ARTIST STATEMENT
My first sculpting experience was with my late father when I was thirteen years old. I received the Boy Scout merit badge for sculpting with his help. My father was not a sculptor, but a great father who helped two sons achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. In 1989, twenty-eight years after my first and only sculpting session with my father, I decided to try the impossible and surprise him with a bronze bust for his 69th birthday. His doctors had said he had less than a year to live. I wanted to honor him and come to terms with his passing. As I proceeded with the project, I felt a long suppressed desire unfolding and developing. After his death ten months later, I understood that his parting gift to me was the realization that I could sculpt. Realistic figurative and portrait sculptures would give me the greatest pleasure in expressing my creativity and remembering my father.
The inspiration for completing my father’s bust came from a father and son team of sculptors from Virginia, Bill and David Turner. They are not only excellent sculptors, but also artists in human kindness.
In December 1990, I had a private visit with sculptor Walker Hancock at his studio in Lanesville, Massachusetts. That first meeting developed into a friendship that inspired me to strive for the quality and realism that Mr. Hancock symbolized through his work and teachings.
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
I recently took a graduate class on-line through the Academy of Art University, San Francisco, California, working toward a MFA/Sculpture. I have a MBA from East Carolina University and a business degree from Wake Forest University, where my next encounter with art on a formal basis, occurred. I took three years of painting classes under Professor Ray Prohaska. My sculpting training began with Marc Mellon’s portrait sculpture class held at Montoya’s in West Palm Beach, Florida and Dr. Wilfred Stedman’s Anatomy for Artist held at the Scottsdale Artist School in Arizona. I have also taken a class under George Lundeen in March 1991. While at the Loveland Sculpture in the Park event in August 1991, I attended Patrick Kipper’s patination class. In January 1992, I attended Bruno Lucchesi’s class at Scottsdale. In October 1995, I completed studies at the 1995 Portrait Arts Festival sponsored by the American Society of Portrait Artists. I attended Veryl Goodnight’s “Sculpting the Horse” in Santa Fe, New Mexico in January 1996. In February 1996, I took the Betty Pat Gatliff class on Forensic Art: Facial Reconstruction on the Skull for Identification, sponsored by the Traffic Institute of Northwestern University. I completed a master’s workshop at Richard MacDonald’s Studio in California on July 11-15, 2005, and attended Philippe Faraut’s portrait workshop in Georgia, September 23-25, 2005. I attended the gross anatomy course at Florida State University, College of Medicine during the summer of 2006.
PUBLIC COMMISSIONS
I completed my first public commission of Dr. William John Bailey for a medical library named in his honor at Naples Community Hospital on October 10, 1990. Other public commissions have included: “Bud” Dixon, the Mayor of Morehead City, North Carolina for placement in city hall; Dr. V.W. McEver, Jr. of Warner-Robins, Georgia commissioned by Houston Medical Center; Roland Wetherbee of Albany, Georgia by Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital; Russ Sullivan from Melbourne, Florida for Holmes Regional Medical Center; a half-body, life-size statue of Mikie Wolff of Tifton, Georgia for placement in Tift General Hospital; Mel Lockard of Mattoon, Illinois commissioned by Sara Bush Lincoln Medical Center Foundation; Damon King of Macon, Georgia by Medical Center of Central Georgia; Gene Sarazen of Marco Island and D. Graham Copeland of Naples both commissioned by Naples Community Hospital; Speaker of the House of Representatives of Georgia, Tom Murphy; Speaker of the House and President of the Senate for the State of Florida, Mallory Horne; the Late Governor, Lawton Chiles of Florida; and the Mississippi State University Mascot, an English Bulldog; a one-and-one-half life-size statue of Dr. Clarence Butler for St. Francis Hospital in Columbus, Georgia; and a bust of sculptor, Ralph Hurst, Tallahassee, Florida. I have completed the following bas-reliefs: Dr. Jackson L. Thatcher from West Palm Beach for St. Mary’s Hospital; Mr. Byron L. Southwell of Tifton, Georgia for Tift General Hospital; Jim Hall for the Florida Health Care Association; Jacob Manousakis’ memorial; Roseanne Bowers of Tampa; and Kyla Jernigan my granddaughter. The most recent commissions were unveiled December 1, 2005 of Robert and Doris Klabzuba for the Harris Methodist Health Foundation, Fort Worth, Texas; April, 2007 a life-size seated figure of George Monardo, San Francisco, California; and in November 2007, a bust of John Partipilo, Dynamic Manufacturing, Inc., Melrose Park , Illinois.
AWARDS AND MEMBERSHIPS
In May 1994, I received an Honorable Mention in the American Society of Portrait Artist’s Portrait Arts Festival Competition in Alabama. The Tallahassee Area Chamber of Commerce accepted Portrait Sculptures by Jernigan as a 1999 Nominee for the Small Business of the Year Award.
I am an associate member of the National Sculpture Society; a professional member of the Portrait Society of America; a member of The American Society of Classical Realism; an associate member of the Allied Artists of America; a member of the American Society of Portrait Artists; a member of The American Medallic Sculpture Association; a member of Federation Internationale de la Medaille; a member of Medallic Art Society of Canada; a member of the American Numismatic Association; a member of the Florida State University Artist’s League; Gadsden Arts; and the LeMoyne Center for the Visual Arts. I have served as a Member of the Board for the New World School of the Arts in Miami, Florida from 1998 to 2001. In 2004-2005, I received the Artist Enhancement Grant from the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs and the South Florida Cultural Consortium. I was selected as one of six finalists for the University of Southern California’s Galen Center brick panel sculpture projects. In 2006, I received two additional State of Florida Artist Enhancement Grants.
PUBLICATIONS
Hinson, Mark. “These power brokers have clay feet.” Tallahassee Democrat 7 April 1996.
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Sine Die ---Waiting for the real thing.” Tallahassee Democrat 6 May 1996.
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The Art of Making Laws.” Tallahassee Democrat 17 April 1997.
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Turning Heads.” Aero/Flight Newsletter, Tallahassee, Florida. May/June 1997.
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Walborsky.” Tallahassee Democrat 12 September 1997, p. 34D.
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Long Live the King.” Developments Region IV Newsletter Fall 1997.
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AHP Member Sculpts Golf Legend.” Developments, Region IV, Newsletter Winter 1997.
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Sculptor Michael Jernigan, Head Hunting Again.” State Capitol News October 1997, Vol. 22, No. 10.
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Golf Legend Sculpted by Tallahassee Sculptor.” State Capital News December 1997, Vol. 22, No. 12.
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Sculptures mirror legislators.” Sun-Sentinel 4 March 1998. “Expresso Touch.” The Herald 4 March 1998, p. 18A.
Owens, Sherri M. “A model president.” The Orlando Sentinel 2 May 1998.
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Governor’s Honor.” Florida News Times 1 May 1999.
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Memorial to Chiles.” Tampa Tribune 1 May 1999.
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A Head for Art.” Gulfshore Life April 2001, Vol. 31, No. 4.
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Casting the Ballot.” Tampa Tribune 26 April 2001: p. 3/Metro. “Inspired by a butterfly.” Tallahassee Democrat, 26 April 2001.
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Relevant Topic.” Orlando Sentinel 26 April 2001, p. D5.
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Emu.” Tallahassee Democrat 9 May 2001, p. 6D.
Rankin, Florence. “Eisenhower bust unveiled.” The Tifton Gazette 17 October 2001.
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Florida’s Harried Lawmakers Living with ‘Angina Pectoris.’” The Tampa Tribune 20 March 2002.
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Dr. Clarence Butler.” Columbus Ledger-Enquirer 28 June 2003.
Ball, David. “A Legacy Carved from Stone.” The Tallahassee
Magazine November/December 2003.
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Mike Sells, Kent Buys!” WCTV-6, Tallahassee, Florida. Interview
by Valerie Lacey, January 3, 2005.
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Mike Sells, Kent Buys!” Artists’ League Monthly Meeting Presentation, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, January 4, 2005.
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Robert and Doris Klabzuba,” National Sculpture Society, News Bulletin, March/April 2006, Vol. 72 #2.
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Gene Sarazen – The Squire”, Golf in American Art, Exhibit Catalog, The von Liebig Art Center, Naples, Fl. Jan. 20, 2007.
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Democratic and Republican Trophies” Limelight, Tallahassee Democrat, March 2, 2007, page 34.
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Mikie Wolff”, Art in Public Places Calendar, Council on Culture & Arts, March 2007.
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Angel” by Michael Jernigan, News Bulletin, National Sculpture Society, March/April 2007, Vol. 73 #2, page 11.
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Dare to Stare in the Face of Art,” Florida’s CapitalAIR, Tallahassee Regional Airport, January-March 2007, page 4.
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George D. Monardo,” National Sculpture Society, News Bulletin, September/October 2007, Vol. 73 #5.
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Honoring Our Past,” California Pacific Medical Center – Davies Campus Annual Report, 2007.
MEDALLIONS
Florida House, 1845 Society Medallion, 2003
Jackson Hospital Foundation Medallion, 1993
Naples Community Hospital Medallion, 1992
North Collier Hospital Medallion, 1992
Community Health Care Medallion, 1992
Warner Southern College’s Presidential Medallion
EXHIBITS
Sculpture In The Park, Loveland, Colorado, August 9-11, 1991
1st Annual Loveland Sculpture Invitational Show, Loveland, Colorado, August 13-15, 1992
“Portraits ‘R’ Us”, One Man Show, The Artport Gallery, Tallahassee Regional Airport, Sponsored by the Tallahassee City Hall Art Advisory Committee, June 3 to July 18, 1993.
2nd Annual Loveland Sculpture Invitational Show, Loveland, Colorado, August 6-8, 1993
3rd Annual Loveland Sculpture Invitational Show, Loveland, Colorado, August 13-14, 1994
One Man Show, The Conservancy, Naples, Florida, March 10-12, 1995
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Artists’ League Summer Annual & Artists in the Profession, Florida State
University Museum of Fine Arts. May 12-June 10, 1995.
4th Annual Loveland Sculpture Invitational Show, Loveland, Colorado, August 12-14, 1995
“Mixed Metaphors” An Exhibition by The Artists’ League of the Museum of Fine Arts at Florida State University. October 6 - October 22, 1995.
“Invitational Art Works Auction” 621 Gallery. October 28, 1995.
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Art in Gadsden” Juried regional art show. November 17 - December
16, 1995.
“The Fine Art of Fine Wine II,” Juried exhibit by the Lexington Art League, Lexington, Kentucky, March 3, 1996 to April 20, 1996.
“The Rotunda,” sculpting the Florida Capitol Rotunda during the 1996 Legislative Session, creating 8 figures, March 5 through May 3, 1996.
“1st Annual Pre-Millennium Show,” FSU Artist League at the 621 Gallery, Tallahassee, Florida, November 6th - 22, 1998.
“Melbourne Art Festival, 12th Annual,” Juried exhibit by the Melbourne Art Festival, Inc., Melbourne, Florida, April 27-28, 1996. Won an Award of Merit for my “Sheepshead”.
“The Artists’ League Summer Annual,” Museum of Fine Arts, Florida State University, May 10, 1996 through June 10, 1996.
“Artworks ‘96,” A Project of St. Vincent’s Foundation, Inc., Jacksonville, Florida, May 17-19, 1996.
“The Speaker,” sculpting the Florida Capitol Rotunda during the 1997 Legislative Session, March 4 through May 2, 1997.
“Turning Heads,” Cultural Resource Commission’s exhibit at the Artport, Tallahassee, Florida June 1997.
“The Artists’ League Summer Annual,” Museum of Fine Arts, Florida State University, June 13, 1997 through July 11, 1997.
“Head Hunter,” one man exhibit at the Gadsden Arts in Quincy, Florida, September 5, 1997 through October 5, 1997.
“Invitational Art Works Auction” 621 Gallery. October 25, 1997.
“Political Portraits,” National Sculpture Society, New York, New York.
October 6, 1997 - December 19, 1997.
“Setting the Agenda/The Senate President,” sculpting the Florida Capitol Rotunda during the 1998 Legislative Session, March 3 through May 1, 1998.
“Tallahassee Sculptors,” at 621 Gallery, Tallahassee, Florida, April 3-26, 1998.
“Under the Stars” Gala & Art Auction, The Junior League of Tallahassee, Goodwood Plantation, Tallahassee, Florida, April 25, 1998.
“The Artists’ League Summer Annual,” Museum of Fine Arts, Florida State University, May 15, 1998 through June 12, 1998.
“Sergeant-At-Arms, Wayne Westmark,” on permanent display at the Florida House of Representative, June 30, 1998. Donated by Associated Industries of Florida.
“The 621 Gallery 5th Annual Art Auction,” Tallahassee, Florida, October 3, 1998.
“Grand Opening Family Picnic-Exhibited,” Museum of Art/Tallahassee, January 23, 1999.
“Portrait Sculpture by Michael D. Jernigan,” Florida Department of State, The 22nd Floor Capitol Gallery, Tallahassee, Florida, February 12- May 7, 1999.
“Creative Tallahassee,” Annual Juried Art Exhibition, City of Tallahassee, Cultural Resources Commission, March 15-April 16, 1999.
“NSFRE International Conference,” Miami Beach Convention Center, Miami, Florida, April 25-28, 1999.
“5th Annual 1999 Art Auction,” Tallahassee Junior Woman’s Club, April 29, 1999.
“Artists’ League of the Museum of Fine Arts, Florida State University,” 13th Summer Annual, May 14 - June 11, 1999.
“1st Annual Pre-Millennium Show,” Artists’ League at the 621 Gallery,
Tallahassee, November 6-22, 1999.
“Tallahassee Junior Woman’s Club” Art Auction, April 7, 2000.
“NSFRE International Conference,” New Orleans, Louisiana, March 26-29, 2000.
“Paint the Town” Exhibit, Tallahassee City Hall, October 2, to November 16, 2000.
Merrill Lynch Exhibition, Tallahassee, 2000 and 2001.
“About Face!” LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library, Tallahassee, Florida, January 2001.
“Association of Fundraising Professionals,” 38th International Conference,” San Diego, California, March 11-14, 2001.
“An Evening with the Masters,” The New World School of the Arts, Miami, Florida, March 17, 2001.
(12” x 12”) The Artists’ League Annual Exhibit, FSU, May 11-June 8, 2001.
“4th Annual Art Gala, GFWC Woman’s Club of Tallahassee, Florida, October 7, 2001.
“Synergie”, The Claude Pepper Art Gallery, FSU-The Claude Pepper Foundation, October 16 – December 3, 2001.
“Images of People”, City Hall Art Gallery, Cultural Resources Commission, January 7 – February 14, 2002.
“Ralph Hurst,” Exhibited during Ralph Hurst’s 55-year retrospective of his work; FSU Museum, Tallahassee, Fl, February 15, 2002-March 15, 2002.
“Association of Fundraising Professionals,” 39th International Conference, St. Louis, Missouri, April 14-17, 2002.
“Summer Annual”, Artists’ League of the Museum of Fine Arts, Florida State University, June 17 - July 12, 2002.
“CASE International Assembly” Chicago, Illinois, July 6-9, 2002.
36th Annual International Conference, Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, San Antonio, Texas, September 25-29, 2002.
“Sculpture Internationale” Atlanta, Georgia, October 5-6, 2002.
“5th Annual Art Gala”, GFWC Woman’s Club of Tallahassee, Florida, October 13, 2002.
“Art Beautiful,” Dickerson Gallery, Tallahassee, Florida, Nov. 1-30, 2002.
“Fourteenth Annual Art in Gadsden”, Quincy, Florida, November 15 – December 27, 2002.
“Synergie 2 Salon Exhibit”, Claude Pepper Art Gallery, Tallahassee,
Florida, February 21-March 31, 2003.
“Association of Fundraising Professionals,” 40th International Conference,” Toronto, Canada, March 23-26, 2003.
“American Institute of Architects,” 2003 National Convention & Expo,” San Diego, CA, May 8-10, 2003.
“Artists’ League Summer Annual,” Florida State University Museum of
Fine Arts, June 13 – July 11, 2003.
“Installation of Dr. Clarence Butler (one-and-one-half life-size statue) for St. Francis Hospital,” Columbus, Georgia, June 27, 2003.
“Vision and Variety” Artist League’s 22nd Floor Capitol Exhibit, Tallahassee, Florida, September 5 – November 13, 2003.
“37th Annual International Conference,” Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, San Francisco, California, October 1-4, 2003.
“15th Annual Art in Gadsden,” Quincy, Florida, Nov. 14 – Dec. 26, 2003.
“Georgia Hospital Association Annual Meeting,” Atlanta, Georgia, February 18, 2004.
“The King and I” Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, One-Man Exhibit on the 22nd Floor of the State Capitol, Tallahassee, Florida, February 20 – May 20, 2004.
“Artists’ League Summer Annual,” Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts, June 11 – July 9, 2004.
“Tallahassee Artists,” Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce Annual Community Conference, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, July 23-25, 2004
“Planet Philanthropy,” Association of Fundraising Professionals, Jacksonville, Florida, September 19-21, 2004.
“38th Annual International Conference,” Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, New Orleans, LA, September 29-October 1, 2004.
“Psychological Self-Portrait Show,” Cultural Resource Commission, City Hall Art Gallery, Tallahassee, Florida, February 25-March 29, 2005.
“4th Annual Synergie Exhibit”, FSU Artists’ League & Cultural Resource Commission, Airport Artport Gallery, Tallahassee, Fl, February 28-April 2, 2005.
Georgia Hospital Association Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, February 16, 2005.
International Conference, Association of Fundraising Professionals, Baltimore, Maryland, April 3-5, 2005
“Artists’ League Summer Annual,” Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts, June 10 – July 8, 2005.
Georgia Hospital Association Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Georgia, February 15, 2006.
International Conference, Association of Fundraising Professionals, Atlanta, Georgia, April 2-4, 2006.
“Chain of Parks Art Festival,” Le Moyne, Tallahassee, Florida April 22-23, 2006.
“Artists’ League Summer Annual,” Florida State University Museum of Fine Arts, June 9 – July 7, 2006.
15th Annual Loveland Sculpture Invitational Show & Sale, Loveland, Colorado, August 11-13, 2006.
“40th Annual International Conference,” Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, Orlando, Florida, September 27-29, 2006.
“Golf in American Art,” The von Liebig Art Center, Naples Art Association, Inc., Naples, Florida, January 20th – March 11, 2007.
“Portrait Sculpture by Michael Jernigan,” Artport Gallery, Council on Culture & Arts, Tallahassee, Florida, March 2 – April 23, 2007.
“You Decide 2008,” Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, One-Man Exhibit on the 22nd Floor of the State Capitol, Tallahassee, Florida, February 22 – May 1, 2008.
WORKS AND EXHIBITS IN PROCESS
Florida Legislature’s Clerk of the House, John Phelps.
Head sculpture of Governor Lawton Chiles; photographed and measured at the Capitol just prior to his death.
Head sculpture of Speaker John Thrasher, Florida House of Representatives.
Bust of Michael Del Priore, portrait painter from Greenville, S.C.
Bust of Dean Gioia, painter from Tallahassee, Fl
Bust and medallion of John Howard Sanden, portrait painter from New York, New York.
“Justice,” Lady Justice and the seven Florida Supreme Court Justices.
Life-size seated figure of Herman Sorin and his daughter, Janice for the Ocean City, Maryland, public library.
“Officer Down,” Law Enforcement Memorial, Tallahassee, Florida.
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