Intensity was hand-made over a period of two years, by using reclaimed metal Navy shipyard salvage pipe from mid-century to create individual feathers.  These cut pieces were then sanded, hammered into the shape of each feather type, pinions, belly, all contour and remige feathers that make up the outer layers of the creature.  Even the raptor's powerful beak is created from antique iron pipe.  The base is created from antique iron and cuttings from reclaimed metal cylinders and other metal objects.  It took me months to hand-hammer each piece on an anvil, shaping them and texturing the surfaces before welding them into place one-by-one.  That makes every piece unique, there are no "cookie-cutter" pieces to this sculpture, no use of any patterns or computer-aided cutter or software.  This was made with sheer will over steel, massive patience, creativity, determination, skill, and fire.  How fitting such a primal creation process is for this powerful apex predator of nature.

      Intensity, a Bald Eagle scene sculpture, depicts the intense focus of this majestic predator as it scours the landscape below.  Perched on the barely existent remains of a tree that once powerfully split the rock on a mountain, this keen-eyed formidable raptor is ready to launch at the sight of unsuspecting prey.  One of the most successful wildlife comeback stories in American history, the bald eagle was endangered and disappearing from the American landscape due to the use of agricultural chemicals, such as DDT, and loss of habitat.  It was such an ironic situation that the very creature chosen to represent a nation was nearly wiped out by the people it represented.   However, some took notice and began to take action involving governmental powers, lobbying for protective laws, and others went to work finding ways to help the eagle to be able to produce new generations of young despite the devastating effects of the chemicals on their eggs.  With the aid of protection from the government, and with a lot of diligent, patient, hard work of environmental and wildlife activists and specialists, the Bald eagle began to make a very slow and tedious comeback.  Today, these incredible powerful birds can be readily seen around the lakes and canals of Florida.  The return of the bald Eagle is widely regarded as one of the greatest wildlife preservation success stories in American history.

 It is with this history in mind, and with memories of my childhood growing up in the waning presence of these animals here in blackwater swamps and sawgrass plains of  Florida, that I took metal objects that were nearly extinct and began to build this detailed work in honor of their comeback and the people that stood up and took action.