About

History

Versteeg Art Fabricators LLC was established by career fabricator, Peter Siebren Versteeg (27 May 1943 - 16 July 2021) in 1989.

VAF has produced large-scale sculptures for acclaimed artists, including Ronald Bladen, Louise Bourgeois, Nancy Graves, Red Grooms, Nancy Holt, Sol LeWitt, Alexander Liberman, Roy Lichtenstein, Clement Meadmore, Beverly Pepper, Charles O. Perry, Tony Rosenthal, Will Ryman, Miriam Schapiro, Tony Smith, Eric Staller, Tom Wesselman, and others.

In 1955, Peter immigrated from the Netherlands with his parents and three siblings to the Northeast United States. Although he had a passion for herpetology, he was encouraged by his pragmatic parents to pursue tool and die making. Peter's long career in sculpture began in Los Angeles working as an apprentice to artist Tom Holland after he eloped in L.A. with his wife for over 50 years, Louise Cenotti Versteeg.

Eventually returning to Connecticut to be closer to family, Peter applied his acquired skills to the field of art fabrication, working as head of layout for Lippincott, Inc., an internationally renowned studio in North Haven. Peter quickly evolved from rookie to overseeing significant projects by Robert Indiana, Claes Oldenburg, Louis Nevelson, and Lucas Samaras. In the late '70s, he returned to industrial manufacturing and became a CNC programmer for United Precision, where his interest in new technologies and computation grew.

In 1989, Peter founded New Haven Art Fabricators, fulfilling his vision of running a company capable of fabricating monumental sculpture while maintaining close and personal relationships with clients. One of VAF's initial collaborations was with Scott Burton, who entrusted “only Peter” to fabricate his essential and elegant work.

As time went on, NHAF evolved to become Versteeg Art Fabricators. Today, Peter's children, Siebren and Emily, carry on the family business. Siebren, an artist himself, is recognized by Vulture as a "chaotic but illuminating" pioneer of algorithmic generative art. His works have been featured in prestigious collections such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Hirshhorn Museum, and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, among others. Emily, a Connecticut barred attorney, specializes in advanced legal research, contracts, and intellectual property. She also holds an MA in Digital Archives and Records Management.

VAF employs the expertise of Marcus Schaefer and Christopher DuBour. Marcus, a seasoned fabricator has over 25 years of experience working alongside Peter. He is a sculptor and has exhibited at Hygienic Art, City-Wide Open Studios, and the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, among others. Like Marcus, Emily’s husband, Christopher, was closely mentored by Peter for over 15 years. He possesses a wide range of skills, including jewelry-making, woodworking, blacksmithing, and building customized motorized bicycles. Christopher is actively involved with various makerspaces and DIY organizations throughout New England.

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