Roger Brodin

1) Rodger presents a Monument to the Living miniature to President Gerald Ford, with Minnesota Governor Al Quie in attendance.
2) Rodger Brodin and Dan Ojeda (hand on sculpture) present a ½ life-size version of “The Sky soldier,” (Rodger’s tribute to the 173rd Airborne Brigade Separate) to the Veterans Services Building in St. Paul.
3) Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General John W. Vessey, poses while Rodger begins to sculpt a portrait bust, presented on the occasion of the General’s retirement.
4) President of the National Fraternal Order of Police, Dewey Stokes, presents President George Herbert Walker Bush with Rodger’s miniature police “Protector” at the national FOP conference,
5) Rodger presents then Director of the federal Bureau of Investigation, William Sessions, with a personalized “G-Man” miniature in his office in Washington, DC.
6) Polish labor leader Lech Walesa receives a miniature portrait of himself from the President of the Minnesota’s Teamsters’ Union.
7) Anoka Police Chief Andrew C. Revering presents Los Angeles Police Chief Darryl Gates with one of Rodger’s custom miniatures – the “Anoka Protector,” during a training conference.
8) Rodger presents Bob Hope one of the limited edition “Nurse” miniatures during the fundraising campaign for the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Fund. Mr. Hope owned several of Rodger’s other military pieces. In fact, Rodger created a two-thirds life-size full-figure portrait sculpture of Bob Hope for the VA Hospital in Minneapolis.

Rodger M. Brodin was the original artist/sculptor for R.M., Brodin Studios, Inc., which he owned in conjunction with his brother Neil. A Minneapolis native and life-long artist, Rodger was self-taught, and became well-known for his works using the “lost wax” method of hot bronze sculpture casting. He dabbled in a number of subject areas, completing portraits of famous and local individuals, both for private collections and public commissions. Rodger’s years of service as a U.S. Marine, obviously affected his artwork -- he specialized in military figures, with great attention to detail. In 1995, Rodger left the Studios to devote more time to his family and pursue other artistic endeavors. Rodger died in November of 1995, leaving a wife, Rosemary, two small boys, Michael and Joe, and a legacy of magnificent bronze artwork.