Michael J. Keropian FNSS

392 Gipsy Trail Road, Carmel, New York 10512

Studio: 845-228-1306

Website: KeropianSculpture.com

Michael Keropian has been an artist all his life, and a professional sculptor for over 40 years with technical, teaching and conservation experience. Established Michael Keropian Sculpture, LLC in 1989, that provides sculptural and consultation services to a variety of clientele. Keropian is a Fellow of the National Sculpture Society and a Vice President with the Hudson Valley Art Association.

Education

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts / 1978-1983

Mr. Keropian received two working scholarships and majored in sculpture. He studied a variety of methods from carving, clay modeling to welding and bronze casting. Michael was an integral part of forming a cast conservation team to restore the damaged antique plaster cast collection for the Pennsylvania Academy’s School of Art. The team received a grant to provide conservation services for four years. The work consisted of cataloging and documenting the collection, restoring, reinforcing and remodeling the broken fine art works, then applying patina and installing many of the works back on the interior walls of the building.

He continued his conservation study and work with Dr.Virginia Naude at the Museum of American Art (The Museum of the Pennsylvania Academy) for three years. The work consisted of documentation and conserving surfaces of sculpture in marble, bronze, terra cotta and wood; removing layers of paint on such works by William Rush, Charles Grafly and Howard Roberts.

During this time he was part of an installation and rigging team that formed at the Pennsylvania Academy; moving marble and bronze sculpture, removing and reinstalling paintings such as Benjamin West’s “Christ Healing the Sick” and Thomas Eakins “ The Gross Clinic” in Philadelphia.

Work

Olde Philadelphia Marble Company / 1984-1986

Marble Sculpture Restoration and Fabrication in the Philadelphia Area.

Laran Sculpture Foundry

Worked part-time bronze finishing.

Tallix Sculpture Foundry, Beacon NY / 1986-1996

Worked for ten years restoring sculpture, bronze casting, mold making and enlarging/ reducing sculpture works by numerous sculptors and on projects such as the Korean Veteran’s Memorial in Washington DC, the Minuteman for Arlington Cemetery and the Leonardo Horse in Milan, Italy.

Established Michael Keropian Sculpture LLC in 1989...

Keropian Sculpture LLC provides a wide selection of sculptural services ranging from Michael’s own custom sculptures of portraits, plaques and figures, private commissions, sculpture restoration, casting, carving, mold making, enlarging, reducing sculptures, and consultation.

Teaching

Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York / 1996- 2007

Mr. Keropian taught sculpture at the Cathedral Church and restored the National Academy of Design’s plaster copy of Jean-Antoine Houdon’s L’Ecorche (flayed man). He also created anatomical studies for the apprentices of Greg Wyatt.

Art Life Studio

Mr. Keropian taught for 10 years; a private art school owned by Ron Mineo in Port Chester, NY.

Katonah Art Center

During the past four years Michael has taught Life Sculpture classes and drawing at the center.

Mr. Keropian continues to teach privately when called upon. 

Historical Subjects

In the past three decades, Michael has created a number of historical subjects, busts, plaques and full figures of people that have inspired him throughout his life. His strength and craftsmanship to render the spirit of the individual and apply historically accurate detail is evident in all of his sculptures. Here are a few: Musicians, Louis Armstrong, Frank Zappa, Edgard Varese, Actors, Michael Dunn, Vic Morrow, Martial Artists, Sun Lu Tang, Chang Tung Sheng, Bruce Lee. Sachem Daniel Nimham.

Public Commissions

Throughout the years Michael Keropian has been commissioned to create a variety of sculptures for both public and private clients. Here are a sample of some of the projects.

Detroit Tigers, Comerica Park / 1999- 2000. Created nine heroic-sized tigers for the Baseball Stadium. Each fiberglass tiger is averages 30 feet long and 12 foot tall and sit or stand on the stadium.

Mayor of Brewster, John Cesar / 2001. Portrait and Memorial Bronze Plaque located in the Village of Brewster NY.

President of Rochester Institute of Technology, Dr. Albert Simone / 2008. Over life-size bronze figure located at Park Point on RIT Campus.

Edith G. Read Memorial Plaque / 2010, Life-size Bronze Plaque in Rye, NY

Bob Steele “WTIC Radio” Memorial Bronze Plaque, 2014, installed on the Traveler’s Building in Hartford, Connecticut.

Memorial for Aaron Vays, Bronze Bust, Relief Plaques, Ornamentation and Granite, 2015 a private commission installed in Monroe, New York.

Wendell A. Scherer Memorial Plaque, 2016, Installed in Kingston High School, Kingston, NY.

Luigi Del Bianco “ Chief Carver of Mt. Rushmore Bronze Plaque / 2014 & 2017, in Port Chester, NY and a plaque installed at MT. Rushmore, SD.

General Thomas Francis Meagher Bronze Bust, 2017, Over-life size portrait bust and monument to Civil War Brig. General, Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn New York.

Kay Kobata Memorial Plaque, 2018, Big Bend College, Moses Lake, WA. Putnam County

NY Veteran Service Awards, 2019 Putnam County, NY

Joe McCluskey, 2019 Over life size figure, Manchester, CT.

Sachem Daniel Nimham for the Town of Fishkill, NY