Eagle Catcher

George Carson, Eagle Catcher
George Carlson, Eagle Catcher, Bronze, 1973.
Location: Anderson Academic Commons

George Carlson is one of today’s most accomplished sculptors of western subject matter and is best known for his representations of animals in bronze. In Chicago, he studied art at the American Academy of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago, and later studied anthropology at the University of Arizona. His studies in Arizona led to an interest in Native American culture and Western imagery. He lives and works in northern Idaho.

Eagles are a recurring theme in Carlson’s sculpture, appearing in works ranging from the late 1960s onward. He bases these complex compositions on careful studies he makes of the birds in the wild. The eagle’s role in native traditions and their grace in motion are both attractive and significant themes for Carlson. He won a gold medal for Eagle Catcher at the National Cowboy Hall of Fame’s National Academy of Western Art show in 1974, and it is often cited as one of his most important sculptures.