By his mid-twenties, Barney Boller was feted as a rising star among wildlife artists – but he walked away just as he was making the big time. It’s a compelling story. Problem is, over two decades later, Barney’s not particularly interested in telling it.

“Don’t make this about me,” he says. “Besides, artistic abilities aren’t something you can take credit for, not if you’re honest about the source of your talents. Just to be allowed to be a part of the process is itself a wonder and a mystery. And when people say your art points back to God, the ultimate artist, that’s an inexpressible joy and blessing. That’s the true heart of an artist, not the other stuff.” And yet, as he admits, it’s the other stuff that gets you here.

Barney Boller, a Bruderhof artist, shapes steel, bronze, clay, and wood.