Nancy Metz White (1934–2018) was a

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

artist with large-scale outdoor public sculptures installed in two parks in

Milwaukee Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, Milwaukee is ...

, Wisconsin. White welded and sometimes brightly painted steel and forge flashings reclaimed from Milwaukee heavy industry. She described herself as a practitioner of urban archeology.

Sculptures

Tree of Life The tree of life is a fundamental archetype in many of the world's mythological, religious, and philosophical traditions. It is closely related to the concept of the sacred tree.Giovino, Mariana (2007). ''The Assyrian Sacred Tree: A History ...

'', which is 2½ stories high, was erected in Mitchell Boulevard Park in 2002. ''

Magic Grove ''Magic Grove'' is a public art work by artist Nancy Metz White. It is located in Enderis Playfield, which is northwest of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was installed in November 2006 and dedicated in May 2007. Description ''Magic Grove'' c ...

'', a grouping of three tree forms, was installed in Enderis Playfield in 2006. Conceived as a community gathering place, ''Magic Grove'' includes benches designed by the artist and a commemorative brick walkway. In both ''Tree of Life'' and ''Magic Grove'', bird forms perch amid the tree branches, adding a fanciful touch. A smaller welded outdoor sculpture, ''Helping Hands'', whimsically constructed from hand die forms recycled from a glove factory, is on permanent display at the

Mead Public Library Mead Public Library is a municipal library in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and serves Sheboygan County. It is the main headquarters library of the Monarch Library System, consisting of libraries in Sheboygan, Ozaukee, Dodge, and Washington Counties. ...

in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. In 2011, ''Fantasy Garden'', a grouping of five larger than life painted steel flowers also made from forge flashings, was installed on the plaza of the retirement community, Saint John’s On The Lake, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. White also made a series of sculptures out of galvanized and stainless steel furnace pipe and flexible air-conditioning ducting.

Biography

Born in

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...

, in 1934, White graduated from the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...

with a bachelor's degree in art education and also did graduate study there. She served as creative arts coordinator at Urban Day School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She began to weld at the age of 45. White was also a printmaker and pastel artist. Her sense of color remained intact even in the face of dementia. She was married to Joseph Charles White who died in 2009. Their twin daughters are Michele and Jacqueline. Her papers are housed at the Milwaukee County Historical Society. She died December 10, 2018.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:White, Nancy Metz American women sculptors 1934 births University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education alumni Artists from Milwaukee 20th-century American sculptors 21st-century American sculptors 20th-century American women artists 21st-century American women artists Sculptors from Wisconsin 2018 deaths

Sculptures

Biography

See also

References