Eric Thorsen

Eric Thorsen (born October 6, 1967) is an American painter and sculptor known for his wildlife sculpture and fish carvings which have won him multiple awards at major art shows nationwide including "Best In World" at the 1992 World Taxidermy & Fish Carving Championships. Breakthrough magazine described him as "More than Promising" and his artwork can be found in prominent public spaces, private collections, and on product labels. He has been commissioned to create artwork for corporate entities such as Nike Inc., Lowe's, Coca-Cola, He is a resident of Bigfork, Montana.

Early life Thorsen was born on October 6, 1967, in Glasgow, Montana. He is the son of Marcus Walter Thorsen and Denise Renee Meunier. His father, while in active service in the U.S. Air Force, met Denise Meunier in Le Mans, France. They soon married and moved to Glasgow, Montana, in 1965. Eric was born on the Glasgow, Montana, air force base. and his first exhibition was in the Ghost Art Gallery in Butte, Montana, in 1988. Thorsen exhibited his works of art while in college and left his studies to pursue creating artwork as a full-time career. for non-profit groups nationwide, including Ducks Unlimited.

In 1993, he opened a gallery and studio in Bigfork, Montana.

Personal life Thorsen met his future wife, Cyndy Askeland, at the University of Montana in 1987. Askeland majored in education and graduated in 1991 with a degree in education. They were married on August 17, 1991, and two children were born to the couple, daughters Gabrielle and Madelaine.

Works Eric Thorsen is known for his hyper-realistic style in woodcarving. Early in his career he was drawn to the hyper-realism style being explored by other wood sculptors such as Franz Dutzler and Jett Brunett. In 1992 he entered his woodcarving titled "Mystery of the Redd" into the World Taxidermy & Fish Carving Championships and won the "Best in World" award and title for 1992–1995. At age 23 he is the youngest recipient of this award. and casting his sculptures in bronze. Examples of work created include "The Coop", a bronze sculpture depicting Cynthia Cooper for the Nike Campus in Beaverton, Oregon. and "Children & Doves", City Civic Center, City of Norwalk, California. Thorsen sculpted a life-size bald eagle bust in under 30 minutes for the C. M. Russell Museum Quickdraw event in 1996.

A bronze sculpture by Thorsen, valued at $18,500, was stolen from Norwalk Civic Center in 2015. The bronze, which the thieves had taken to a metal recycler, was later recovered.

Philanthropy Thorsen volunteers at local schools teaching CAD Software and 3D printing technology in the classroom. His sculptures have raised funds for non-profit organizations throughout the US and Canada through the following organizations: National Ducks Unlimited; National Elk Foundation; and the National Wild Turkey Federation. Thorsen has also raised funds for a dozen or more other organizations, the list of which is too numerous to mention here.

Public collections

Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia Natural History Museum, London, England Auburn University The University of Tampa University of Arizona Monterey Bay Aquarium. CA Washington Park Zoo, Michigan City, IN Cameron Park and Zoological and Botanical Sciences. Waco, TX Mankato Art Walk, Mankato, MN Norwalk City Center, paper boy, Norwalk, CA Nike Campus, WNBA player Cynthia Cooper #14 of Houston Comets, life-size bronze sculpture Nike Corporation, Beaverton, OR Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Trail, Helena, MT Moonlight Basin Lodge, Big Sky, MT Shaw Communications, Canada The Lodge at Whitefish Lake, Whitefish, MT Flathead Bank, Bigfork, MT

Exhibitions Thorsen's artwork has been displayed in a number of special museum exhibits and gallery shows including:

2019 South Dakota Sculpture Trail, Waterton, SD 2019 Sculptures on Parade, Mason City, IA 2018 Mankato, MN City Art Walking Sculpture Tour 2018 Sculpture Tour Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI 2017 Sioux Falls Sculpture Walk, Sioux Falls, SD 2016 Mount St. Mary Park in St. Charles, IL 2014 Mankato, MN Art Walk 2014 Washington Pavilion, Sioux Falls, SD Whitefish Gallery, Whitefish, MT 2013 Old Faithful Lodge. One man show; Yellowstone National Park, WY, 2013 Washington Pavilion, Sioux Falls, SD 2012 Art Walk; Sioux Falls, SD 2001 Nike Center, Lance Armstrong building. NIKE campus. Bearverton, OR 2000 S.A.A. Annual Exhibition, MacArthur Beach State Park, North Palm Beach, FL 1998 Disney's Animal Kingdom Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL 1998-2009 Glacier International Airport, Kalispell, MT 1997 S.A.A. Annual Exhibition, MacArthur Beach State Park, North Palm Beach, FL 1997 C. M. Russell Show, Great Falls, MT 1997 C. M. Russell Museum Exhibit 1997 C. M. Russell Museum Exhibit "Fin land" 1996 S.A.A. Annual Exhibition, MacArthur Beach State Park, North Palm Beach, FL 2014 Art Walk; Sioux Falls, SD People's Choice Award 2012 "Best of Show" Art Walk; Sioux Falls, SD 2002 People's Choice, Best Sculpture, C. M. Russell Show, C. M. Russell Museum Complex. 2000 People's Choice, Best Sculpture, C. M. Russell Show, C. M. Russell Museum Complex 2000 Award of Excellence, Society of Animal Artists 1996 Ralph "Tuffy" Berg Award, C. M. Russell Show C. M. Russell Museum Complex Best of Show, Premium Show of Fine Art 1992 Carl E. Akeley Award, Best In World winner, World Taxidermy & Fish Carving Championships Interview Montana 2001 ESPN Interview, Eric Thorsen – Cynthia Cooper dedication KDLT-TV, Sioux Falls, SD

Television & movies Thorsen's art has been used in television and movies: WKRP in Cincinnati; Wild Things (1998), directed by John McNaughton; City Confidential; C Span with Anderson Cooper, opening sequence.