Douwe Blumberg

Douwe Blumberg (pronounced "Dow", born January 30, 1965) is a bronze sculptor who is most well known for his statue of a special forces soldier on horseback commemorating Special Forces operations in Afghanistan during the opening days of Operation Enduring Freedom. He has received more than 200 commissions and a number of awards since becoming a sculptor in 2000. He attended the University of Southern California and studied at the Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts. He was a horse trainer for 18 years before he became a sculptor. His grandparents hid a Jewish family in their home in Arnhem, The Netherlands, during the Nazi occupation. When the Germans discovered their hiding place, Blumberg's grandfather was sent to Dachau, where he was murdered. His father and his brothers served in World War II. His family's experiences were the foundation of a history in military history. Both of his parents were talented amateur artists. They raised their children in a home without television and focused on history, education, and formal and informal art education. At Beverly Hills High School, he took metal shop taught by a former machinist's mate where he learned to weld, cast, make molds. He grew up riding horses and became an assistant trainer at age 15. He is married to Marci Blumberg and between them they have four daughters. For thirteen years after graduation, he pursued a career as a professional horse-trainer at his ranch in Los Angeles. After finishing his education he became a professional horse trainer. He purchased a barn outside Los Angeles and built up a successful business training show horses and started a family. After several years he slowly began to sculpt again part-time. He began accepting commissions and after 18 years training horses, on one weekend he collected a check for $600 for horse training and another check for $6000 for a sculpture. At that point he decided to pursue sculpting. He closed his barn in 2000 and pursued sculpture work full-time. The idea gathered attention and support.

A group of Wall Street bankers who lost friends and co-workers in the 9/11 attacks funded the monumental bronze statue. America's Response Monument was dedicated on October 19, 2012, to the memory of the special forces by General John Mulholland, Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Army Special Forces Command. It was placed in front of One World Trade Center across from Ground Zero and 9/11 Memorial.

Commissions In 2011, Blomberg was selected from among over 200 other artists and won the commission for the Nevada State Veterans Memorial. It includes 18 large bronze figures. He was chosen from among 49 other applicants to construct a memorial to the victims of the crash of Flight 5191 at Blue Grass Airport on August 27, 2006. He was selected by the Special Forces Association, the Foundation for U.S. Historical Monuments, and Special Operations Association to sculpt the new a life-and-a-half scale U.S. Army Special Forces Monument to be placed at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina and Washington D.C.

He has received commissions to create a life-size herd of wild horses for the city of Aurora, Colorado, a large outdoor musical piece for the performing arts center in Lebanon, Kentucky, a new monument at the entrance to the Vance Brand Airport in Longmont, Colorado, Other monument commissions include: Reflections, William Shatner residence 2006; Way of Horse and Bow, William Shatner residence 2014; Safekeeping, Royal residence in Dubai, UAE 2005; Ode to Joy, San Francisco 2013; Ascension, Charleston 2015.

Recognition

Blumberg has completed more than 200 private and public commissions and received a number of awards Blomberg was also commissioned to create a life-size monument for the United Professional Horseman's Association. A smaller version of America’s Response Monument was put on display at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum.