james gabbert    biography

I am a sculptor. I was born to be a sculptor.

I've always had an artistic bent. My mother said I was always building something out of Tinker Toys or cardboard and scotch tape. However, it was not until college that I realized I had a gift. Early in my junior year one of my professors was frustrated by my lack of progress during a series of life – model drawing sessions. He handed me a chunk of sculpting wax and said "here, try this". In an amazingly short time I had rendered the female model in near perfect proportion. It was as easy for me as drawing was hard. On reflection I realized my problem with drawing was my mind refused to view things in two dimensions. I could not draw in two dimensions what I saw in three dimensions. On the other hand, given the opportunity to do in three dimensions what I saw in three dimensions was incredibly easy. I have been a sculptor ever since.

I abandoned my artwork by 1981 when I took over the responsibilities for the family business and got married. I simply could not find the time to continue my art work. However, that did not mean I let my skills atrophy. Fortunately, I was in a business (home furnishings retail) that required a great deal of creativity and artistic expression. I was not sculpting with clay or wax but I was sculpting with store design and organizational structures. I found other means to keep my creative juices flowing. It provided me the opportunity to travel and, when ever possible, to expose myself to museums and significant works of art throughout this country and other parts of the world. Watching a movie or gymnastics or a dance performance I'm always studying the human figure and the human figure in motion.

In 2008 my family business was sold and my youngest of four children went off to college. It is with these lifestyle changes that I once again saw the opportunity to return to my sculpture. I am now living as my truest self.

CHRONOLOGY:
1972-1975: Graduated The Colorado College with a Degree in Fine Arts
1979-1983: Games by James, a quality adult game store (www.gamesbyjames.com )
1976-1978, 1980 – 2008: Gabberts Furniture and Design Studio (www.gabberts.com)
2009- Present: Sculptor

Exhibitions:
2011 2nd Annual Exhibit of the National Arts Program for the Minneapolis St. Paul Airport; Nov. 2011 – Mar. 2012; (The Cosmic Dance of Terra and Luna)
2011 The American Artists Professional League's 83rd Grand National Exhibition, New York, NY;
Nov 2011 (Mtn, Sea, and Sky awarded "Honorable Mention")
2011 Edina Promenade; Edina, MN; May 2011-May 2012 (Sunniva awarded "People's Choice Award")
2011 Open Juried Show; Art Center Manatee, Bradenton, FL (The Cosmic Dance of Terra and Luna & Female on a Pedestal #1 awarded Equal Merit Award )
2011 Society of Minnesota Sculptors Member Exhibition; Minnesota Arboretum, Chaska, MN;
May-June (Lemur Pursuing Dia & Mtn, Sea, and Sky)
2011 Juried Members Show; Art Center Manatee, Bradenton, FL; (Currents)
2011 Nude Nite – Tampa, The Trolley Barn, Tampa, FL; January (The Cosmic Dance of Terra and Luna)

©2024 Copyright - Individual by Artist, All Rights Reserved
Society of Minnesota Sculptors reserves the right to approve all submitted graphics and text in the gallery.