During her celebrated career as a public artist, Barbara Grygutis has been commissioned to create over 75 large-scale works throughout North America and internationally, in settings including sculpture gardens, public plazas, gateways, memorials and monuments. She also has exhibited sculptures at venues like the Smithsonian Institution, the Bronx Museum and the White House.
In her work, Barbara uses varied materials — an array of metals and stones, brick, cement, ceramic, concrete, glass, and tile — to create public spaces that enhance the built environment, encourage civic interaction and reveal unspoken relationships between nature and humanity. For each piece, she engages the public by identifying themes meaningful to the specific site and community. Barbara’s work has garnered numerous awards, and she has received the National Endowment for the Arts’ Individual Artist’s Fellowship.
A two-time graduate of the University of Arizona, Barbara has remained dedicated to the university, the School of Art and the Tucson community. She mentors students through internships at her studio, judges project proposals for Sculpture Tucson and has participated in the school’s career forum. She also created the Front Row Center and Arts Oasis sculpture garden outside the Marroney Theatre on campus.
Barbara’s iconic work demonstrates her passion and enhances public spaces around the world, and her support for students nurtures the next generation of artists.
