Dawn MacNutt is hoping to locate some of her most meaningful art pieces after she says several woven-copper sculptures were stolen from her studio area on Thursday afternoon.
The 85-year-old sculpture artist from Pictou County, N.S., said the pieces, which were placed outside of her studio, were no longer there when she walked down to the space about 400 metres from her home.
“I had several sitting on the benches on the deck and another one was hung on a large tree,” she said.
She said the sculptures contained high degrees of personal significance, referring to one as “autobiographical” and mentioning how the remaining pieces were inspired by others.
“It was like a gut punch at first,” she said.
“The work is 40 years old,” she continued, “I never thought of it as being vulnerable to theft.”
Despite the sentimental value being her primary concern, MacNutt said the retail price on the figurative pieces were about $4,000 each.
MacNutt’s daughter, Laura, said she believes the items were stolen for the raw copper metal, as the pieces that were created using other materials such as iron and stone were left untouched.
Laura MacNutt said one was a “life-sized” piece that would’ve likely required a vehicle to transport.
“They’ve been completely disrespected as pieces of art and it’s just painful to consider,” she said.
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She said she began tracking down local metal vendors in the area following receiving a call from her mother around 11 p.m. on Thursday evening.
“I just went on Google and tracked down contact information and emails for every vendor of metal and recycling depot and broadcasted emails with images of the pieces and just pleaded with consideration of keeping an eye out,” she said.
MacNutt said the responses from the metal merchants and online community have been “remarkable” so far, with her Facebook post generating hundreds of comments and shares.
She said anybody that’s buying copper could very easily verify these pieces as distinctive.
Laura MacNutt said she’d be very willing to offer a reward to anyone who has information on the whereabouts of her mother’s sculptures.
“I just really want to get these back,” she said.
“She has pieces at the Dartmouth waterfront at the Alderney Landing,” she said, adding that her mother’s work has received international recognition throughout the course of her artistic career.
MacNutt said she has lots of admiration for her mother. She said she isn’t quite sure if she’s ever heard someone say a negative word about her, labelling her as an “impossible act to follow”.
“I mean, I’m not her biggest fan,” she grinned, “but she has a lot of great fans and I’m real privileged to have grown up with her artwork.”
Laura MacNutt said her family doesn’t want any kind of grief from this situation, as they would just be happy to see the art restored.
“It means so much to us,” she said.
“These particular pieces are more sentimental pieces than commercial art pieces.”
Dawn MacNutt said she will continue creating new sculptures in anticipation of an upcoming exhibit in 2024 at Mount Saint Vincent University that will showcase a collection of her work from the 1970s to the present.
She said she’ll also be releasing a book containing photos of her work to run parallel to the display.
“I may have pictures of these pieces, but I won’t have the pieces,” she said.
Despite the circumstances, MacNutt maintains a positive attitude.
“It’s not a tragedy and I’m grateful that I have lots of work, and it’s ok,” she said.
“People in desperation do things without thought and they don’t understand that the value isn’t in the material but in the expression. You can’t expect everyone to appreciate those things.”
— with files from Megan King
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