Art in Profile: Lecture Review of Ann Weber: Art & Life

Artists possess the power of revelation. They bring out the beauty hidden in the world. They shine a light on its imperfections. And yet as impressive as all this is, the greatest revelations occur within the artist themselves. Across the country and overseas, the works of Ann Weber attract great admiration from the public for their unique designs and approaches to sculpture. But as I learned from a lecture by the artist herself, the process of creating art becomes just as valuable to the artist as the work produced. This is the self-portrayal of the career of Ann Weber as told through her lecture: Art & Life.

With no predetermined path to follow, Webber started her career by traveling across the country and freely producing ceramic art. She soon came to find, however, that even the path of freedom can lead to a dead end. Having lost her love of ceramics, she decided to attend graduate school at the California College of Arts and Crafts where she could learn under her idol Viola Frey. Her dream would be bittersweet though, as Frey advised her to learn to make more "professional art". It's an agonizing experience to have one's dreams crushed by one's heroes, so Weber was obviously heartbroken her first few days in school. Fortunately, her travels had taught her the need for artists to remain resourceful, so she took Frey's advice and found further inspiration from the sculptures and instructions in a book by Kandinsky. Her reeducation sparked new life into her, and she set out to find a clear to follow.

Enough, Not Enough (2003)

by Ann Weber

steel, fiber glass, cardboard sculptures; 

Located in the lobby of the Health Services building in the

 State of California Capitol Area East End Complex, Sacramento.

Highlights the balancing act for holding on to the things 

in our lives. Definitive of Webber's life story.

Now with a studio of her own in East Oakland, Weber began to experiment with the form of sculpture that would define her distinct style. She designed abstract figures and covered them with cutout strips of cardboard. After trying out different materials, she found cardboard to be the most pleasing medium to build with. But just as she had finally found her groove in sculpture, her studio building would burn down, taking ten years of hard work along with it. At a point where she could succumb to her misfortunes and quit, Weber chose to find inner strength instead, and urge onward. "Disappointment, humiliation, and rejection," she claimed, are all part of growing up as an artist.

Marie Antoinette

by Ann Weber

found cardboard, staples

Made during a stay in Germany, the low availability 

of cardboard forced her to begin working with color.

Weber's recognition as a sculptor began to grow, and her work would be displayed locally in California, as well as internationally in countries like Germany. At 60 she discovered that inspiration is never a fleeting thing. A trip to Rome would bring her up close with the sculptures of the past and breathe a new love into her life. As she prepared to leave for a residency in this city, fate would yet again derail her aspirations with surprise diagnosis of cancer. Putting her trip to Rome off, she stayed home and continued to work while being treated. Though never the type of person to enjoy others worrying about her, she came to realize just how many people were truly devoted to helping her get through her struggle. She soon got better, made her trip to Rome, and transferred her new realization into her art.

You're My Butterfly

by Ann Weber

found cardboard, staples, polyurethane

Created during her cancer scare; inspired by 

the love and support she received.

Finally realizing her dream of living in Rome, Weber set these 

works up in a studio at the American Academy of Rome. 

Ann Weber faced countless trials and tribulations that threatened to derail her career as a sculptor. She stayed firm instead. She found that in her soul, lies motivation, direction, and fortitude that led here to the happiness and artistic relief she enjoys today. All artists hope to one day astound the world with something amazing. But it is imperative for their work, that the artists astound themselves first through self-revelation.  

Ann Weber: Art & Life
Lecture at CSUS in Kadema Hall
February 27, 2014. 5-6 pm.