Collection: Schmeisser, Barbara

Barbara Schmeisser, a steel sculptor embarked upon a mid-life adventure two decades ago, retiring from researching and wordsmithing and enrolled at NSCAD. (BFA’05) There, her eclectic art interests morphed into acquiring basic blacksmithing skills in order to create representational steel sculptures. Familiar objects and plants were commonly depicted as metaphors, and irony was another recurring element. Her larger free-standing, public art sculptures entail social commentary and commemoration. Smaller and wall-mounted artworks address various relationships with “others” and with our built and natural environments.

Examples of earlier work can be viewed on google under her name, and on the websites of Visual Arts Nova Scotia and the Halifax Art Map.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Gesture and Contour drawings, produced in life drawing studios s over several years, inspired the poses and gestures contributing to these steel line drawings. Body language is profoundly effective in communicating fundamental human needs such as esteem and self-awareness, love and belonging, as well as personal security and physiological necessities. The simplicity of the steel line can be deceiving and similarly, the trappings of society can obscure our humanity. Irony and metaphor continue to be important elements in this body of work.