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The Michael Garman Museum & Gallery
2418 W. Colorado Ave.
Colorado Springs, CO 80904
(800) 731-3908 www.michaelgarman.com |
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Colorado Springs November 2008
On November 21, 2008, after the brick façade of his home and sculpture studio in Old Colorado City had crumbed to the ground, Michael Garman had a decision to make. He had ju
st announced his retirement and the upcoming close of his beloved art gallery. He was supposed to launch a farewell event
the following morning. But how could they possibly do it now? The street was blocked with debris, the building was in shambles. Perhaps he should just shut his doors and call it quits. As he looked across the street, Michae
l noticed a local film crew who had come to film the tons of brick littered across Colorado Avenue. He waved to them and asked, "Hey guys, you got a minute?"
Soon he had cameramen and reporters set up in a semi-circle around him, and he announced, "Even if we have to set up on the street, we'll be open at 10:00 tomorrow morning. I'll be here, and so will my staff. I hope you'll all come out as well."
Sure enough, the following morning, as the sun rose in a cloudless November sky, crowds began to gather outside Michael Garman Galleries. Whole families were there, bundled and mittened, along with soldiers and firefighters, policemen and winos, all side by side. They brought little red
wagons filled with Michael Garman sculptures. Tuck,
Catchin' the Plug
, High Wood Walker, Saddle Tramp and Pathfinder - so many of the sculptures Michael had created were cradled in the arms of fans who had come to say goodbye. Lines snaked through the park and around the block. People waited for hours. And when they finally had their turn to shake his hand or give Michael a hug, many of them slipped notes into his palm: "Please don't go." "We'll miss you." "You can't leave."
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Six weeks later, Michael gathered his staff together and asked, "Okay guys, now what?" Exhausted staff members sat on folding chairs, desktops and cross-legged on the floor. No one had been prepared for the overwhelming community response to the announcement that Michael Garman Galleries would soon close. Thousands of letters, phone calls and visits from his fans and friends had a deep impact on Michael.
"Do we end it here?" Michael asked. The question hit hard. How could it end? This unique artistic expression, one man's entire life's work - how do you put that away? The idea that emerged from that meeting was simple and gorgeous and, as Michael Garman himself admitted, "scary as hell."
Five months later, The Michael Garman Museum officially opened its doors on May 16th, 2009 - combining a gallery of Michael Garman's hand-made sculptures with exhibits of many one-of-a-kind pieces from the earliest years of his career. Instead of tearing down Magic Town, Michael expanded his vagabond village and updated the magical effe
cts.
As people leave Mag
ic Town, they ask two quest
ions more often than anything else:
"How did he do that?" And, "How did he get started?" The answers to those two questions embody over 70 years. They include a hundred different stories - stories about a Texas kid, a fashion photographer, a runaway, a beautiful blonde, a tragic accident, a photojournalist, a vagabond, a wino, a street hustler, a Panamanian dungeon, a drug smuggler, a beautiful brunette, a cow
boy, a bull rider, a father, a husband, and a drunk. These are the stories that make up the life and art of one vagabond sculptor. These are the stories of Michael Garman.
And in his own words, the artist admits,
"It's a hell of a ride."
Stay tuned in 2016 for the adventures that inspired his work.
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