Profile: Nicholas Baker Swearer

I am a "hands-on" sculptor who works primarily with cast and fabricated metals from my studio/foundry, located in Thompson, Connecticut. My metal work takes on a broad range of expressions, from fantastical animals to narrations using human characters.

I am to a large extent a self-taught sculptor. My first welded bird sculpture was created at the age of 11. In my mid-teens, I spent four years creating a 40 foot long iguana from 12,500 railroad spike heads, it has become the mascot of the Science Museum of Minnesota. At the age of 18, I was chosen as a U.S. representative to the International Arts Festival in Glasgow, Scotland. I have a liberal arts education and graduated with highest honors from Macalester College in 1979.

As the son of a political scientist and an artist/educator, and married to a psychologist, my work takes a broad look at the world. I expresse myself in ways that make us think. I believe that art is a language that can be used to express and explore a variety of human conditions from playful humor to social commentary. But even my animals often have some hidden meaning or commentary.

As a teacher, I love to share the creative process and excite others about art. I have created many large-scale sculptures with groups of students during artist-in-residencies. I believe that it is not just the idea behind a work of art but the process of creating or refining that idea that broadens our visual world. I also help other artists create their own work as founder, fabricator or sometimes as restorer.

I have shown often and the nature of my work has drawn much media attention over the years. In 1996 my installation 'Our Time' (an ongoing political commentary using up to 70 human characters) drew international media attention. Described William Zimmer of the New York Times: "They look human for the most part, they are the size of dwarfs and often distorted for the sake of expression. "Our Time" is made up of political figures recognizable from their detailed faces as well as types representing aspects of society and contemporary social issues... Another unusual attribute for public work these days are that all the figures are naked. Mr. Swearer says this is because he is dealing with the naked truth."

In truth my naked characters have created troubles for me in the curatorial world. It is as if curators are fearful of exhibiting my narrations in this climate of Jesse Helms, worrying how others might perceive them if they do. I recently created "Brother " in response. 10 feet tall and hammered out of half-inch steel plate, "Brother" is a formidable judge. He is naked except for the large reversed fig leaf with nothing behind it. I continue to create naked characters.