Barbara Baer’s creation of Bagatelle follows years of fascination with 18th century garden design. Shadowing images of topiaries in Versailles, France, Baer’s work connects to the garden in its dynamic
approach to shape, form, and texture. Baer notes that Bagatelle “is both formal and informal, somber and bright, hard and soft. The silhouettes are human-scaled with distinctive personalities.” Designing for indoor and outdoor public spaces is a favorite challenge for Baer: each sculpture must not only engage the eye and mind, but also work well. Commissioned artworks evolve from the visual features of each site and reflections of the people who use the location. A successful work explores and celebrates its space, bringing humanizing grace, balance, and calm energy. Growing up in southern Louisiana, the artist studied in New Orleans before moving to Colorado. Her work is infused with the lush vitality of the southern cityscape and the light-filled open spaces of the west.