Commissioned by former Schiele Museum Director Alan Stout in 1990, "Aspiration to Flight" stands as a remarkable bronze sculpture. Inspired by a Native American tradition, it depicts a rite of passage into adulthood where individuals would disguise themselves, create a blind, and set out bait to capture an eagle. In a careful and swift motion, they would remove one of the central tail feathers as evidence of their achievement. Museum Director Alan Stout highlighted that "Aspiration to Flight" beautifully embodies the museum's core themes, encompassing wildlife, Native American history, and humanity's quest for harmonious coexistence with the environment. Generous donations from Eugenia and Lawrence Wyss, along with the support of the Gastonia Women's Club, made it possible for the museum to erect this remarkable sculpture.