The #3 resin "Campfire Yarn" was recently donated by one of my customers to the Great Salt Lake Council to be auctioned off at their annual Holiday Auction and fundraiser. I was able to attend the event and it was a wonderful evening. Doug Wright, the radio talk show host was the MC for the event. It was exciting to see people outbidding each other, not just for the piece, but to benefit the Scouting program in our area.

Here are some images of my latest sculptures. for more info on the lacrosse sculpture visit www.mikecallfineart.com/littlebrotherofwarprints.html

Experience the Adventure!

THE HUNT

By Mike Call

Limited Edition Bronze

Edition of 25

24" Tall

Now Available at a Special Pre-Cast Price!  

In order to help offset the mold-making and casting expenses, I am offering the first three sculptures in the edition at a special pre-cast price of $2250. This piece will retail for $3995. It takes up to 12 weeks for  delivery. It comes mounted to a beautiful hardwood and marble base.

About the Piece:

One of my fondest memories growing up was playing mountain men with my best friend Brett (names changed to protect the innocent) in a vacant lot near our home. We spent hours building forts, making bows and arrows, and practicing our hunting skills. We would watch movies like Jeremiah Johnson and Call it Courage. We read the biography of Daniel Boone and books like Sign of the Beaver.

At one point when we were about 9 or 10 years old we decided we were tired of city life and carefully planned our escape into the mountains that were about a quarter mile east of our home along the Wasatch front. I packed everything that was important to me including my wrestling medals, my soccer and baseball trophies and a framed watercolor sketch by my great grandmother who was my inspiration.

We met at the appointed time to begin our trek, but much to my chagrin Brett had told the neighbor kid and his little sister about our plans and they demanded that we take them with us. I had to agree or otherwise they would tell on us. Besides, Brett told me, the girl had some play dishes that would be sure to come in handy.

Well, off we went. We made it about quarter of a mile up the trail before the little girl had had enough. She started bawling and we had to take her and her brother back down to the road before we could start again. I guess it was fortunate for us (though it certainly didn’t feel like it at the time) that when we got down to the road there was a white sedan waiting for us. The driver promptly rolled down his window and told us to get in the car. We promptly responded that we weren’t allowed to talk to strangers. He promptly got out of the car and showed us his police uniform and badge. We got in and had our first and only (at least for me) ride in the back seat of a police car. Apparently the girl wasn’t known to be gone for long stretches of time like Brett and I. Her mom must have noticed she was missing fairly soon to have the police out so fast. I was pretty bitter for a while. Not only did I not get to go live the life of a mountain man, but I was grounded for a month and the only other time that I got to spend in the mountains that summer was retracing my steps the following day with my dad looking for lost medals and trophies that had fallen out of my backpack.

While I no longer have aspirations to marry a sqaw and trap beaver in frigid temperatures, I still love to watch Jeremiah Johnson, and spend a lot of time in the mountains with my family and the boy scouts.

This sculpture has been developing in my consciousness for a long time. This spring I met Mel, known by his Mountain Man friends as the Canadian Honker. He agreed to model for a figure sculpture class that I teach at a local art center. The idea for the piece came from a story that he told us. He had been out hunting with friend in the mountains. They had been trekking in a large circle. When they got back to the beginning of the circle they found the tracks of a cougar that was tracking them. In this piece the hunter turns to look behind him. He sensed something. Was it predator or prey? Friend or foe? He had to be ready for anything.

I plan to do a companion piece to this one with a cougar on the hunt. He will be peering down from a large rock formation.

I am now offering Lacrosse prints and posters featuring images of "Little Brother of War." They are available in four different formats: 4x7, 8x10, 18x24, and 24x36. You can purchase them from http://www.mikecallfineart.com/littlebrotherofwarprints.html.

We are in the process of redesigning our website. I'm pleased to announce that our new shopping cart is up and running. It features a simplified check out process and a cart that you can see while you shop. The new site is www.woodbadge.com/shoppingcart. Come check it out!

Here is my new Eagle Scout Recognition Plaque.

Give your Eagle Scout a gift that is truly unique. This Eagle Scout recognition plaque comes with a Limited Edition (100), eagle relief sculpture by Artist and Eagle Scout, Mike Call. It is mounted to an 8x10 cherry wood finished base. It also comes with a customizable engraved brass plate. (see special instructions.) Limited edition of 100. Allow 2 weeks for customization and shipping. To purchase, please visit http://www.woodbadge.com/shoppingcart/index.php?c=26&p=52

Here is my new lacrosse sculpture. The name, Little Brother of War, comes from a translation of one of the native american tribes word for lacrosse. It describes Lacrosse's relationship with War. It was a sport used to develop skills which could be used during warfare. Skills like agility, stamina, and speed. Lacrosse could be a very violent sport. In the rules used by the Ojibwe (the tribe I am trying to represent in this sculpture) it was legal to strike another player on the head if he held onto the ball to long. This is the first piece in a series of lacrosse sculptures that I want to create. Posters and prints featuring this piece are also available at www.mikecallfineart.com/littlebrotherofwarprints.html These prints are a great way to share your passion for lacrosse with others.

Here is my new Baden-Powell Sculpture. It is 98% completed. I am now accepting advanced orders to help fund the casting and

moldmaking process. I am offering it in two seperate editions (Both numbered in the order they are cast.) The pre-cast price for

the bronze is $4500(full retail $6000), and the resin is $900(full retail $1200). The peice stands 23" tall. It is a scale model for a 125% lifesize

monument that I would like to create and have placed in a location where it can be enjoyed by many scouts and scouters. Please click on the link below

to see a full description of the project. My goal is to have the monumental size done in time for the national jamboree where I would like to

have a fiberglass casting on display.

For information on ordering please give me a call at 860-908-2801 or email me at mike@neckerchiefs.biz.

bp monument presentation2.pdf (741.50 kb)

I am now offering a court of honor combo kit. It contains One Eagle Neckerchief slide which is available in bronze or silver. I sculpted this slide in an oil based clay and hand cast each one from a silicone mold. The are cast in an extremely durable mixture of resin and real metal powders. They really look like metal. This kit also contains a limited edition print of an eagle that I drew. The original drawing is also still available for purchase. Contact me for pricing and other info. Each print is signed and numbered. The edition is limited to 100 so you can be sure that this is a unique gift. The last item in the kit is a pack of 50 court of honor programs. Each program is 8.5"x11" before being folded in half. They are designed so they can be run through a xerox machine or a desktop printer. The inside is blank. They are scored for easy folding. Additional packs of 50 are also available for sale. Individually these items sell for more than $50. In this Kit they are $35 plus shipping and handling. With your purchase of this kit you can also recieve $5 off the personalized Eagle Scout Neckerchief (to get this discount you must order by phone.) To purchase please visit www.NeckerChiefs.biz or call 860-908-2801.