Baker’s Bourbon Taps Renowned Sculptor For Metal Sculpture Series Celebrating Bourbon’s Intricacies ‘Like Never Before’
Barbie the Welder poses with her sculpture, “The Distinguished Single.” (Photo: Baker’s Bourbon)
On Wednesday, Baker’s Bourbon announced the release of the “Made Different” art collection. “Made Different” is a five-piece collection of metal sculptures by Barbie The Welder to celebrate the brand’s legacy and commitment to bourbon making.
The collection comprises five sculptures titled “Rebel With a Cause,” “Time’s Sweet Promise,” “The Distinguished Single,” “Kentucky Love” and “The Craftsman’s Legacy.”
Barbie Parsons, known as Barbie The Welder, is a self-taught designer and American sculptor who works with repurposed metal. According to Baker’s, she wanted to focus on storytelling for the collection. She drew inspiration from Jim Beam’s “motorcycle-riding, maverick grandnephew, Baker Beam,” for whom the Baker’s brand is named, according to a news release.
“I’m incredibly honored to have had the opportunity to work with Baker’s Bourbon to create this unique art collection which resonated with me and inspired me personally,” Parsons said in a statement. “With this collection, I wanted to make sure that I demonstrated my commitment to creating high-quality, detailed pieces just like the craftsmen and craftswomen at the James B. Beam Distilling Co. do with Baker’s Bourbon. It’s truly amazing how both bourbon and art can bring people together.”
An Inside Look at the Baker’s Bourbon Art Collection
‘Rebel With A Cause’
This sculpture of a leather jacket was inspired by Baker Beam’s rebellious spirit. Barbie the Welder claimed she heard that “Baker Beam rode his motorcycle to work every day,” which gave her the inspiration for the sculpture. A fellow rider herself, she turned to the iconic image of a leather jacket to capture this piece.
‘Time’s Sweet Promise’
This sculpture of a tree celebrates what makes bourbon great — oak. The brand claims “Time’s Sweet Promise,” honors the time those at Baker’s “wait patiently for the perfect moment to transition [their] bourbon from barrel to bottle.”
‘The Distinguished Single’
“The Distinguished Single,” sculpted by Barbie The Welder from the Baker’s Bourbon “Made Different” Art Collection. (Photos: Baker’s Bourbon)
The Distinguished Single celebrates what makes each barrel distinctive at Baker’s Bourbon. Barbie The Welder referred to Fred and Freddie Noe as “artists,” when she heard them discussing their work. “Like myself,” she added on her website, “they work tirelessly to create and reveal the small details that make a masterpiece, a masterpiece.”
‘Kentucky Love’
This sculpture is what the brand describes as a “love letter” to the beginnings of Baker’s Bourbon. The sculpture is meant to depict Baker’s home and the legendary limestone water that is critical to the bourbon brand. “I heard the pride and love for their home in their voices,” claimed Barbie the Welder in reference to the sculpture, “and I wanted to honor that love for their home state.”
‘The Craftsman’s Legacy’
This last piece is a metal celebration of the distillation process and all who participate in it. The Craftsman’s Legacy celebrates the generations of Beam master distillers and those who have spent years of their lives working on perfecting the craft of bourbon distillation.
Seventh-generation master distiller Fred Noe expressed his enthusiasm for the art collection:
“We’re thrilled for the opportunity to breathe life into the narrative of Baker’s Bourbon and the remarkable journey of Baker Beam through art as exquisite and refined as our bourbon itself,” Noe said, according to the brand. “I could tell right away that Barbie was the perfect partner to bring this treasured brand to life. Her meticulously handcrafted sculptures stand as one-of-a-kind masterpieces and will offer a fresh perspective that truly celebrates the intricacies of our bourbon like never before.”
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