Imagine creating such big art pieces that you don’t see your finished product until it is open to the public. This is precisely what Albert Paley does. He is a metalwork sculptor known for his ginormous pieces that catch your eye.
Whether you are driving down the flat Midwest interstate from Council Bluffs to Omaha or entering a zoo in St. Louis, his pieces are unforgettable.
Paley’s intent for his metalwork on Interstate 80’s Iowa to Nebraska border was to represent the Midwest and the agriculture here. But many drivers and residents of the area know these pieces as Edward Scissorhands’s hands.
Anne Pagel, curator of the Karen and Robert Duncan art collection, presented this information and more about Paley’s history and artistic process at the Christian Petersen Art Museum on March 1. As a part of the Albert Paley: Origins exhibit currently on display.
Pagel interviewed Paley in 2019 to understand his sculptural process.
“For him, it is a sensuous act,” Pagel said. “When sketching, he thinks in terms of three dimensions and in terms of scale.”
He makes from one to 200 sketches before starting the model for his massive pieces.
Many of the cardboard and paper models for his piece, ‘Animals Always’, commissioned for the St. Louis Zoo, are on display at the Christian Petersen Art Museum.
Although they have rough edges, cramped notes and uneven lines sketched by Paley, they are essential for the art community.
As Paley downsized his studio, he felt as though it was wrong to throw away these models he’d used while creating his famous pieces.
“They don’t look like much, and they don’t have material value,” Pagel said. “But they have creative value.”
Also featured in the exhibit are sketches of models, pictures of Paley welding various pieces and an intricate cardboard model of ‘Animals Always.’
Paley’s work is connected with Iowa State. He commissioned the stainless steel piece featured on the outside of Morrill Hall, just outside the Christian Petersen Art Museum. This sculpture is called ‘Transformations.’
It’s full of jagged metal pieces that cross over each other, representing a portal to knowledge. A smaller model and sketch of this piece can be seen in the museum.
To see these pieces in person and to learn more about Paley, visit the Christian Petersen Art Museum.
Albert Paley: Origins will be on display until July 24, 2026.
