Artist's Profile
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My mid-life art practice began in earnest after art school at NSCAD (BFA’05). There, my eclectic ‘art’ interests gelled into sculpture. Its physical presence has enormous appeal and it is such a versatile medium, immediate and interactive in a visceral and provocative way that it challenges our thinking. It may be lonely sometimes being a sculptor in a room full of painters, but it is also liberating to have many more choices in utilizing space and in foregoing confining ‘supports’. I work mostly in steel, cutting it, forging it, welding it and grinding it, until an object emerges. This representative style of working reveals familiar things about and around us that are not always visible. Ironic contrasts, humour, and visual metaphor are recurring elements.
My work is ‘direct sculpture’ fabricated by me. Some work is wall mounted and others are free-standing. The larger pieces comprise my ‘Public Art’. They include social commentary and commemorative works. Other works are individual commissions or a body of work produced for an exhibition. My sources of inspiration, shared by many artists, are drawn from personal experiences, popular culture and the natural environment. It is the refinement of these into cautionary tales, documentation of life passages, or portrayal of a memory or commemoration in different mediums, in my case, steel sculpture, that it becomes unique or specific. My artwork is exhibited from time to time in public spaces and has been purchased by the government of Nova Scotia for the Art Bank. Additional work can be viewed on the web sites of Visual Arts Nova Scotia and the Halifax Art Map and work is presently exhibited at the Dart Gallery, 127A Portland St., Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Barbara M. Schmeisser |
Artist's CV
EDUCATION:
2005
Degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts
(Interdisciplinary)
Nova Scotia College of Art and Design
1972
Degree of Bachelor of Arts
( Honours) History
Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S.
ART EXHIBITIONS:
Solo Exhibitions
“Stalks and Bonds”
Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing
Dartmouth, N.S. 2008
“Necessities”
Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing
Dartmouth, N.S. 2011
“Lifelines”
Geraldine’s Gallery,
Kemptville, Ontario 2012
"Femininsight”
Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia 2015
Group Exhibitions
Graduate Exhibition
Nova Scotia College of Art and Design
Halifax, Nova Scotia 2005
CanIron V Conference,
Annapolis Royal, N.S. 2005
Exhibition of Works by Participants of
VANS Mentorship Program 2007
VANS Members Regional Exhibition,“ Flight”,
CFB Shearwater, RCAF Aviation Museum,
Dartmouth, N.S. 2009
Recipients Exhibition, Nova Scotia Art Bank
N.S. Government Purchase Program
Nova Scotia Centre of Craft and Design
Halifax, N.S. 2009
“Nocture” Art Festival, Sculpture Exhibition,
Alderney Landing, Dartmouth, N.S. 2009
“Crossing Paths” Exhibition
Above the Water Gallery
LaHave Bakery Building, LaHave, N.S. 2012
Halifax Art Map Exhibition
Teichart Gallery
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
Halifax, N.S. 2013
VANS Group Exhibition
The Hub Gallery, Halifax, N.S. 2013
“Enlightenment” Group Exhibition
Craig Gallery, Alderney Landing
Dartmouth, N.S. 2013
“Routine to Rituals” Group Exhibition
Corridor Gallery,
VANS Office, Halifax, N.S. 2014
Commercial Representation:
Argyle Fine Art, Halifax, N.S. 2005- 2008
Art 1274 Hollis, Halifax, N.S.
( Artists Co-operative) 2008-2009
The Dart Gallery,Dartmouth, N.S. 2013-2015
Art Related Publications:
Artist as author
Barbara Schmeisser, Fort Beauséjour NHS Ground Interpretation Project, Lewis Parker Paintings ,52pp. Parks Canada Research Bulletin, No. 112, September, 1979
Barbara Schmeisser, A Case Study of The Social Production of Art: Parks Canada’s Commissioned Art Collection, unpub. Paper, 43pp. 2004.
Artwork as subject
Kate Watson, “Sculptor blooms with flower exhibit”, The Dartmouth-Cole Harbour Weekly News, August 10, 2007
Kate Watson, “The familiar in unexpected ways, New spring exhibit...Stalks and Bonds”, The Dartmouth-Cole Harbour Weekly News, April 11, 2008
“... at Alderney Landing a unique steel sculpture ...unveiled on the boardwalk..Dartmouth artist crafted (it)...as a salute to the Canadian Navy’s 100th anniversary...” Metro Halifax, Aug 16, 2010.
Joanne Oostveen,“Sculpture park aims to bring more families to the downtown Dartmouth waterfront” (two photos featured navy centennial sculpture) August 19, 2010
“ For the navy” The Chronicle Herald, Arts, C10, Aug.21,2010 (photo feature, Navy centennial sculpture)
Halifax-HRM West Community Herald, YOUR PHOTOS, week of Aug 9, 2010, caption “New artwork at the Dartmouth waterfront to celebrate the first 100 years of the Canadian Navy.” G. Carter.
The Chronicle Herald.ca/community, “Photos”, uploaded and published May 22, 2013.
“A different view of Halifax from the Dartmouth waterfront” Jack Were. [taken from center of compass rose component of Navy Centennial sculpture.]
“At the gallery... Barbara Schmeisser: Necessities”..., May 26, 2011, Weekly News. (www.halifaxnewsnet.ca)
Robert Hirtle, “ ‘Crossing Paths’ comes to LaHave gallery” Lunenburg County Progress Bulletin, C4, August 1, 2012
Kate Watson, “At the Craig Gallery: A feminist dialogue in sculpture form”, Hello, Dartmouth.March 2, 2015. http:// www.hellodartmouth.ca/at-the-craig-gallery-a-feminist-dialogue-in-sculpture-form/
Elissa Barnard, “Gender-bending steel...wide-ranging exhibit [femininsight] looks at female stereotypes, social pressures...” The Chronicle Herald, D3 the Nova Scotian, March 16, 2015
Memberships:
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
Maritime Blacksmiths Association
Visual Arts Nova Scotia
ABANA
Employment Chronology
Art Practice 2005-
Project Historian, Parks Canada
Atlantic Regional Office, Halifax, N.S. 1978-2001
A/Chief Historic Resources,
Halifax Defense Complex, 1991-1998
Halifax Citadel NHS, Halifax
Project Historian
Fortress Louisbourg NHS
Louisbourg, Cape Breton, N.S. 1973-1978
2005
Degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts
(Interdisciplinary)
Nova Scotia College of Art and Design
1972
Degree of Bachelor of Arts
( Honours) History
Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S.
ART EXHIBITIONS:
Solo Exhibitions
“Stalks and Bonds”
Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing
Dartmouth, N.S. 2008
“Necessities”
Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing
Dartmouth, N.S. 2011
“Lifelines”
Geraldine’s Gallery,
Kemptville, Ontario 2012
"Femininsight”
Craig Gallery at Alderney Landing
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia 2015
Group Exhibitions
Graduate Exhibition
Nova Scotia College of Art and Design
Halifax, Nova Scotia 2005
CanIron V Conference,
Annapolis Royal, N.S. 2005
Exhibition of Works by Participants of
VANS Mentorship Program 2007
VANS Members Regional Exhibition,“ Flight”,
CFB Shearwater, RCAF Aviation Museum,
Dartmouth, N.S. 2009
Recipients Exhibition, Nova Scotia Art Bank
N.S. Government Purchase Program
Nova Scotia Centre of Craft and Design
Halifax, N.S. 2009
“Nocture” Art Festival, Sculpture Exhibition,
Alderney Landing, Dartmouth, N.S. 2009
“Crossing Paths” Exhibition
Above the Water Gallery
LaHave Bakery Building, LaHave, N.S. 2012
Halifax Art Map Exhibition
Teichart Gallery
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
Halifax, N.S. 2013
VANS Group Exhibition
The Hub Gallery, Halifax, N.S. 2013
“Enlightenment” Group Exhibition
Craig Gallery, Alderney Landing
Dartmouth, N.S. 2013
“Routine to Rituals” Group Exhibition
Corridor Gallery,
VANS Office, Halifax, N.S. 2014
Commercial Representation:
Argyle Fine Art, Halifax, N.S. 2005- 2008
Art 1274 Hollis, Halifax, N.S.
( Artists Co-operative) 2008-2009
The Dart Gallery,Dartmouth, N.S. 2013-2015
Art Related Publications:
Artist as author
Barbara Schmeisser, Fort Beauséjour NHS Ground Interpretation Project, Lewis Parker Paintings ,52pp. Parks Canada Research Bulletin, No. 112, September, 1979
Barbara Schmeisser, A Case Study of The Social Production of Art: Parks Canada’s Commissioned Art Collection, unpub. Paper, 43pp. 2004.
Artwork as subject
Kate Watson, “Sculptor blooms with flower exhibit”, The Dartmouth-Cole Harbour Weekly News, August 10, 2007
Kate Watson, “The familiar in unexpected ways, New spring exhibit...Stalks and Bonds”, The Dartmouth-Cole Harbour Weekly News, April 11, 2008
“... at Alderney Landing a unique steel sculpture ...unveiled on the boardwalk..Dartmouth artist crafted (it)...as a salute to the Canadian Navy’s 100th anniversary...” Metro Halifax, Aug 16, 2010.
Joanne Oostveen,“Sculpture park aims to bring more families to the downtown Dartmouth waterfront” (two photos featured navy centennial sculpture) August 19, 2010
“ For the navy” The Chronicle Herald, Arts, C10, Aug.21,2010 (photo feature, Navy centennial sculpture)
Halifax-HRM West Community Herald, YOUR PHOTOS, week of Aug 9, 2010, caption “New artwork at the Dartmouth waterfront to celebrate the first 100 years of the Canadian Navy.” G. Carter.
The Chronicle Herald.ca/community, “Photos”, uploaded and published May 22, 2013.
“A different view of Halifax from the Dartmouth waterfront” Jack Were. [taken from center of compass rose component of Navy Centennial sculpture.]
“At the gallery... Barbara Schmeisser: Necessities”..., May 26, 2011, Weekly News. (www.halifaxnewsnet.ca)
Robert Hirtle, “ ‘Crossing Paths’ comes to LaHave gallery” Lunenburg County Progress Bulletin, C4, August 1, 2012
Kate Watson, “At the Craig Gallery: A feminist dialogue in sculpture form”, Hello, Dartmouth.March 2, 2015. http:// www.hellodartmouth.ca/at-the-craig-gallery-a-feminist-dialogue-in-sculpture-form/
Elissa Barnard, “Gender-bending steel...wide-ranging exhibit [femininsight] looks at female stereotypes, social pressures...” The Chronicle Herald, D3 the Nova Scotian, March 16, 2015
Memberships:
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
Maritime Blacksmiths Association
Visual Arts Nova Scotia
ABANA
Employment Chronology
Art Practice 2005-
Project Historian, Parks Canada
Atlantic Regional Office, Halifax, N.S. 1978-2001
A/Chief Historic Resources,
Halifax Defense Complex, 1991-1998
Halifax Citadel NHS, Halifax
Project Historian
Fortress Louisbourg NHS
Louisbourg, Cape Breton, N.S. 1973-1978
