For Matt Schiermeier, art has always been something that fascinated him. From his humble beginnings in the small town of New Melle, MO, he was encouraged to create, so he always did. This eventually led him to a career as a hairstylist where he could use his skills to transform lackluster hair-dos into masterpieces, but after 15 years something changed; he was looking for a new creative direction. As he explains, “I found out that a fellow hairstylist’s father was a stone carver, and this really piqued my interest. She encouraged me to reach out to him, and I did. They invited me to check out Abraham Mohler’s studio. It was at this point that I knew I had found a new passion and began to apprentice with him.”
Four years later, Schiermeier is well on his way to becoming a master sculptor in his own right. He’s carved sculptures that range from solid stone carvings of abstract yet recognizably anatomical designs to mixed-media pieces that combine stone with laminated wood to produce a wholly different type of effect; a new evolution that’s fairly recent, but one he’s dying to explore more.
The experience that brought forward this change in style actually came from a failed sculpture ironically titled Rebirth. He explains, “One of my limestone pieces had an unfortunate break down the center of the piece. Instead of giving up on it, I chose to create something new. Considering my love of nature, I decided to combine different elements to bring Rebirth back to life.”
As for what’s next, Schiermeier plans on continuing to explore new ideas and share his vision with the St. Louis art scene. He states, “I can’t wait to bring my new ideas to life. There is a rhino and an elephant in the near future. Both are very eye-catching, colorful multi-medium concepts. These pieces will really give everyone a great sense of where I’m headed as an artist/sculptor and what has me so inspired,” he continues, “I am excited to make new connections and meet other fellow artists. I enjoy getting to know other artists and truly appreciate others' creativity and talent.”
When he’s not honing his craft, you can usually find him at the gym honing his body or at home with his husband and two dogs.
To follow Schiermeier’s budding career, find him on Facebook, Instagram and Etsy at Matt Schiermeier Art or swing by the studio—run by his mentor, Abraham Mohler—located in Soulard at 1220 Allen St.
