Michael Sturtz

Michael Sturtz (born May 17, 1969 in Walnut Creek, CA) is a sculptor, designer, consultant, international speaker, innovator and facilitator of creative thinking.

Sturtz grew up tinkering with machines and from a very young age could be found rebuilding cars in his stepfather's auto body shop, where he developed an affinity for metal and machinery.

Always fascinated with the elegance and intricacies of how things worked, he would spend hot summer afternoons dissecting road kill and later observe his father, an orthopedic surgeon, in the operating room.

Sturtz states that his artwork "showcases a strong juxtaposition between materials including metals and glass, stone and kinetics, fire and liquid, 3D objects and video.

[2] During his 12 years as executive director, Sturtz nurtured what began as an idea and a $1,750 seed grant into the largest nonprofit industrial arts educational facility in the nation.

The Crucible welcomes 20,000 visitors per year to participate in adult art education, youth programs, community outreach, corporate workshops, and open house events.

He went on to teach at The Stanford School of Design, where he spearheaded and then directed the ReDesigning Theater Project, a creative program focusing on cutting edge live performance appealing to the 21- to 35-year-old demographic.