Keith Lo Bue's work with found objects gave rise in October of 1989 to his first solo exhibition, entitled Oddments. In the ensuing years his work has evolved into minute constructed environments that have been called "diminutive museums, reliquaries of dreams." His art has been recognized and selected for awards by Senior Curators at the Museum Of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum. Solo exhibitions have occured in New York City, Chicago, Pittsburgh and Hervey Bay, Australia.
The intimate scale of Keith's sculpture made an exploration of wearable artwork inevitable. Interest in his work has broadened to bring Keith's jewelry to many fine collections, including the National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. and the Museum of Arts & Design in Manhattan.
His work is featured in many books, notably Susan Grant Lewin's definitive One Of A Kind: American Art Jewelry Today published by Abrams, Found Object Art and On Body and Soul: Contemporary Armor to Amulets on Schiffer Books and The Fine Art of the Tin Can and 1000 Rings on Lark Books. 1999 saw publication of the first in-depth survey of his work, entitled Romancing the Bone: Found-Object Jewelry by Keith E. Lo Bue, in Metalsmith magazine, published by the Society of North American Goldsmiths (SNAG). Three films about Lo Bue’s work have been issued on DVD. One of those films, Within and Without (a work in 6 episodes) follows the creation of a neckpiece as it is produced in his studio. It is in the Smithsonian collection.
For almost two decades Keith has presented his art workshops at Haystack, Arrowmont & Penland schools of craft and scores of other prestigious art and craft schools and organizations across the North America, Australia and New Zealand.
Of the many collectors of Keith's artwork, Julie Shafler-Dale (author of Art To Wear), author Susan Grant Lewin, noted art historian Toni Greenbaum, actors Robin Williams and Robert De Niro, neurologist/author Oliver Sachs, musicians Laurie Anderson and David Bowie and designer Gloria Vanderbilt are included. His 'oddments' may be viewed online at lobue-art.com, and in museums throughout the US and abroad. Lo Bue's blog entitled Stuffsmith chronicles new work in progressive stages of assembly as it emerges from his studio.
Keith lives and works in Sydney, Australia.