"To be able to do the work I love on a daily basis and bring enjoyment to others through both commission work and private sales and collections is a constant high point in my career," says
metal sculptor Fuller Barnes ’80 of Sedona, Ariz. A Fine Arts major
at St. Lawrence, he recalls “countless hours in the sculpture studio with Prof. Mike Lowe,” himself a metal sculptor. “It was here that I discovered my passion for sculpting in found metals,” he
says.
His family has honored Fuller’s commitment to the arts, and
their own devotion to St. Lawrence, by providing the funding for
the Barnes Sculpture Yard, a space for metalwork.
He expressed his love of art in other ways as well, spending one
January helping build the set for Camelot. Barnes was also
a member of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity
and a bass player in two bands. He continued his musical interests
while living in Vermont after graduation, before he moved to Arizona. In 1984, St. Lawrence commissioned him
to construct a sculpture in the Sykes Courtyard; untitled,
it is an assemblage of locally-found discarded farm machinery parts.
"I
have always known that I would be an artist,” Barnes says. “My
college experience helped to expand and reinforce that desire. I
was allowed to experiment with different mediums and, after learning
how to weld, concentrate in metal, which continues to intrigue me
to this day. It was a very close and supportive community, a ‘big
family’ where
one couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging. The wonderful friendships,
atmosphere and variety of experiences had a positive influence on
who I am today.”
Center
for Arts Technology 