Bart Habermiller
Media: Sculptor
In 1990, after graduating on a full merit scholarship from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with an M.F.A. in Sculpture, Bart Habermiller returned to Calgary to begin his art practice and to become an active participant in developing what was then a burgeoning art scene.
As founder of the 11 year running community initiative/art collective Grace’sland, Habermiller organized artist residencies, student field trips, exhibitions and art rodeos on a 7 acre reclamation yard on the outskirts of the city. Habermiller followed the Graceland years in 1999 by partnering with a fellow artist to create Studio; a communal studio space with donated art materials and non-leased commercial space in the downtown core. The free studio space was open to anyone, from professional artists to creative enthusiast.
Habermiller’s commitment to community is reiterated through his art practice. His sculptures often utilize both repetition of multiples, as well as numerous individual found objects unified through colour to reflect the notion of the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Habermiller is known for his ease in shifting between a collaborative art practice, often working with entire communities to realize an installation/sculpture to a solitary practice, favouring the method which best supports his creative vision for a particular artwork.
Habermiller has exhibited across Canada, and in the United States and Japan. His work has been collected by museums, corporate collections and privately. He continues to champion the arts and maintain his studio practice in Calgary Alberta, with frequent travels to international art destinations.
barthabermiller.com
