Blair Robbins

Sculptor of Wire

Wire is magical!  Wire sculpture defies the basic assumption that sculpture has mass!  I am fascinated by the interplay of 2-D and 3-D that I can achieve with wire, especially when considering shadow. Taking a wire strand or 'line', I draw in space to create a sculpture.  Or, I cut a shape of hardwire cloth and envelope space to create form.  I can add and subtract during the creative process, but I cannot feel the empty space.  Wire can poke, puncture, and draw blood!  My creative process involves careful and deliberate decisions because wire will snap if bent too many times.  I fuse the intangible threads of movement and character with the more tangible threads of line, shape, form, and texture to create each wire sculpture.  It is the analysis and merging of these tangible and intangible threads that are at the core of my creative process, much like making a film.  Inherent in each piece is an abstracted collage of my subject giving my work strong presence and character. 

Today, my focus is to create a series of wire horses.  Each is a one-of-a-kind and has its own character.  Character is not one expression, but a collage of changing expressions that non-verbally give personality to a subject.  The gestural nature of my wire sculptures enables me to capture presence of my subject in unique ways. During the creative process, I constantly pull from sensibilities gained through working in diverse media throughout my life.  When I work with wire, I am constantly analyzing my subject in terms of line, shape, form, texture, and movement, exploring ways beyond surface to capture emotion and character.