education
1977 MFA, sculpture, State University of NY at New Paltz
1972 MA, sculpture, State University of NY at Albany;
At Albany State, Schwabe studied sculpture with Richard Stankiewicz (1950’s pioneer of steel assemblage sculpture). Schwabe was his student assistant for two academic years.
1970 BA, psychology, Waynesburg College, PA
1961 - 1966 Schwabe was apprentice goldsmith to father James Author Schwabe. His principal customer was Cartier, NY. The younger Schwabe worked on many of his fathers pieces that became Cartier product.
gallery representation
Frog Hollow Gallery, Burlington, VT (smaller works including figures & jewelry)
Art Hound Gallery, The Essex Experience, VT Schwabe is among the first artists selected to be represented by this large, new gallery (larger works).
studio location
Schwabes’ studio is in the “SPACE Gallery” complex at 266 Pine ST, Burlington, VT. Contact him via email if you would like to arrange a studio visit.
museum collections
Many of my sculptures and wearables are in the collection of The Northern New England Museum of Contemporary Art….
…. AND …. many of my sculptures and wearables are in the “collection” of The Steampunk Museum (a virtual museum). NOTE the “see also” at the bottom of my Steampunk Museum “page.”
bodies of work
2022 - present: “Futurescapes” A group of sculptures depicting the future I see for life on our planet if humankind does not get REAL SERIOUS about dramatically cutting carbon emissions. These sculptures are dark in color and in spirit … because that is the future I see. They are painted red (symbolizing heat) and black (symbolizing death). Each sculpture includes at least one piece of coal, representing the cause. Sculptures are made of wood and paint. Some include humans or other animals sculpted in pewter. Some of those include copper and/or brass details.
2010 - present: "Powerful Women" If there is hope for humankind, it is likely to be the result of work by powerful women. I made my first sculptural portrait of a powerful woman in 2010. In 2020 & 2021, I created a new grouping. These were a featured exhibit at Frog Hollow Gallery, Burlington, VT.
2008 - 2022: "Transported" A years long fanciful exploration of ways to get from here to there in the 4 domains of land, sea, sky & space. Pieces included small sculptures and wearables imagining steampowered classic cars, steampowered ariships, rocket ships powered by time and the like. I was an early participant in the Steampunk movement, this body or work reflects that influence.
2000 - 2008: “Markie Moose” I designed, made & marketed a line of tourist friendly costume jewelry.
1990 - 2000: Star Wars & Star Trek As a free lance model maker and sculptor, I made “models” (original sculptings) for a number of companies. Notably, this work included making the miniature sculptings for many Star Wars & Star Trek space ships under license from the motion picture companies (this work included two trips to Skywalker Ranch to meet with Lucas Film licensed product staff). I did this work as an independent contractor for Rawcliffe Pewter Co.
1987 - 1989: "Ignecia"
I experimented with using blackened concrete to fill the "gashes" in some of the Perfection is Illusive sculptures (see below). The dark concrete gave the sculptures a landscape feel and morphed into a group of landscape sculptures, some populated by bizarre creatures. The creatures were divided into innocents and evil doers. Eventually "requiring me" to introduce the heroic "Artist Champion" (in self portrait) to save the innocents. The sculptures, as a group, tell a narrative - a tale of the struggle between good and evil. I had two solo exhibitions of this complete body of work, one in 1988 in Albany, NY and the second in 2016 at SPACE Gallery in Burlington, VT.
1970 - 1989: "Perfection is Elusive"
As a graduate student, I developed the body of work that I am now calling Perfection is Illusive. Pieces begin as pure geometric forms. Then I cut great gashes into the forms and filled those gashes, usually with copper. The result was striking and completely unique at the time. A few year later, similar forms began showing up in gift shops (Spencer Gifts in particular). Likely a violation of my ©.
selected exhibitions
2024 (March 3 - 30) “Members” show, SPACE Gallery, Burlington, VT (Schwabe’s studio is part of the SPACE Gallery complex, and Schwabe regularly participates in exhibitions in SPACE Gallery).
2024 (Feb 24 - 29) Sculpture included in “All That Feels” exhibit at SPACE Gallery, Burlington, VT
2023 (June - November) North Bennington Outdoor Sculpture Show: Two of my “Perfection is Illusive” sculptures were on exhibit as part of this exhibition; one is on the grounds of The Bennington Museum, the other on a field adjacent to the North Bennington post office.
2010 - 2019 Schwabe presented and sold his creations at many retail events (arts festivals and the like).
6-7/2016 Summer Group Show - eight sculptures are part of a group show of mostly paintings in the remarkable The Bundy Modern gallery in Waitsfield, VT.
4/2016 "Ignecia: a dystopian morality tale told in sculpture." An exhibit of 22 sculptures, supported by B&W photographs. The sculptures, as a group, tell a narrative - a tale of the struggle between good and evil in the mythical environment called "Ignecia". SPACE Gallery, Burlington, VT; this show received special press coverage in Seven Days.
6-9/2012 Steampunkinetics - exhibit of kinetic steampunk art; included 4 Schwabe pieces, AFA gallery NY, NY.
6-9/2012 "Rayguns, Robots & Steampunk" a major exhibit of SteamPunk objects/art. All of the jewelry in this exhibit was Schwabe's. The Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, VT.
2006, 2010, 2011 Art in the Round Barn (juried exhibition) Green Mountain Cultural Center, Waitsfield, VT.
1987 “Contemporary Sculpture at Chesterwood” curated outdoor contemporary sculpture, Stockbridge, MA
1987 “Emergence” the grand opening show at The Center Galleries, Albany, NY new location.
1986 “Sculpture at Corporate Woods” Corporate Woods, Albany, NY. Three pieces from this show were purchased by Corporate Woods for permanent display.
1986 “Tricentennial Salute to Sculpture” an outdoor exhibition of sculpture by "artists whose … work has made an impact in the Capital District & beyond.” In celebration of Albany, NY’s tricentennial. City Hall Park.
1985 “Steel … The Show” an invitational exhibition of work by 10 nationally recognized and 10 regionally recognized artists all working in steel. The Rice Gallery, Albany Institute of History and Art, Albany, NY
1983 “Interim I” curated outdoor contemporary sculpture show, Chesterwood, Stockbridge, MA
1983 “The Artist as …." a solo show of self portrait sculptures at Arlenes’ Mezzanine Gallery, Albany, NY
1983 “The Artist as Image”self portrait group show at Green County Council on the Arts Gallery, Catskill, NY
1981 “Mark Eliot Schwabe: Sculpture” a solo show at Robinson Square Galleries, Albany, NY
1980 Center Galleries, Albany, NY two person show with Channing Lefebvre
1977 two person show, Noyes, van Cline & Davenport, 1018 Madison Ave, NY, NY
1976 solo show, Schenectady Museum, Schenectady, NY
1975-1976 as a CAPS grant finalist I was invited to several, months long, sculpture placements in public settings: “CAPS East Side Sculpture Show” (three sculptures, outdoors) 1619 3rd Ave, NY. NY., a sculpture placed outside the entrance to Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, NY. NY., a sculpture placed in the ground floor lobby of the Seagrams’s Building, NY. NY.
metalworking related employment experience
1989 - 1990: Shop Supervisor Ed Levin Jewelry Inc, Cambridge, NY: supervised and trained the jewelry making staff of a (then) 40 year old manufacturing firm with national distribution.
1985 - 1989: Designer/Goldsmith Drue Sanders Custom Jewelers, Albany, NY. I designed & created hand made jewelry in precious metals. Work included custom designing and model making for clients and the design and creation of fashion jewelry for the store line. In 1988 I developed “The Albany Collection” concept, a line of jewelry based on the architecture of Albany. This line of limited edition pieces was given regional media coverage and substantially increased store revenues.
2000 - 2008: designed, made & marketed a line of tourist friendly costume jewelry (Markie Moose)
1990 - 2000: Freelance Model Maker and Sculptor: I made “models” (original sculptings) for a number of companies. Notably, this work included making the miniature sculptings for many Star Wars & Star Trek space ships for Rawcliffe Pewter Inc., under license from the motion picture companies (this work included two trips to Skywalker Ranch to meet with Lucas Film licensed product staff). Also notable, as a freelance model maker for BA Ballou Inc, I made many items that became gift shop product for Historic Williamsburg, and The Smithsonian Air & Space museum.
publications
The Steampunk Museum - an on-line museum “Exhibiting the Inspirational People, Events & Artifacts of the Steampunk Community.” Schwabe IS an exhibit, and 4 Schwabe pieces are also exhibits: https://www.thesteampunkmuseum.com/2349_Mark_Eliot_Schwabe_Exhibit.html
On Body and Soul: Contemporary Armor to Amulets by Suzanne Ramljak, 2014 includes a photo of Schwabes’ EM 3000 Long Gun pin.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Crafts and How to Master Them by Grace Berne Rose, 1978 includes a photo of Schwabes’ sculpture “1973-2.”
* my mother was a powerful woman