Winner of the $3,500 Victor Jacoby Award for Innovation and Excellence in Art
World Class Wire Sculpture · Elizabeth Berrien
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Chicken Wire?
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Chicken Wire?No! Elizabeth Berrien's wire sculptures are made "the hard way". No gloves, no pliers, no chicken wire...Each sculpture starts by twisting together two or three strands. Then, one by one, dozens or even hundreds more strands of wire are spliced in. Elizabeth only uses chicken wire to repair her chicken coop. Working from life, here's her wire chicken. |
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Haven't I seen these somewhere before?Very possibly. Berrien wire sculptures are in museums, galleries, zoos, parks and homes throughout the world. Perhaps you've seen them at The Nature Company, Gump's or Neiman-Marcus. If you contact us, we'll tell you the nearest gallery or museum to see them. |
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What makes Berrien sculptures stand out from the rest? The closer you get to Elizabeth's wire sculptures, the more high-caliber detail, flow, harmony and expression you will see. Ask yourself: do the wires in this sculpture flow expressively along the natural muscular contours of the living creature? Or... or they a mesh-like pattern? To practice telling the difference, follow this link and compare another artist's wire rooster, horse head and cat to the ones here... chicken wire & crochet animals |
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Does anyone else make this intricate, lace-like wire sculpture?No other wire sculptor has mastered the complexity of Elizabeth Berrien's innovative lacework & engineering technique, which the artist evolved over 40 years. |
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How durable are these wire sculptures?Very, very rugged. Elizabeth Berrien's wire sculptures have a built-in resiliency. When dropped, they bounce, retaining their shape. Designed to sustain normal wear and tear, wire sculptures co-exist with busy households, children and cats. In extreme cases (earthquake, fire) they can be fully restored for a nominal fee. But restoration calls are rare - |
Chicken Wire | seen before | anyone else | Berrian/Berrien | genius | unique | my budget | no room! | illuminated wire | custom wire durable | How to ship | care for wire | rust How she started | Does she teach | Can I teach wire | art biz tips | recycle | help with wire |Is Elizabeth Berrian the same as Elizabeth Berrien?Many years ago, I bought a hand-twisted wire animal by an artist who spelled her name "Elizabeth Berrian". Now I see similar, more sophisticated works by a wire sculptor who spells her name "Elizabeth Berrien". Are they related???They are one and the same. Born "Elizabeth Berrian", over the years she learned that the traditional spelling of her family name until just a few generations ago is "Berrien". Most collectors with "Berrian" wire sculptures own pre-1988 works. Those with "Berrien" wire sculptures have post-1987 works. |
I like one of these sculptures, but it's over budget. Any suggestions?Sure. Let us know your budget, and we'll provide estimates for less expensive versions... for instance, they can be made smaller, simpler, and/or in 2D. |
Do you have illuminated wire sculptures for sale?Yes, any sculpture can be commissioned as an illuminated wire sculpture. Elizabeth can create illuminated wire deer, polar bears, sleighs, angel and other illuminated Christmas sculptures. They look outstanding compared to theleast common denominatorversions. Illuminated Sailfish wire sculpture |
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I don't see an image of the sculpture I want. Can she make a warthog, a P-38, a portrait of my Uncle Igor?With pleasure. If it's something a conventional artist could paint, Elizabeth Berrien can create it in wire. She always enjoys the challenge of interpreting something new in wire. |
How do you ship wire sculptures?Easily. Small and medium wire sculptures are packed securely with plastic "peanuts" to any part of the world. Large works (life-size bears, horses, etc) can be either crated and shipped, or folded small, tagged as our luggage, and re-shaped at the site installation.Folding a lifesize wire sculpture horse portrait into its airline stuff sack for delivery to an equine film maker. |
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Chicken Wire | seen before | anyone else | Berrian/Berrien | genius | unique | my budget | no room! | illuminated wire | custom wire durable | How to ship | care for wire | rust How she started | Does she teach | Can I teach wire | art biz tips | recycle | help with wire | back to topHow do I care for my wire sculpture?Gently dust with a feather duster or vacuum cleaner brush attachment. For more information, see our Caring for Wire page. |
Is Elizabeth Berrien really a genius?Yes. At age 13, Elizabeth Berrian's Stanford-Binet test scores placed her within the top 1/2 percent of the population, with an estimated IQ of 165. This qualifed her as the first teenagers in the US to join Mensa."All the kids in my family are pretty sharp. I just happen to be particularly good at taking tests, especially anything to do with math and spatial relationships. My mind loves creative problem solving - anything to do with patterns and puzzles - something inherent to my form of wire sculpture." |
What about rust?Berrien's steel wire sculptures have protective coatings of paint. For extra protection and outdoor installations, we recommend "Rust Destroyer"and "Rust Knock Out", primers used to protect everything from tricycyles to bridges battleships. This product is so reliable it comes with a 5 year warranty. Outdoor and other high-moisture environmental sculptures can also be commissioned in aluminum, brass or copper wire. |
How did Elizabeth Berrien get started, and how did she end up making such complex sculptures?Learn Elizabeth's story in the Artist's Biography |
Does Elizabeth teach? How can I make innovative wire sculpture, too?Take Elizabeth Berrien's free online Innovative Wire Sculpture Workshop.To arrange for Elizabeth to teach a workshop, Contact us. |
I teach art, and I'd love to introduce my students to wire sculpture. How do I get started?Join with teachers and universtiy professors around the world in using Elizabeth Berrien's lesson plan, Teach Innovative Wire Sculpture |
I want to sell my wire sculptures, too! Any business tips for artists?Tons of them! Elizabeth Berrien's art business coaching articles help artists make a better living, selling their artwork... |
How can I recycle wire?Lots of ways! Read recycling Wire... |
I'm a little stuck on a wire art project... can you help me???YES! We have an entires Q & A section for folks with strange questions about working wire. To help get un-stuck, check out our Wire IFAQ page and read Elizabeth's advice to other wire workers. If you still need help, email us wirezoo@earthlink.net |
Chicken Wire | seen before | anyone else | Berrian/Berrien | genius | unique | my budget | no room! | illuminated wire | custom wire durable | How to ship | care for wire | rust How she started | Does she teach | Can I teach wire | art biz tips | recycle | help with wire | back to topWorld Class Wire Sculpture · Elizabeth BerrienInquiries: (707) 445-4931 · Email: wirezoo@earthlink.net Content and images © 1968-2008 Elizabeth Berrien. All rights reserved. |