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The Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum

© Judith Stock

Housed in the Arbury Fine Arts Center on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University, the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum is home to a significant collection of over 200 of the artist's monumental plaster casts.

Fredericks' career began in 1930 when he graduated from Cleveland School of Art, and went aboard on a fellowship to study with Carl Miles in Sweden, continuing his studies in Denmark, Germany, France, and Italy. Back in the United States, in 1932, he joined the staff at Cranbrook Academy of Art where he taught for many years. His impressive sculpture gained him commissions for fountains, memorials, bronze portraits and freestanding sculpture. His work became easy to recognize, his signature the "green patina" finish on his work.

His extraordinary sculpture is featured throughout the world, but Detroit is the recipient of his largest collection of work:

 The Thinker stands on the steps to Cranbrook Academy in Bloomfield Hills;

 Wings of the Morning at Kirk in the Hills Presbyterian Church, Bloomflield Hills;

 The Spirit of Detroit at the City/County building;

 Freedom of the Human Spirit in Shain Park, Birmingham, Michigan and Flushing Meadow Park, in New York;

 Sir Winston Churchill in Freeport, Grand Bahamas;

 Mercury at the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan;

 Siberian Ram at the Baldwin Public Library, Birmingham, Michigan;

 Eve at the Detroit Institute of Art;

 Flying Pterodactyls at the Detroit Zoo; and

 Chief Pontiac at Community National Bank Building in Pontiac, Michigan.

The 10,000 square foot museum has 30-foot ceilings in order to accommodate the sculpture's work. As part of the museum there are sketches, drawings, paintings, and scale models done by the artist.

Fredericks served as Royal Danish Consul for Michigan from 1965 to 1995, received numerous national and international awards. He worked tirelessly in his studios in Royal Oak and Bloomfield Hills, Michigan until is death in 1998. During his lifetime he produced more than 500 commissioned works and 5000 smaller art works.

Available at the website are a short video about the museum and an overview of the artist's life; an hour-long autobiographical documentary; postcards and notecards, bookmarks and a bronze medallion.
In honor of the artist's 90th birthday, with text and watercolor drawing is a whimsical children's tale called "The Impatient Otter."

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