Esther Barr MetalWorks

Horseshoe Crabs

10/8/2022

I have a soft spot for these hard shelled creatures. When I was young we used to spend the summer on Cape Cod; the beaches there were always crawling with them. They live in the ocean but visit the beach to mate and lay their eggs. They are so interesting!
They predate the dinosaurs and man. They have ten eyes! Their blood is blue and is copper based. How appropriate that they are one of my subjects!

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Freedom

2/6/2022

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Why Bull Kelp? Bull kelp is a fast growing annual which provides nutrients and habitat for a multitude of species; growing up to 2 feet a day and as tall as 80 feet. The blades (leaves) follow the movements of the ocean and originate from the ball-like bladder which rises towards the surface of the ocean. The holdfast (roots) is a gnarled mass and anchors it to the ocean floor.
I love the freedom I have to interpret my subjects in copper in various ways creating new forms and effects. For this piece, I found great joy in crushing the metal and pulling it through my etching press multiple times. I manipulate the folds between each pass until the resulting abstract relief patterns hold my interest. The copper is pulled though the press again; this time with the master linocut design of the Bull Kelp followed by additional hand-tooling and hammering to define and add texture. Each member of the series is unique; this is #15 and I still have so many more ideas to explore in this series.

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Into the Fray

12/5/2021

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Newly hatched Leatherback turtles struggle to enter the world, despite the forces against them. Seems appropriate to make this piece from my own collection available. I've not participated in any in-person shows since the start of Covid and now I am taking a leap of faith as I plan next years exhibition schedule. I feel ready to return, probably only shows no more than a couple hours drive from the studio. In the meantime if you are interested in an available piece or a commission please contact me at [email protected]

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Covid 19 Update

4/29/2020

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This photo is of my booth at Kings Mountain Art Fair a couple of years ago. Unfortunately I expect all art festivals to be cancelled this year. . .

I really love participating at art festivals. I like being the one to shepherd my works into their new homes. I suppose we can still have a close relationship as artist /collector. I will have to embrace "social media" more than I have. I will blog more. I will send occasional updates if you are on my email list. I will continue to experiment with new techniques and share the progress of any new artworks. I will try to create art despite the pandemic. I will make the best of the new normal.

If you feel up to it please send me an email and let me know how you are doing. Also, if you have one of my pieces hanging on your wall please share a photo with me!

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The Birds

8/11/2017

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I am returning to one of my favorite inspirations . . . Birds. In college I studied illustration and experimental film and after graduation worked as an animator in the film industry. It was a great career but to be honest what I really dreamed about was to be the one in the field (blind or boat) with a movie camera/sketch pad waiting . . . My sea creatures along with my birds share the ability to defy gravity. I would love to be able to move through 3 dimensions as they do. . . but I will have to be satisfied with just being an observer.

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My endless fascination with Ammonites

6/7/2017

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I have been very busy in my studio as I continue to explore my “Ammonite Assemblage” series with several new works.

There is an amazing amount of variety in the textures and shapes contained within the chambers of these fossils. Their spiral shell is a perfect design element; often referred to as the "Golden Mean" or Fibonacci curve. Examples can be found in nature and echoed in all of my artworks.

They are relatives of the nautilus as well as my favorite the octopus. They existed 240-65 million years ago and were so very numerous but departed along with the dinosaurs.

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New Succulents

4/3/2016

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A long time ago, while traveling through the Southwest I started noticing that the cacti and other succulents had similar aspects of design as the corals and plants that inhabit reefs. I will be exploring this series more in the future.

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Latest "Medusae" completed

3/31/2016

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This is #39 of a numbered edition of only 40. One of my most difficult series ever and I am almost done! I admit to recycling quite a bit of copper in my quest to finish this numbered edition. I didn't have to, but I hammered the background behind the Pacific sea nettles and added glimpses of them on the textured copper frame as well.

My original inspiration was from an exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. These guys floated and danced in their pool-cue blue tank. They are able to propel themselves by moving the water with their bell. They have no brain, eyes, ears, backbone or heart but I found that I still love them!. They returned my advances by making it easy for me to envision them in my artworks.

My first sea nettle series sold out and this series only has three left. I have one other edition based on this same nettle as well as one on moon jellies too. I am now sort of obsessed with the lion's mane jellyfish. It has a bell that is over 7ft in diameter and so very many tentacles but I think to do it justice it would need to be close to lifesize to represent what it must feel like to be in their presence. Maybe someday...

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Horseshoe Crabs

Freedom

Into the Fray

Covid 19 Update

The Birds

My endless fascination with Ammonites

New Succulents

Latest "Medusae" completed

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