Barbara Wallace

Artist Statement

Social issues and the human figure are the main subject matter for the sculpture of Barbara Wallace. Wallace believes that the world needs more art that is accessible to all that reflect the issues that are of importance to our survival as a species. Her artistic training has been in the traditional sculptural materials of clay, metal, stone, and wood. As a professional artist, she has adapted techniques ordinarily reserved for clay and sheet metal for recycled materials. Her process mimics the additive/subtractive techniques employed with clay and metal fabrication. Reduce/reuse/recycle is central to her philosophy and that art making belief that materials need be available and affordable for everyone. Using upcycled resources addresses her concerns about climate change and the environment and that enough materials are mostly now in existence to create whatever needs to be created to express the viewpoints of the current era. Wallace stands by the importance of keeping art making and art viewing free of economic and speech restraints. She believes that people need to have the freedom of materials, time, and voice to witness to the concerns of our time while protecting our environment and human rights.