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PIECES currently
Workshops-Lessons ____________
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Mary's Catholic Church Sculptures
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BUFFALO
MASCOTS
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ARTISTIC STATEMENT
“”My
life is full of wondrous moments with so many things I want to create. I
love molding different metals into shapes and textures that give the illusion of
softness or hardness, manifesting the emotion and expression of my subject;
sometimes showing all and sometimes allowing the viewer to fill in the blanks.”
She really like this picture as "Jestrabek" is a
Address Email: bjh1@sculptures-by-bjh.com Bernie Jestrabek-Hart's first few decades were filled with life and activity. After achieving her degree in art, she spent several years as an educator. While living in Washington DC, she frequently exhibited her drawings and paintings. Eventually she combined her love for horses and family by opening and operating an equestrian facility in beautiful rural Idaho. And yet, something in her life was missing... "I
was always searching". At age 35, Bernie took the
opportunity to take a sculpture class for the first time. ... and found "me".
Working in three dimensions was wonderful! At last, she was trained in oxygen
and acetylene welding. A final project was to design and create an abstract
human form,
Soon after, in spring of 1981, Bernie acquired her first oxygen-acetylene welding outfit. Appropriate to the season, "First Born" was her initial creation with the new equipment. When she'd used up all her steel wire and sheet steel, the conventional materials she'd been trained to use, Bernie rummaged around in her barn. and came up with a roll of barbed wire. As a life-changing inspiration, Bernie Jestrabek-Hart began exploring the
sculptural properties of barbed wire. Following a friend's suggestion that "a bison would be fun", she
created her ground-breaking barbed wire sculpture, "American Bison"
"American Bison" was Jestrabek-Hart's first major sale, and marked the beginning of a new direction in the course of her life. While she'd always dreamed of making a living as a professional artist, the prospect was scary... "With the help and encouragement of at least one million+ people, none of which I could not have done without, sculpture eventually became my full-time profession." Bernie worked toward her goal with great determination. Somehow, amid the endless hours required of her as a mother and owner-operator of a horse business, she found the reserves of energy and time to create "as many pieces as possible." As her works gained visibility and recognition, private and corporate collectors began placing commissions of her strikingly unique sculptures. A major breakthrough occurred in 1984. Fred Humphreys of Idaho First National
Bank (now US Bank), the purchaser of "American Bison",
wanted a landmark sculpture to commemorate the bank's opening. He commissioned
Bernie Jestrabek-Hart to create "1867", a larger-than-life Miner panning gold.
1987 was another landmark year, a time of self-reflection and difficult choices. Demand for Jestrabek-Hart's sculptures had grown. She meditated on the path her passions were following, and made a solemn decision. In 1987, Bernie sold most of her equestrian business. From now on, she would devote herself full-time to a career as a professional metal sculptor. While her love for horses will endure forever, today she spends more time in the studio than the stables. Pouring her love for horses into her art, Jestrabek-Hart created "Say What
Mom!?"
to create another mare with a new born foal.
The rest, as they say, is history...Today, Bernie still pioneers in barbed wire sculpture, further exploring the endless possibilities A charter member of Wire Sculpture International guild, she is busy putting final touches on her definitive book "Creating Realistically with Barbed Wire", showcasing contemporary barbed wire sculpture and generously sharing many of her techniques To keep expanding her repertoire, she continues to create in barbed wire, as well as with other metals. She especially enjoys working with aluminum, and is creating with it more and more. The rest is History . . . . . She has since expanded by using other metals, as well as barbed wire..
Aluminum
Her first solid styled steel is "The Maverick", the mascot
for Mountain View High School , a life size bull that is powder coated.
·
2009 "Excellence in the Arts"
by the
·
2009
First place, Champion, and Grand
Champion with “Walking Tall”, Canyon County Fair,
·
2009
"Peoples' Choice Award"
for “Mascot Red Tailed Hawk”
”, Canyon County Fair,
·
2008
Peoples Choice Award at the Women's
Show, with “Poco Dan”,
·
2008
Reserve in Art Source National
Juried Show with "At Halter",
·
2005
Best of Show and 1st in Metal Sculptures,
·
2006. 2004, 2000, & 1998
Nominated for
·
1992, 1996 & 1999
Best of Show, Professional,
·
1991
YWCA "Pioneer Woman of the Future"
Award for "Excellence in the Arts".
·
1990
Nominated for the "Jack Schlaefle Awards
for Excellence in the Arts".
·2008-from
1983
·
2009 “Doe and
Fawns”
·
2009-2009 “Eagle 1
& 2
·
2008 “Medallion"
outside on side, “Crown of
Thorns”
inside of St. Mary’s Church,
·
2008 “Blue Heron" Indian
Creek,
·
2008 ”2 Golden Eagles”
·
2007
”Showtime” – Boys and Girls
Club,
·
2007
two “Gold Eagles” -for Kid
Rock’s stage on his 2006 tour
·
2006
”
·
2006
”I Can Reach It, Mom”
Remington Hotels,
·
2006
”DeathBat” - for touring stage
of Avenged Sevenfold 2006 tour
·
2005
”Eagle
that just caught a Fish” -
·
2005 ”Buckeye Hawk” -
School mascot for Buckeye high school, Buckeye, AZ
·
2005
”Desert Hawk” - mascot for
Anthony Saville Middle School Mascot,
·
·
2003
“The Maverick” -
SHOWINGS *Participant in the juried "Sculpture in the Park" show at Benson Park, Loveland, Colorado 1988, 1989, 1990 & 2001, 2002 & 2003. *Participant in the juried "Sculptures in the Streets", 2002-2003, Mesa, AZ *Participant in the juried "Phippen Museum Art Show and Sale", Prescott, AZ, 2002 & 2003. *Participant in the juried "Sculpture Internationale" 2002, Atlanta, GA *River Festival" juried Arts & Crafts show, June, 2001 & 2002, Boise, ID * Museum of Western Colorado, April, 1994. Grand Junction, CO *Participant in the invitational "Sculpture Show at Cantigny Park" sponsored by Danada Sculpture Gardens Assoc., Lombard, IL, 1993 *Lincoln Center's Sculpture Garden exhibitor, Ft Collins, Colorado, 1989 & 1990. *Many specific commissions for people throughout the USA. *Currently represented in galleries in NV, AZ, CA, CO,. OR, AND ID. *Exhibit sculptures throughout the Treasure Valley in Idaho since 1980. *When in Washington D.C., I had several showings of my drawings and paintings (before I discovered sculpture).
(only listing the latest due to space)
SELECTED FEATURES
·
I?
!7?'G?
EA?C
&
1+!9!
Alogo, spor & theama
(Horse, Sport & Spectackle -
a top horse magazine
·
Ourtowns
(
·
IDAHO magazine,
August, 2002
·
Associated Press,
March, 2001 (appeared in many papers across the
·
Country
·
·
Equine Images,
Apr/May, 1993
·
Equus,
April, 1993
·
Equinews
( Big Sky Journal magazine, summer 2004 Sculptural Pursuit magazine, spring, 2003 IDAHO magazine, August, 2002 Artspace 2000 article Country America, September, 1994 North West Parks & Wildlife, November, 1993 Equine Images, Apr/May, 1993 Equus, April, 1993 Equinews (Vernon B.C., Canada), November, 1992
·Confronting
the Troll--Women Honor the Creative Impulse 2007 (
a DVD available at
http://www.essenciamedia.com/
) D&B Commercial 2004 "John Miller" on KTVB March, 2001 (on the uncovering of "The Fruits of Hate" sculpture (see public pieces page for info on this sculpture) "John Miller" on KTVB August, 1999 Incredible Idaho, March, 1993 Horseman Video Magazine, Vol. 2 Issue 8 1992 <6 credits towards a Masters Boise State University Bachelor of Arts Boise State College Associate of Arts Boise Junior College
PROFESSION - Sculpture from 1980 to present. full time income since 1987) - Taught horseback riding lessons and train horses from 1959 to 1994. - Owned & Managed "B.J.Hart's Equestrian Services" from
1975 to 1988. - Taught art for grades 7-9 in Thornton, CO, and Washington D.C. from l968-1974. Address
Created by Bernie Jestrabek-Hart 08/31/2009 |
