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Continuing with my studio visits of Contemporary Sculptors of Chicago..

May 6, 2013: Visited the workshop of sculptor Mike Baur.

 

Unplanned visits can be fun too!!! So was my trip to Mike Baur workshop.  I was at the home-studio of Steve Mueller [click here ]  and he took me to the workshop of his good friend Mike Baur. It was an awesome trip! Mike Baur is famous for sculptures made of concrete and steel. He uses all kinds of materials that can be called industrial scrap especially pipes of different shapes and sizes and concrete slabs. His huge yard was full of large and small scale industrial sculptures.

 

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Mike Baur is best known for his architectural scale concrete and steel public sculptures, but is also prolific in smaller scale works, exploiting any and all available materials he can work with his hands.  He graduated with a BFA from Arkansas State University,  and did his MFA from  the University of Illinois Graduate School in Sculpture.  Baur’s sculpture can be found in numerous locations in Illinois, and in the United States.  In 1974, he won an international competition to build a 200-ton concrete sculpture in Barcelona, Spain.

Check out his website.. click here..

Weight, stability and permanence are important to me; this must be why industrial components, architectural forms and landscapes have always influenced my work. Combining steel and concrete has become a life long approach to building form; while often bringing into the mix plastics, wood and stone to expand on this foundational dialogue. I intentionally leverage the implied utility that industrial materials possess while avoiding the literal. My current sculpture continues the visual themes I have been developing for over 30 years. My work begins with the considerations that all construction requires, but my goal is to arrive beyond formalistic concerns where the common materials I use transcend their origins. The unique power of the three-dimensional object is always paramount.
– Mike Baur

 

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We went to his studio on May 6. It was a beautiful summer day, perfect for being outdoors. He was working on a new abstract sculpture made of found materials. The above image shows Baur with the maquette of the yet untitled piece in his hand.

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Mike Baur’s yard is actually a sculpture garden, and gives a very good idea of the type of rugged artistic vision.
Below are some images from Mike Baur’s yard.

 

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Thank You Mike Baur for your time!
It was great meeting you!

Some of his work that I have photographed..

 

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RELATED LINKS:
Studio Visits: click here..
Know the Artists series.. click here..

 

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