About Carl Wagner

Carl Wagner (1938-2011) Carl Wagner sculpted and cast limited-edition bronzes at what he called his Hurricane Hill Art Works, 5 miles west of Salida. He chose the name because of the winds, said his daughter, Tracy Beach, also of Salida. Wagner came to Colorado in the 1970s with the aim of opening his own foundry. He did that and then started doing his own art. But Wagner’s work has been shown around the country, and for decades he and his wife, Barbara, traveled in a van to art festivals. Carl Wagner’s work varied and renaged from small to life-size from buffalo, eagles and other birds. Two mugs of his mugs wound up in the hands of Ronald Reagan when he was president. One of Wagner’s customers sent them to the president, and Reagan later sent him a note and a medal. Wagner did many commissioned pieces, all eagle statues, for American Airlines, Anheuser-Busch and the Federal Reserve Bank. The companies used them for awards. His works are in several parks.Carl Wagner, sculptor of thousands of bronze animals and birds, died in Naples, Fla., from complications following heart surgery. He was 72.