ArtBuzz

Steel & Granite Pull-Toy Sculpture

 

Ever since I made Big Horse Pull-Toy, I've been meaning to create more "sculpture on wheels." It's a very simple way to play with movement in a piece, but I like the idea of a sculpture that's easy to move around to different locations. There's an appeal, to my mind, in the idea of making sculpture less monumental and more intimate by allowing it the feedom to roam about. I also like the idea of being able to redesign a landscape or garden in the same way that one might move the furniture around in the living room. One might change the accents around as the seasons change, or maybe just mix things up now and then to keep them fresh.

Movement brings a sense of life to the work, whether it's a wind powered kinetic piece that moves on its own, or the simulated movement that I strive for in my line drawing sculptures, which attempt to capture the essence of a gesture in such a way that the mind can see motion where in fact there isn't any.

 

Big Horse Pull-toy Sculpture, 2003
medium	Steel, granite
size	38" x 51.75" x 16.5"
price	SOLD If you are interested in commissioning a similar sculpture, please contact me
	$1,300 plus S+H

Corona Coho Salmon Bottle Cap Mosaic

 

This little fish makes you want to sing the 70's dance hit Copa Cabana… Well, it makes me sing, anyway "Corona, Corona Salmon, Corona Coho Salmon." Yeah, the scansion's a little off, but the brand does tend to make me think of resorts and beachs, so maybe it's not such a stretch.

Now that I've put that song in your head, I suppose a you might be thinking that for the price of this bottle cap fish, you could maybe pick up a discount ticket to a Mexican beach in the winter. Too true, you probably can. But wait, before you click away to travelocity, think about this: I spent a week on one of those beachs once and I can't remember much of it at all. If you go with the salmon, you'll have something tangible to hang on to, that will always inspire perfect sunny dreams… no passport hassle, no sunburn, no risk of salmonella.

 

Corona Coho Salmon Bottle Cap Mosaic
medium	beer caps (Corona and Corona Light), tin cans, brass plated nails on particleboard substrate
size	12" x 35.5" x 1.5"
	SOLD . Email me if you are interested in commissioning a fish in this style. Reproductions will vary, but will be as close as possible. Made to order in 2-4 weeks.

A Jazzy Table That Waits On You

 

I think this table speaks pretty well for itself… Although it won't go fetch drinks and bring them to you, it will certainly hold them at your beck and call, leaving your hands free for wild gesticulation, or, well, whatever you need your hands free for. Me, I sometimes wave my hands around a lot during cocktail hour.

I'm partial to the way that this table works as both a sculpture and a functional piece. It also walks a nice line between modernist simplicity and cottage whimsy. You don't see that very often, if you think about it.

 

Jazz Café Table, 2003
medium	Steel, Glass, Copper
size	34" x 20" x 20"
price	$450.00 plus $75 S+H
	Purchase item $525

Acrobats Dance Across Your Yard or Garden In This Fantastic Steel & Mosaic Fence

click thumbnail to view larger image.

 

The Acrobat Fence shown above is featured in JoAnne Locktov's most recent book on mosaics: Mosaic Art and Style: Designs for Living Environments.

The graceful figures cavorting along this fence suggest both the motion of their dance and the music that moves them. The obvious joy of these figures is engaging, but their simplicity is what really captivates us: we can easily see ourselves, someone we know, or the person we might like to be in this dance. My goal with this design was to capture the gesture of the figures such that the mind completes the movement, making a still image appear to be in motion. What also fascinates me about this design was the process of working with the negative space between the figures, to create another level of equally interesting pattern… the overall design strongly resembles musical notation.

The simplicity of these figures allows them to fit nearly any story or culture. Check out the wonderful garden fence I made for Howard Hast & JoAnne Olsen— telling the story of their life together through a series of narrative fence panels. Equally flexible, the materials are suitable for creating functional work such as fences, railings and furniture or more decorative projects such as relief murals. The construction of these panels is designed to withstand the harsh winters of northern Michigan, insuring that these fences will last for generations.

The prices above pertain to the design as shown. If you are interested in commissioning a unique piece to express your own story or ideas, please contact me.

 

Acrobat Fence
medium	Steel and vitreous glass tile
size	48" H x 120" L x 2" W (inquire for pricing on custom sizes)
availability	by commission (see commissions page for details)
options	The figures' heads can be done in vitreous glass tile or hand-textured copper
price	Call or email for pricing.

Galaxy No. 1 Wind Vane Sculpture

 

I love the graceful style of the bearing housing on this sculpture— one of the most challenging aspects of kinetic sculptures is insuring that the mechanical elements work as well aesthetically as they do mechanically. I feel like this one really stands as a great example of design and art in harmony.

The wind vane spins easily in a light breeze, turning round and round, rather than stopping when it points into the wind. As it plays across the wind, it provides a nice rythmic point of interest for any garden or patio setting.

This sculpture is light enough that it can be placed anywhere outdoors with no installation. In extremely high winds, it might not be a bad idea to stake it down with the included rods. The vane lifts straight out of the bearing housing for easy disassembly for shipping.

 

Galaxy No. 1 Wind Vane Sculpture, 2004
medium	Steel
size	74" x 54" x 20"
	SOLD If you are interested in commissioning a similar sculpture, please contact me
price	$800.00 plus S+H

 

Tin Trout Bottle Cap Sculpture

 

"We all know it is a theoretical impossibility to catch fish without beer," says John "JB" Shireman of the New Belgium Brewing Co. in Fort Collins, CO. "At the very least," Shireman continues, "it's poor form. Fishing and beer drinking are two endeavors in any sporting gent's life that evolve over time. While a cooler of cheap domestics and a worm tub once sufficed, no one worthy of the title, Fly Fisherman, would defile a Mackenzie [drift] boat with anything less than a hand-crafted ale in one hand and a nice fly rod in the other."

A Beer Lover's Guide to Fly Fishing, By Terry L. Hackett

It seems safe to guess you're not reading this on a laptop by the side of your favored trout stream. Most people go fishing to get away from the office, the computer, heck, the whole world. And when they get back, well, sometimes, a part of them stays at the river and calls across time and distance asking, "what are you doing in that office? Why isn't the rest of me here, riverside?" It's probably happening to you right now. You were thinking about beer or fishing or fishing and beer and instead of throwing your gear in the car and heading out, you wound up reading this because it was as close as you could get without leaving the office.

Let me suggest the following: If there's some compelling reason you can't just quit the job, pack up, and spend the rest of your days in waders with a rod and a bottle at the ready, perhaps a compromise is in order. Maybe if you were to hang one of these bottle cap fish on the wall behind your desk you'd feel better. When the river calls silently out to you, cast your eyes across the office to this ultimate trophy fish and remember the things that matter.

 

Tin Trout Bottle Cap Fish, 2005
medium	Bottle caps (Sierra Nevada, Stewarts Ginger Beer, Dos Equis & Becks), tin cans, copper rose head nails on particle board substrate
size	12" x 35.5" x 1.5"
	SOLD. Email me if you are interested in commissioning a similar fish in this style. Reproductions will vary, but will be as close as possible. Made to order in 2-4 weeks.

An Ecofriendly And Genuinely Happy Chair

Dot! Triped
medium	Steel with powder coat enamel finish
size	36" x 14" x 17"
price	SOLD May be available as a custom order. Inquire.

 

Fun, simplicity and shocking comfort are the hallmarks of the Dot! Chair. The vibrant colors and whimsical style brighten up any room and are guaranteed to induce unexpected grins.

The backrest fits lightly between your shoulder blades, providing just the right amount of support and flex. It also functions as a convenient handle for lifting the chair.

Dot! chairs are made with over 50% recycled material. Used indoors or out, they will survive even the harshest weather conditions. The powder coat enamel surface is durable, hypoallergenic and easy to clean…perfect for a dining room set or children's room. Powder coat enamel is also among the most environmentally friendly finishes available.

The Dot! Chairs were recently reviewed at MetaEfficient, a "guide to the most efficient things in the world." They've also been lauded by hippyshopper.

 

A Conundrum For Your Flower Bed

 

Every now and then a piece surprises you, and that can be the best feeling in the world. This garden screen is one of those... Most of the time, I set out to acheive an effect or feeling and I know from the very beginning how I plan to go about it. An idea often evolves as I put it together but even then, it's based on ideas about what has worked in the past or a new theory that I'm trying out.

This one mystifies me a bit. The top and bottom elements are so different from one another, and yet they hang together perfectly to bring a harmony and interplay to the overall work. I can't put my finger on a ready explanation for it, I just have to stand back and accept it. My best guess is that it's a bit like an inspired jazz riff… putting together elements that should clash only to find that the rythm and that high phrase just groove together in a way you'd never think they could until you experienced it. Like a peanutbutter and mustard sandwich.

This piece functions equally well as an indoor piece (sculpture, room divider) or outdoors as a trellis or gate for the garden. Base is removable for transportation, or to allow permanent installation as gate.

 

Abstract Art Nouveau Garden Screen, 2004
medium	Steel, copper
size	68.5" x 38.5" x 3"
price	$1150.00 SOLD

 

 

Abstract Modern Ironwork Design Available For Commission

click thumbnail to view larger images of previous work in this style.

 

When I do custom work, I usually provide several drawings for a client to choose from. This drawing was an alternate design for some security grates I did for the windows of a Chicago residence. Although we went with one of the other drawings for that job, I would love to find an opportunity to use this one as well. I think it would make an absolutely stunning gate.

This design is open to many interpretations depending on what you're looking for. It can be be adapted for security grates, a repeating fence design, a wall-hanging sculpture or even a garden trellis. The black represents steel and the accent color represents copper or bronze. Because the design is so open-ended it's impossible to give a fixed price without knowing the size of the project. To discuss a commission, email me with measurements or questions and I will work up a bid based on your unique situation. Also keep in mind that with custom work, anything is possible— so if you feel that this design is inspiring but "not quite it" let me know what would make it just the thing for you!

 

Modern Design On Target
medium	steel, copper
size	scaled to your requirements
availability	by commission (see commissions page for details)
price	email measurements for a price quote

Galaxy No. 3 kinetic wind vane sculpture

click image to see a movie of Galaxy No. 3 in motion.

The Galaxy Series of sculptures is inspired in part by David Smith's sculptures Australia and Royal Bird. But I also enjoyed the comment left by Craig Ross when I first posted images of the piece, which he called "Souped-up and Mondrian reminiscent."

 

click thumbnail to view larger images.

 

I love the way these abstracts are open to various interpretations. In one glance, you might see stars, planets and moons. In another, perhaps a fish. Yet another look suggests a man riding a boat… the way these different interpretations play off of one another is what really drives the poetic essence of each sculpture, at least for me. I end up with visions of a sailor riding a fish across the sky.

Despite the large size of this dramatic sculpture, careful attention to balance and premium bearings housed inside the sculpture allow it to turn easily in even a slight breeze.

Galaxy No. 3 ships via freight carrier. Shipping is included in the purchase price listed below. Installation is quite simple: there are four holes in the base for concrete anchors (bolts). The horizontal element slides onto the base and can be easily lifted into position by two people using ladders.

 

Galaxy No. 3 Wind Vane Sculpture 2005
medium	Recycled steel
size	139" high x 133" long x 14" at the base NOTE: because the vane spins, the effective width/length is a radius of 133".
	$7800 with shipping*
	*Shipping: Price includes shipping for US orders and Canada, excluding Alaska and Hawaii (please call or email for rates to AK and HI). For International Orders please see FAQ here.