Schmeisser, Barbara

Barbara Marie Schmeisser, sculptor and resident of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor of Fine Art (Interdisciplinary) from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.  In addition, Steel has a cultural heritage that is distinctly modern and reflects the progress and resilience of the industrial age.

Her artwork is exhibited in public venues and commercial galleries and has also been purchased by the government of Nova Scotia for the Art Bank, and by private collectors in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. Examples of her work can be viewed on Visual Arts Nova Scotia and the Halifax Art Map.

ARTIST STATEMENT

Working primarily in steel, she enjoys the textural and visual qualities, the physical challenges and the experimentation associated with this medium.  Because of these associations, it can be used as a departure point from traditional realism while effectively translating the ironic contrasts which are important elements in her work.

Most of her work is object- based and in a representative style. As visual metaphors, some sculptures evoke elements of humour because of their altered scale or context. Ideas for her sculptures are derived from personal experiences, popular culture, and the natural environment. Cautionary tales, the documentation of life passages, and the portrayal of a memory, or commemoration of an historic event are also familiar subjects.