Catherine Schmitt Sculpture

A native of Paris France, I was motivated by my interest in stone carving, and Josee De Creef’s work in particular, to study with him at New York’s Art Students League, followed by studies at the city’s Studio School.

Soon after, I entered the commercial art world. A job constructing large puppets for an advertising agency led me to work with Bill Baird, the master puppeteer. It was a wonderful experience, and thus began my varied creative career.

I have always been a builder—a shape-maker. I worked for zoos and casinos, advertising agencies and mannequin companies. I created displays for several major retailers. The challenges of these diverse projects, the people surrounding each one and the stories I heard from them all excited me.

I continue to do enlargements and other work for other sculptors. I find it cathartic to lend my hands to help other artists express ideas that are not mine. Yet the builder, the storyteller in me needed to express herself. Drawing inspiration from the photographs of Edward E. Curtis, I knew that I needed to enter the world of fine art.