About the Artist

Lance Neirby is involved with creating and exhibiting works that explore ancestral heritage in correlation with the early development and sectioning of wilderness and cropland. While balancing the commitments of daily life, Neirby continues to exhibit his work as well as creating work for private commissions and corporate collections.

From the Artist

As a child I frequently moved with my family throughout the Midwest. During this time I struggled to find familiarity with our differing housing situations. Each transition made me more aware of the natural environment that enveloped me at every new residence. As we moved I became acquainted with the similarities of the organic environments that existed just outside the front door. Recently, leaving the familiar and moving a thousand miles to the Eastern United States has rekindled my interest in exploring the natural environment.

The body of work that I have created during my MFA study investigates the separation of my generation from the agrarian lifestyles of my ancestors. Reinterpreting organic forms in metal allows me to cultivate ideas that symbolically provide a connection to the past. I am also able to reaffirm my relationship with the tall thin organic forms that I share with my ancestors by focusing on the regeneration of the grasslands and forests of the Midwest.

For the Viewer

As an artist creating a lasting dialogue between art and the viewer is extremely important. This dialogue flourishes when the work intrigues the viewer enough to separate them from the restrictions of time and environment. I strive to create work that compels the viewer to achieve this separation with their surroundings and allows them to exist solely with the piece.