”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.
I also love
sharing this vision,by teaching others to
be able
create their own ideas."
Bernie 2009 with her Red Tailed Hawk made of aluminum Bernie really like this picture as "Jestrabek" is a Bohemian
name and means "Little Hawk"
the
Sculptor
Caricature and the BJH logo
were created by Bernie's son
Trevor Hart
Acclaimed sculptor Bernie Jestrabek-Hart, a
graduate of
Boise
State
University, creates custom metal and barbed wire and now fabric
sculptures for collectors throughout the world.For 32 years she created with steel, aluminum, and stainless steel,
as well as barbed wire. In 2011 due to worn out shoulders which have been
replaced Bernie is no longer able to do the hammering required to shape
metal so she has turned to creating with fabric. She sculpts in many
different styles, a multitude of subjects and sizes, from monumental works
for landmarks and school mascots, as well as smaller for homes and gardens,
including tiny sculptures and pieces of jewelry.
Bernie has won many awards and is most proud of being
co-awarded with Bob Gerdes, the “Caldwell Fine Arts Excellence in Fine Arts
Award” in 2010.This is the first
time in the 48 years of this association's existence that this award was
given to a metal sculptor.
In the recent past years she has also created
two 17 ft wingspan golden eagles for the Golden Ear Bridge in
the Greater Vancouver Metro area, B.C., a dentist pulling teeth for Dr.
Gilad’s collection in Israel, a hawk for BAE Systems of South Africa, a calf
not wanting to go into the show ring for Centennial Park in Meridian, ID and
the Doe and Fawns for Ann Morrison Park, Boise, ID.
Her book, entitled, ”Creating Realistic Works with
Barbed Wire,” is now available and is an explicit tutorial, sharing her
personal techniques for using the medium of barbed wire.It is available through her website and has sold all over the world.
Fabric has now become her passion and she just completed a red
tailed hawk for the Wyandot
Middle School in
the Clinton
Township, MN.Instead of
the browns and reds of the red tailed hawk she used the blues and gold of
their school colors.
Due to the physical limitations acquired
following last year’s surgeries she now requires assistance and is currently
residing with assisted living in Vintage Silver Creek, in San Jose, CA,
where she is close to both of her sons and families, and is also able to be
part of her grandchildren’s lives.
There Bernie serves as an ambassador and the president of the Resident’s
Council. Bernie has begun teaching a class at Vintage Silver
Creek once a week.This class teaches
how to “see” and is a totally different approach to drawing.Bernie feels one has to be able to “see” what is actually there
before you can actually draw it.
Bernie’s studio is her apartment living room
where she creates with fabric.She is
currently working on a dog sculpt and wants to make a life size horse foal
and in the future a full sized mare which will be the foal’s mom.
Regarding commission work, her motto is “You imagine it and I will work with
you to create it."
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,
and... "I found what filled my emptiness ... what I
was driven to do".
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" "
"This highly acclaimed work demonstrated just how exciting and distinctive the
Barbed Wire texture can be.
"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.
The artist's first life-sized animal sculpture was a Llama, "Kathryn
the Great".
This very open, see-through piece was created in 1986 from
barb wire. In Bernie's words, "She taught me the lines
I need to follow to give Life to my work.
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!?"
A life size mare with a foal just finding its legs. This well-received sculpture
helped launch Jestrabek-Hart's career even further. Sold through a Fort Worth
Gallery, its permanent home is in Weatherferd, Texas.
When staff of Bend, Oregon's High Desert Museum
discovered "Say What, Mom !?" at the Charlie Russell Art Show, in 1988, the
Museum commissioned Bernie
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 is one of my favorite metals and I am
using it often.. Her first "all Aluminum" creation was "Freedom at Its
Best" .
Her first solid styled steel is "The Maverick", the mascot
for Mountain View High School , a life size bull that is powder coated. The 5 "Running Horses " led to the Open Styled pieces.
"I am one of the truly blessed ... I get to play while I
'work'. Thank you to all who have appreciated my works and have
contributed to my career!"
·
2009 "Excellence in the Arts"
by the
Caldwell
Fine Arts Organization,
Boise,
Idaho
·
2009
Firstplace, Champion, and Grand
Champion with “Walking Tall”, Canyon County Fair,
Caldwell,
ID
·
2009
"Peoples' Choice Award"for “Mascot Red Tailed Hawk”
”, Canyon County Fair,
Caldwell,
ID
·
2008
Peoples Choice Award at the Women's
Show, with “Poco Dan”,
Boise,
Idaho
·
2008
Reserve in Art Source National
Juried Show with "At Halter",
Boise,
Idaho
·2005
Best of Show and 1st in Metal Sculptures, Western Idaho
Fair
·2006. 2004, 2000, & 1998
Nominated for Idaho’s
"Governor's Biennial Award for
Excellence in the Arts"
·1992, 1996 & 1999Best of Show, Professional, Western Idaho
Fair
·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 Western Idaho
Fair.-Many first place awards in various categories. Including 1st
place in Metal Sculpture in both the Art showing andin the Craft showing with 2 different pieces
2007.I am most proud of the "Peoples'
Choice Award" from the late 1980’s
to date; I have received this award five (5) years.
·2009-2009 “Eagle 1
& 2GoldenEarBridge,
Vancouver
Greater Metropolitan Area, British Colombia
·2008 “Medallion"
outside on side, “Crown of
Thorns”
inside of St. Mary’s Church,
Boise,
Idaho
·2008 “Blue Heron" Indian
Creek,
Caldwell
Idaho
·2008 ”2 Golden Eagles”GoldenEarBridge,
Vancouver,
B.C.
·2007”Showtime” – Boys and Girls
Club,
ContinentalPark,Meridian,
Idaho
·2007two “Gold Eagles” -for Kid
Rock’s stage on his 2006 tour
·2006”Meridian’s
Gateway Signage” – City of Meridian,
Meridian,
Idaho
·2006”I Can Reach It, Mom”
Remington Hotels,
Dallas, TX
·2006”DeathBat” - for touring stage
of Avenged Sevenfold 2006 tour
·2005 ”Eagle
that just caught a Fish” - MainStreetPlaza
- Blackstone Developers, LLC Red Oak, Texas
·2005 ”Buckeye Hawk” -
School mascot for Buckeye high school, Buckeye, AZ
·2005”Desert Hawk” - mascot for
Anthony Saville Middle School Mascot, Las Vegas,
NV
·2005 ”
Hawk” - mascot for school in Alexandria,
VA
·2005 ”
Hawk” - mascot for school in
Hanover, VA
·2003
“The Maverick” -Mountain ViewHigh School
Mascot, Meridian,
ID
"Cavallo Mustang" including the sign Life size stallion rearing, Barbed Wire, Rusted
entrance to Cavallo Estates, Eagle, ID
"The Maverick"
(Mascot)
Life size Bull 60"H x 120"L x 48"w
Steel - welded - chrome powder coated
Mountain View High School, Meridian, ID
"Solitude
Eagle" located at Solitude Ski Resort,
Salt Lake City, UT
*"Mare &
Foal", at the "Spiritof the West"
wing of the High Desert Museum, Bend, OR
*"Winning
Team" , located at the Hudson Museum,
Parkdale, OR
*"Doe &
Twin Fawns" , located at the
Meridian Library, Meridian, ID
*"The Great
Blue Heron", and The Golden Eagleis Awesome", located at the
"Blue Heron", and the "Golden Eagle business buildings, River
Street, Boise, ID.
*"Fantastic
Fisherman, located at the "Eagle Island Subdivision, Eagle, ID.
*"Eagle for the
City of Eagle" , located at the in the main intersection ofthe City of
Eagle, Idaho
*"1867" ,
located at the US Bank Center, Boise, ID
*"Elk life
size * Eagles" 1 1/2 life size, aluminum sculptures are featured at the Black
Eagle Business Center , located, Boise, Idaho
*"American
Symbol" ,
located at the "Birds of Prey Foundation, Boise, ID
*Fruit's of Hate" (Portland, OR)
SHOWINGS
Invited to demonstrate
my work at the "Global Mural Conference" August 2004. Ely NV
*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
