and Illinois Autumn Evening, plus important works by Jim Winn, Jim Butler, and 28 other Illinois Artists. (13.)

Starting in 1992 and running through 1997, Dunbar coordinated a five year sculpture competition titled Sculpture for the New Millennium. Through this competition the Art-in-Architecture program commissioned major outdoor sculptures by Ruth Duckworth, Richard Hunt, John Adduci, Mike Baur, Roger Blakley, Ed McCullough, Terry Karpowicz, Tony Tasset, Dan Peterman, Peter Fagan, Dann Nardi, Barry Tinsley, Steve Lueking, Bill Carlson, Gene Horvath, Christine Martens, Tom Skomski, Christine Rojek, Patrick McDonald, Tom Scarff, Preston Jackson, Bruce White, and a number of others for public collections at universities and colleges throughout the state of Illinois. (14.a) (14.b)

In 2007, through the Art-in-Architecture program, Dunbar commissioned Ed Paschke to create a two panel painting for the permanent collection at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, Illinois, Ed Paschke passed away on November 25, 2004, before he was able to completed the paintings. Working with Ed’s son, Marc Paschke in 2007, Dunbar co-wrote and produced the book Ed Paschke, Electronicon to document the innovative way in which these two paintings were presented in their unfinished state.

Producer, Pier Walk, 1995-2001
In 1995, alongside with fellow artist, Terry Karpowicz, Dunbar co-produced Pier Walk, a venue that invited sculptors from around the world to exhibit their artwork in Chicago. Over a six year period, Dunbar recruited and/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. He created and produced full color illustrated catalogues for each year’s exhibits from 1996-2000. (19.)                                                         As the founding President of 3-D Chicago, the not-for-profit organization established to produce and promote the Pier Walk exhibitions, Dunbar repeatedly traveled to Europe to recruit the top sculptors of the world to exhibit their art work at Navy Pier. (20.a) (20.b) (20.c)  (20.d)

In 1998 Dunbar and Karpowicz traveled to Paris, France to meet Mark di Suvero and invite him, as the featured international artist, to premier his latest monumental sculpture, Mother Theresa, in Chicago for Pier Walk '98. (21.a) (21.b)

In 1999 he led a delegation that traveled to London, England to meet Anthony Caro to invite him to premier his largest monumental sculpture, Goodwood Steps, as the featured international artist for Pier Walk '99. (23.)

In 1999 and 2000 Dunbar traveled to San Sebastian, Spain to meet with and invite Eduardo Chillida to serve as the featured international artist. Chillida would premier his most recent granite sculpture Escuchando a la Piedra V, in Chicago for Pier Walk '2000. (24.) Through Dunbar’s vision and direction, Pier Walk evolved into the “World’s Largest Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition” showcasing public sculpture to more than 9 million viewers each year (25.)

American Sculptor
Dunbar has maintained an active career as a sculptor creating a commanding body of more than 35 large-scale works of public sculpture for placement throughout the country.

In addition, Dunbar has created an ongoing body of work of pedestal sized Machinist Studies fabricated in bronze and steel. Created in single digit numbers, the studies are meant to be complete works of art in themselves, yet a number have found their way to becoming large-scale sculptures.

Sculptures in public collections and public spaces
Touched by the Sun, Fabricated Bronze, 2013, Sioux City Art Center, Sioux City Iowa

Orbits of Isaac, Fabricated Bronze, 2011, Kettering University, Flint, Michigan

Telecaster, Fabricated Bronze, 2010, Flint Institute of Arts, Flint, Michigan

Cassiopeia, Fabricated Bronze, 2009, Flint Institute of Arts, Flint Michigan

Arthur’s Odyssey, Painted Steel, 2009, Indiana State University, Terra Haute, Indiana

Escanaba, Fabricated Bronze, 2008, Private Collection, Springfield, Illinois

Pivot Point, Fabricated Bronze, 2008, Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center, Schaumburg, Illinois

Great Lakes Transfer, Painted Steel, 2009, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan

Pivot Point, Fabricated Bronze, 2007, Private Collection, Springfield, Illinois

Three Rivers, Fabricated Bronze, 2006, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana

Fallen Warrior, Fabricated Bronze, 2006, Notre Dame University, South Bend, Indiana

Euclid’s Cross, Fabricated Bronze, 2004, Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park, Hamilton, Ohio

Oscar’s Inclination, Welded painted steel, 2003, Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park, Governor State University, Chicago Heights, Illinois

North Point, Fabricated Bronze, 2003, Lewis & Clark Community College, Godfrey, Illinois

Chicago Dayton Transit, Painted Steel, 2001,  Time Equities Plaza, Dayton, Ohio

Jendiva, Painted Steel, 2001, Purdue North Campus, Westville. Indiana

Niantic, Fabricated Bronze, 2001, Wandel Sculpture Park, Champaign, Illinois

Night Train, Painted Steel, 1999, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois

Sweet Melissa, Painted Steel, 1999, Oakton Community College, Skokie, Illinois

Katmandu, Painted Steel, 1997, Notre Dame University, South Bend, Indiana

Astro Treillage, Painted Steel, 1996, Southwestern Illinois College, Belleville, Illinois

River Rouge, Painted Steel, 1996, Private Collection, Berrien Springs, Michigan

Allegheny Drift, Painted Steel, 1995, Krasl Art Center, St. Joseph, Michigan

New Madrid Shift, Granite Water Feature, 1995, Private Collection, Springfield, Illinois

Smokestack Lightning, Cor-ten Steel, 1988, Memorial Hospital, Springfield, Illinois

Dawn Departure, Fabricated Bronze, 1987, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Illinois

River Crossing, Painted Steel, 1986, University of Wisconsin at Steven’s Point, Steven’s Point, Wisconsin

Gandy Dancer, Painted Steel, 1986, Private Collection, Springfield, Illinois

Inland Passage/Pier Walk, Painted Steel, 1985, Rockford Art Museum, Rockford, Illinois

Steel Head, Painted Steel, 1985, Lincoln Land College, Springfield, Illinois

Thunder Stone Blue, Painted Steel, 1984, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois

Speed Wrench, Cor-ten Steel, 1982, Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois

Highway 66 Goodbye, Cor-ten Steel, 1977, Sangamo Club, Springfield, Illinois ___________________________________________