The Formative Years: 1983 - 1979
Huebner’s formal art training began in North America: Banff Centre for the Arts (Banff), Camosun College (Victoria), Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (Halifax), Empire State College and The Cooper Union (New York). From as early as 1979 while at the Banff Centre, Huebner was already creating mechanized works which became more prominent with the move to the East Coast. The strong bonds and connections formed while in Halifax became lifelong influences, as did working as an assistant to Dennis Oppenheim while in New York, a relationship which continued throughout his career. Many memorable works came out of these early years: the electric heart bed (which blew gallery breakers if left on too long), various concrete forms (that came alive with grinding, sweating and resonating sound), the cast iron loaf (homage to the working man)... to Huebner’s first West Coast solo exhibition at Western Front (Vancouver) involving a series of conceptually-based objects integrating sound, movement and light.