Eric Berg

"The motivation behind my sculpture comes from an early childhood fascination with animal life and the natural world. The goal of my work is to place hands on, accessible public art works which, through their character and natural appeal, foster an appreciation and respect for animal life."
-Eric Berg

Eric Berg, renowned animal sculptor, grew up in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. He attended the Hill School and then moved with his family to Allentown. He now lives in Philadelphia, but spends several months a year at his farm in Chautauqua County, New York.

Berg initially studied business, earning a bachelor's degree from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, in 1968. Upon graduation, he decided to engage his love of animals through the study of art and entered the M.F.A. program at the University of Pennsylvania, receiving his degree in 1974.

After graduation, Berg received his first commission for the Philadelphia Zoo. Today, his work can be seen throughout the country, including the Everglades National Park, Royal Palm, Florida; the Please Touch Museum and the Museum of Natural History in Philadelphia; and multiple museums in Colorado, Virginia, Texas, and New Mexico.

Throughout the years, Berg has completed over forty-four public commissions at zoos, parks, museums, and universities around the United States. His smaller works, including bronze maquettes of the life-size public pieces, have been shown in galleries throughout the country.

Berg's work embodies his fascination with the natural world and the dignified portrayal of his subjects. His work allows the public to experience his pieces "hands-on."

Other commissions created by Berg include a sea turtle installed at the New Jersey State Aquarium in Camden and Massa the Gorilla at the Philadelphia Zoo. Philbert, the grandest of all piggy banks, is at the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia.

In July 1995, the Michener Art Museum was awarded a Pennsylvania Legislative Initiative Grant to create a sculpture and an educational curriculum outreach program based on author Eric Knight's famous fictional character, Lassie. The museum commissioned Berg to create a bronze life-size sculpture of the famous dog, and it can be viewed outside the Doylestown Public Library.

Education and Training
M.F.A., University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1974
B.S. in Business, University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, Philadelphia Pennsylvania, 1968

Connection to Bucks County
Berg grew up in Pottstown, Pennsylvania and now lives in Philadelphia. His sculptures are featured in the Bucks County area, including at the Michener Art Museum, Museum of Natural History, the Please Touch Museum, and the Philadelphia Zoo.

Affiliations & Memberships
Society of Animal Artists, Executive Board, 1988-2010
American Zoological Association, 1990-2000

Sculpture Installations
The Hill School, Pottstown, PA, 2015
Children's Museum of Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN, 2013
University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, FL, 2012
Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA, 2010
Society Hill Synagogue, Philadelphia, PA, 2010
Cool Springs Reservoir Park, Wilmington, DE, 2009
California Academy of Natural Sciences, San Francisco, CA, 2008
University of Scranton, Scranton, PA, 1992, 2008
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, PA, 2007
Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown, PA, 2007
Smithsonian National Zoo, Washington, D.C., 2005, 2006
Agnes Irwin School, Rosemont, PA, 2004
Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, 2002
Transit Plaza, Borough of Pottstown, PA, 2002
Schuylkill River Park, Philadelphia, PA, 2002
All Saints Episcopal Church, Great Neck, NY, 2001
Linton Park, Borough of Newtown, Bucks County, PA, 1999
National Zoo, Washington, D.C., 1999
Ronald McDonald House, Camden, NJ, 1998
Sedgwick County Zoo, Witchita, KS, 1998
HomeSafe Center, Palm Beach, FL, 1997
Riverfront Park, Little Rock, AK, 1997
Michener Art Museum, Doylestown, PA, 1996
Borough of State College, State College, PA, 1996
Coherent Communications, Leesburg, VA, 1996, 1995
Philadelphia Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA, 1995
Safeguard Scientifics, Wayne, PA, 1994
Dreher Park Zoo, Palm Beach, FL, 1994
New Jersey State Aquarium, Camden, NJ, 1993
Roger Tory Peterson Institute, NY, 1992
Oklahoma City Zoo, Oklahoma City, OK,1992
Chautauqua Institute, Chautanqua, NY, 1992
Friends Central School, Wynnewood, PA, 1991
Everglades National Park, Royal Palm, FL, 1990
The Hill School, Pottstown, PA, 1990
Fitler Square, Philadelphia, PA, 1983, 1989
Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, PA, 1987
Philadelphia Zoological Garden, Philadelphia, PA, 1986, 1980, 1976
Commerce Bank of New Jersey Corporate Headquarters, Cherry Hill, NJ, 1986
City Hall, Philadelphia, PA, 1985
Institute of Scientific Information, Philadelphia, PA, 1984
Please Touch Museum, Philadelphia, PA, 1982
Museum of Natural History, Philadelphia, PA, 1981
Portico Place, Philadelphia, PA, 1979
Palumbo Park, Philadelphia, PA, 1979
Finnegan Sports Complex, Philadelphia, PA, 1979
Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, 1978
Schuylkill Valley Nature Center, Miquon, PA, 1976

Museum Exhibitions
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, PA
The High Desert Museum, Bend, OR
Frye Art Museum, Seattle, WA
Colorado Springs Fine Art Center, CO
Bennington Center for the Arts, Bennington, VT
Roger Tory Peterson Institute, Jamestown, NY
Rochester Museum of Art and Science, Rochester, NY
Allentown Museum of Art, Allentown, PA
Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Cleveland, OH
Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA
Denver Museum of Natural History, Denver, CO
Science Museum of Virginia, Richmond, VA
Bloomingdale Park Museum, Chicago, IL
The Witte Museum, San Antonio, TX
San Bernadino County Museum, Redlands, CA
Anniston Museum of Natural History, Anniston, AL
Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI
Genesee Country Village Museum, Mumford, NY

Gallery Exhibitions
Newman Saunders Gallery, Wayne, PA
Sommerville-Manning Gallery, Wilmington, DE
Surovek Gallery, Palm Beach, FL
Bottoms Fine Art, Santa Barbara, CA
Sherry French Gallery, New York, NY
Cline Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM
Philinda Gallery, Edwards, CO
Miami Zoo, Miami, FL
Fisher Galleries, Toms Brook, VA
Gallery Mack, Palm Desert, CA
Rice and Falkenberg Gallery, Palm Beach, FL
The Sporting Gallery, Middleburg, VA
Sound Shore Gallery, Stamford, CT
Sportsman's Edge/King Gallery, New York, NY
Public Art Trust, Washington, D.C.
Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, PA
City Hall, Philadelphia, PA
Genest Gallery, Lambertville, NJ
Marion Locks Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Eric Makler Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Chautaugua Art Gallery, Chautauqua, NY
Central Park Zoo, New York, NY
Linda McAdoo Gallery, Sante Fe, NM

Awards
Award of Excellence, Society of Animal Artists
Medal of Excellence, Artists for Conservation