Douwe Blumberg

Blumberg was born in Los Angeles, California.[2] His grandparents hid a Jewish family in their home in Arnhem, The Netherlands, during the Nazi occupation. When the Germans discovered their hiding place, Blumberg's grandfather was sent to Dachau, where he was murdered. His father and his brothers served in World War II. His family's experiences were the foundation of a history in military history.[3] Both of his parents were talented amateur artists. They raised their children in a home without television and focused on history, education, and formal and informal art education.[4] At Beverly Hills High School, he took metal shop taught by a former machinist's mate where he learned to weld, cast, make molds. He grew up riding horses and became an assistant trainer at age 15.[3]

His family hired woodcarver James Conrad Dallas as a private tutor, which turned into a 35 year long relationship. Blumberg spent several years in Europe as a youth where he learned about Western artistic traditions.[1]

He studied four years of sculpture, metal working, and jewelry while studying at Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts, attending the University of Southern California at the same time. He then became an apprentice at an art foundry where he learned how to cast bronze sculptures.[4] After graduating from college, he bought a stable in Los Angeles and became a professional horse trainer. When he decided to become a sculptor full time, he moved to Northern Kentucky in 2001 where he has a studio.[5] He is married to Marci Blumberg and between them they have four daughters.[6]

Blumberg puts the finishing touches on the clay model of the Horse Soldier Sculpture before the bronze work is begun.

Blumberg was inspired by photos of Task Force Dagger on horseback in the Dari-a-Souf Valley, Afghanistan in October 2001.

Hailed as “America’s finest sculptor” by then-Vice President Joe Biden during his dedication speech for New York City’s “America’s Response Monument”, Blumberg did not originally envision an artistic career for himself.[7] For thirteen years after graduation, he pursued a career as a professional horse-trainer at his ranch in Los Angeles. After finishing his education he became a professional horse trainer. He purchased a barn outside Los Angeles and built up a successful business training show horses and started a family. After several years he slowly began to sculpt again part-time. He began accepting commissions and after 18 years training horses, on one weekend he collected a check for $600 for horse training and another check for $6000 for a sculpture. At that point he decided to pursue sculpting.[6] He closed his barn in 2000 and pursued sculpture work full-time.[4]

His background and interest in horses and a personal interest in military history gave him a unique expertise. In late 2001, he was moved when saw a photo of the U.S. Special Operations forces horseback riding into battle in the early stages of Operation Enduring Freedom.[3]

I was just blown away by the image of this 21st-century high-tech soldier on what could have been a 15th-century Afghan horse. It was iconic and ironic at the same time, on so many levels. First, the adaptability of these guys–they weren’t trained on horseback. They just climbed up and went–the first Americans to ride into combat on horses in over 50 years. So I see this picture and said, 'I have to do this.'[3]

Blumberg decided to create a statue marking the singular event. Over nine months at his own expense he completed a 18 inches (460 mm) tall bronze sculpture of a Green Beret riding an Afghan horse.[8] The idea gathered attention and support.

A group of Wall Street bankers who lost friends and co-workers in the 9/11 attacks funded the monumental bronze statue.[9] America's Response Monument was dedicated on October 19, 2012 to the memory of the special forces[10] by General John Mulholland, Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Army Special Forces Command. It was placed in front of One World Trade Center across from Ground Zero and 9/11 Memorial.