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Very Limited Edition Sculptures by Michael Everitt |
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| BIOGRAPHY:
W. Michael Everitt Biography Born in Atlanta, GA in 1945, it took eight years for Michael Everitt to decide on becoming an automotive stylist. For the next nine years, as he won art awards for his landscapes, wildlife and surrealistic renderings, his free time was always spent sketching automobiles. Then, as a senior in high school, reality reared its ugly head. He found that virtually every auto stylist in the known world was trained at one of two schools. Entrance at these institutions required application at birth and recommendation from an automotive icon! The original plan had to be scrapped. While continuing his schooling in fine arts, Michael worked as a photographer for the Tourist and Development Commission of the State of Florida. One of his assignments was to cover the 1966 24 Hours of Daytona. He truly believes that the sculptures he creates today are a direct result of that Daytona experience. The Porsches… Cobras… Ferraris… The contrast of 10,000-RPM to 5,000-RPM shift points… The pink Sunbeam Alpines that could not stay up on the banking! All these sensations were seeds awaiting germination… but, for years, the seeds would remain dormant. After a stint in the U.S. Navy, settling in Miami, FL, and spending 10 years with American Telephone and Telegraph, Michael created his own business. He designed, carved, sandblasted and routed cedar and redwood signs for Miami’s finest builders. He also developed his own line of landscape lighting. (Examples) In 1982, an acquaintance invited Michael to join an IMSA RS Sedan race endeavor. The project developed into the GTU category and in February 1983 the team competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona. For the next eight years he was the graphics guru, fueler, and, for a couple of years, team manager. There was also a graduation to the Camel Lights division… just a step down from the GTP cars. At most races there were coinciding vintage events and a natural gravitation to the older racing cars took place. A gravitation to the cars that were not so generic… cars that were designed from the gut… and hand hammered out of sheet aluminum. Those cars, by their very existence, were Art. Some 20 years after his first exposure to these beasts, when the artistic seeds were planted… the dormant seeds would finally begin to grow. The first decision was to sculpt the cars from exotic woods. Wenge, Cocobolo, Padauk, Purpleheart and Brazillian Rosewood have all been transformed into Healys, Ferraris, Jaguars, Alfas and Porsches… each with aluminum or pewter or brass accents. The original sculptures were 1/10th scale. The current commissions are all ¼ scale, and, depending on the original car, will be 36 inches long! The approach Michael takes is to ‘stylize’ each sculpture, capturing the lines of the original and capitalizing on one or two distinguishing features. For instance… The huge number circles on the D type Jaguars are inlayed in Pewter… The exhaust system on the 250TR Pontoon Ferrari is crafted in brass. A drip pan under the 1946 Indian Chief is a bit less subtle! Each sculpture is a deliberate effort to duplicate in wood and metal the art of the full-scale original. Michael Everitt took ten years off to serve as Business Manager for his son (Steve) who spent 8 years in the NFL (Browns, Eagles, and Rams). He also set up a Not-For-Profit organization that provides boxes filled with Arts and Crafts supplies to children in hospitals, abuse centers, and homeless shelters nationwide. The Art Box Kids The sculptures are created in Michael’s studio in Matthews, North Carolina and can be seen at several Vintage and Historic Racing events throughout the Southeast U.S.
Proud To Be an American |
