Creating Realistic Works of Art with Barbed Wire

About the Book

This book will give you an understanding of how I create realistic works with barbed wire. I am not explain every detail, as I assume you have a good eye to capture the shape and proportions of what you are creating. I also assume that you know how to weld with oxygen and acetylene. I will touch briefly on these things, but you will need comprehensive training in these areas if you are a beginner. Be sure to use appropriate safety gear and follow all safety precautions at all times. I love the barbed wire because of the texture the twisted wire makes. The barbs are really immaterial and often actually get in the way. When this happens I cut or weld them off in that area. When I want it to be smooth, I often use the barbs to weld the wire together, thus getting rid of the actual barb, or melt the barbs into the wire along the way. If it is not in a place that needs to be welded, I will often still weld them down so the finished sculpture is smooth to the touch. Just to preserve the “romance” of barbed wire, I will leave just a few barbs but keep them in areas that will not be touched. This is a labor of love. I trust you will enjoy what I am sharing with my art.

About the Author

Bernie Jestrabek-Hart is known internationally as an artist who works in metal of all kinds. Barbed wire is her favorite medium. Bernie has a degree in Art Education and taught art for 6 years before beginning to raise her family. In the fall of 1980, she took a sculpture class at Boise State University which included welded wire and steel sculptures. There she created "Hero"(Picture 1). Following that she bought her oxygen and acetylene welding unit. When seeing a roll of barbed wire she decided to create a bison (Picture 2) from it. She fell in love with the texture and this started her romance with this medium. The first large commission in barbed wire was for the Idaho First National Bank in Boise, Idaho, currently the US. Bank. It's name "1867" (Picture 6) stands for the year the bank originated. The first life-size piece was "Katherine the Great" (Picture 3) which was later turned into "Me Llama Llamo" (Picture 4). The piece that started her career in sculpting was "Say What Mom?!" (Picture 5). This is when Bernie turned her sculpting efforts into her full time career. "Say What Mom?!" initiated several of the first commissions including "Mare and Foal" (Picture 7) for Oregon’s High Desert Museum and "Winning Team (Amber and Clyde)" (Picture 8). She has also completed many sculptures in steel, aluminum and stainless steel. However, barbed wire remains her focus. Her hope is that from this book you will also obtain a love for the fantastic medium of barbed wire. (To see more of Bernie’s work see www.sculptures-by-bjh.com) Photo by Deb Ritch