ArtBuzz

Ocarina: ScrapYard Abstract No. 01

Ocarina: Scrapyard Abstract No. 1, 2005. Recycled steel. 20" H x 21.5" W x 9.25" D
Purchase Ocarina for $425 ($345 plus $80 S+H).
Ocarina was the first of a series of abstracts created from chunks of steel that have been processed in a huge crusher/shear unit the size of a building. I feel it resembles a fish on the one side and a bird on the other, while the overall form reminds me of terra cotta ocarinas I've seen from Mexico and South America. The patina is natural and will change over time if the sculpture is placed outdoors. This piece displays best on a table or pedestal.
click thumbnail to view larger image.

Scrappy Rooster: Scrapyard Abstract No. 2

Scrappy Rooster: Scrapyard Abstract No. 2, 2005. Recycled steel. 33" H x 21" W x 12" D
Purchase Scrappy Rooster for $750 ($550 plus $200 S+H).
Scrappy Rooster has a great dynamic quality when you see it in person… every now and then I put together a sculpture that has enough presence and tension that I mistake it for a live creature when it catches the corner of my eye. The patina is natural and will change over time if the sculpture is placed outdoors. This piece displays best on a table or pedestal.
click thumbnail to view larger image.

Organ: ScrapYard Abstract No. 3

Organ: Scrapyard Abstract No. 3, 2005. Recycled steel. 76" H x 37" W x 31" D Available
Purchase Organ for $1950 ($1550 plus $400 S+H).
I like the totemic feel of this piece. The title, Organ, is a bit of a play on words… on the one hand, the sculpture does remind me a bit of internal organs; turning tubes hanging in space as if the rest of the body had just disappeared. On the other hand, I can imagine a good breeze sounding the pipes that make up this piece as it crosses the openings. And the way that the ends of the pipe are crushed sort of resembles the bottom end of an organ pipe (I should know, I've got most of a church organ that I plan to turn into a musical fence some day). The base shown in the detail photos was replaced this summer with the heavier, triangular base shown above to increase stability. The patina is natural and will change over time if the sculpture is placed outdoors.
click thumbnail to view larger image.

Bouche: ScrapYard Abstract No. 4

Bouche: Scrapyard Abstract No. 4, 2005. Recycled steel. 25" H x 15" W x 11" D
Purchase Bouche for $1200 ($1100 plus $100 S+H).
I love the contrast between this sculpture's sensuous curves and the large surface "scars" of the pre-existing welds… This is the sort of sculpture that you should really touch. Run your hands over these lips. Reach in and grab. Yeah. Bouche displays best on a table or pedestal.
click thumbnail to view larger image.

Odysseus: Scrapyard Abstract No. 6

Odysseus: Scrapyard Abstract No. 6, 2005. Recycled steel. 32" H x 15" W x 11" D
Purchase Odysseus for $1300 ($1200 plus $100 S+H).
This one has a great sensuality to it. I love the curved planes and suggestive contours. Odysseus lashed himself to the mast of his ship to avoid being seduced by the cries of the sirens into grounding on the shoals of a reef. This sculpture suggests all the elements of that myth to me… from some angles it resembles a ship leaning into a strong wind, from others, the bust of a head with large lips and a strong, heroic nose. And then, it's got a strong vaginal quality also, in the folds of the steel. Of course, you may see something totally different than I do. Either way, it's got a wonderfully strong formal presence. Odysseus displays best on a table or pedestal.
click thumbnail to view larger image.

Islero: Scrapyard Abstract No. 7

Islero: Scrapyard Abstract No. 7, 2006. recycled steel. 22" x 24" x 9"
Purchase Islero for $1030 ($950 plus $80 S+H).
When I made this piece, I saw it as an animal running at full tilt, turning sharply mid-run on two legs. I love the way the tail whips around through the air and the head stretches outward, still thrust in the original direction. Others have looked and seen the head of a bull, so I named it Islero, after the bull that ended the life  of Manolete, the world's most famous bullfighter. I'd thought that since bullfighting is such an obsessive sport, there might be names for such sudden turns as this creature is engaged in, but the choreographic lexicon of bullfighting seems to concern itself only with the moves of the matador and not the bull. On the other hand, the historical Islero must have made just such a sudden sharp and unexpected turn, so the name seems appropriate and references both images well.

Houses and Weather: Scrapyard Abstract No. 8

Houses and Weather: Scrapyard Abstract No. 8, 2006. recycled steel. 14" x 10" x 3"
Purchase Houses and Weather for $550 ($500 plus $50 S+H).
Although the steel in this sculpture was crushed, compacted and sheared intentionally, by a machine at the junk yard, it reminds me of what you see when heavy weather tears through a trailer park. The jagged piece in the center resembles lightning or a twister, hence the name Houses and Weather. I lost a building to the snow a couple years ago— I was on the roof shoveling madly when it just dropped out from under me, so I know a bit about what weather can do. If I could, I'd get a restraining order to keep the weather off my couple acres here. Much as the beautiful colors of fall have always made it my favorite season, there's a part of me that starts to panic now every year when the weather starts to chill… I do take it personally, and I look at the sky as an implacable threat. Sigh. I'll get over it, eventually. But in the meantime, that's what I see in this sculpture.

Between the Flames: Small Tabletop Sculptures

Between the Flames: Small Tabletop Sculptures 2006. Recycled steel. dimensions variable
The sculptures below are made  from  shapes left over when I cut the flames for the Great Bowl O Fire. They're the spaces between the flames. Although they look simple, it's a bit deceptive. Almost all the shapes look cool by themselves, and they look really interesting when they're just piled up on the ground… but the minute you start trying to get them to work together in small numbers it becomes difficult. I've thrown out more than a few sculptures that started with promise but just didn't gel. It requires a delicate balance of formal elegance and chance to get these to work. Essentially, the goal is to preserve the raw fact of the bits while harmonizing them on another level. I guess the best way to explain it might be to say that it's much easier to do a successful abstract by creating all the parts from scratch… when you're working with existing shapes, you're given much less control over how they fit together. This makes working with these pieces both more frustrating and more interesting. And although they take too long to be a productive use of my time, I imagine I'll keep working on more as an exercise for my eye and mind. Plus, I really like to use my own scrap as much as the material I buy at the scrap yard… I could trade it in by the pound for other steel, but it's nice to be able to actually make something from it instead.
Between the Flames No. 1, 2006. Recycled steel. 13" x 11" x 5.5"	Between the Flames No. 1, 2006. Recycled steel. 13" x 11" x 5.5"	Between the Flames No. 2, 2006. Recycled steel. 9.5" x 9" x 4"	Between the Flames No. 2, 2006. Recycled steel. 9.5" x 9" x 4"
Buy Between the Flames No. 1 for $175 ($150 plus $25 S+H).		Buy Between the Flames No. 2 for $175 ($150 plus $25 S+H).
click thumbnail to view larger image.

Curious Child, Steel and Granite Figurative Sculpture

Curious Child, 2002 Granite, Steel. 36" H x 34" W x 8" D
Purchase Curious Child for $600 ($500 plus $100 Fed Ex Freight).
This was the first of my sculptures  in stone and steel. I like to pose him in the yard as though he is feeding the Big Horse Pulltoy sculpture. They make a nice pair.

Little Miss Exuberance, Steel and Stone Sculpture

Little Miss Exuberance, 2003 Steel, Granite, Copper. 74" H x 27" W x 12" D
Purchase Little Miss Exuberance for $1,600 ($1,200 plus $400 Fed Ex Freight).
Of all the sculptures I've done in stone and steel, this is my favorite. I love that thrust hip and the overall saucy pose of this piece! In fact, I totally can't imagine how anyone could fail to fall in love with this sculpture! The torso is a piece of scrap granite left over from a custom counter top, the head is copper and the rest is recycled steel.

Inquisitive Creature (Little Colossus) Modern Steel Sculpture

Inquisitive Creature (Little Colossus), 2005 Steel. 44" H x 50" W x 33.5" D
Purchase Inquisitive Creature for $1,600 ($1,200 plus $400 Fed Ex Freight).
Inquisitive Creature started out as a base  for Galaxy No. 3 but soon made it clear that it wanted to be it's own sculpture. There are some photos on the studio blog from before it was painted that show some of the cool tricks it can do with light and shadow. This is one of the pieces that has really taught me a lot about utilizing the space around a sculpture to extend the experience. Think of it kind of like audience participation… you have a show going on, invite the viewer to add their voice and come up with something deeper and richer as a result. The same kind of thing can be done by designing artwork that uses light, shadow, sound or other elements of the environment to reveal different things at different times. I also love the way it strikes the attitude of a spunky bulldog throwing it's chest out. My cat Mojo takes exactly that pose when she's deeply annoyed with me… while it was at the studio, I often jumped when I caught it in the corner of my eye because I thought it was a living creature that had snuck up on me! You might also like these adorable photos of children playing with the sculpture at the 2005 Alden Art Fair.
Inquisitive Creature Steel 44" H x 50" W x 33.5" D	Inquisitive Creature Steel 44" H x 50" W x 33.5" D	Inquisitive Creature Steel 44" H x 50" W x 33.5" D
click thumbnail to view larger image.

Bluegill Glass Mosaic No. 2, 2006

Bluegill Mosaic No. 2, 2006 Sicis Iridium glass tile, glass taxidermy eye, copper. 11" H x 17.5" W x 1.5" D
Purchase Bluegill Mosaic No. 2 for $550 ($500 plus $50 S+H).
My daughter Mya did so well last summer  helping me with mosaic that this year I had her create a whole line of fish. She got to do the fun parts—laying the tile and working out the gradients and shading— I did the mortar, grout, copper banding and provided some small amount of editorial assistance. The work sells at the normal studio rate because it's totally worth it. Her skills are far beyond what you'd expect from a teenager, or even most professional artists. Most of the tile used on this mosaic is from the Iridium line of glass from Sicis. As the light or viewing angle changes, the iridescent surface of the tile closely resembles the  scales of a live fish. The   photo above shows the iridescent sheen. The second pic shows the copper banding that finishes and protects the mosaic. Mosaic is set with mortar on a Hardibacker substrate over plywood and finished around the edges with copper banding. Indoors or out, this mosaic will last lifetimes.

Rainbow Trout Mosaic, 2006

Rainbow Trout Mosaic, 2006 Sicis Iridium glass tile, glass taxidermy eye, copper, Hardibacker substrate. 9" H x 21.25" W x 1.5" D Collaboration: John T. Unger + Mya Smith
Purchase Rainbow Trout Mosaic for $550 ($500 plus $50 S+H).
My daughter Mya did so well last summer  helping me with mosaic that this year I had her create a whole line of fish. She got to do the fun parts—laying the tile and working out the gradients and shading— I did the mortar, grout, copper banding and provided some small amount of editorial assistance. The work sells at the normal studio rate because it's totally worth it. Her skills are far beyond what you'd expect from a teenager, or even most professional artists. Most of the tile used on this mosaic is from the Iridium line of glass from Sicis. As the light or viewing angle changes, the iridescent surface of the tile closely resembles the  scales of a live fish. The   photo above shows the iridescent sheen. The second pic shows the copper banding that finishes and protects the mosaic. The mosaic is set with mortar on a Hardibacker substrate over plywood and finished around the edges with copper banding. Indoors or out, this mosaic will last lifetimes.

Brook Trout Glass Mosaic No. 2, 2006

Brook Trout Mosaic No. 2, 2006 Sicis Iridium glass tile, glass taxidermy eye, copper, Hardibacker substrate. 11" H x 19" W x 1.5" D Collaboration: John T. Unger + Mya Smith
Purchase Brook Trout Mosaic No. 2 for $550 ($500 plus $50 S+H).
My daughter Mya did so well last summer  helping me with mosaic that this year I had her create a whole line of fish. She got to do the fun parts—laying the tile and working out the gradients and shading— I did the mortar, grout, copper banding and provided some small amount of editorial assistance. The work sells at the normal studio rate because it's totally worth it. Her skills are far beyond what you'd expect from a teenager, or even most professional artists. Most of the tile used on this mosaic is from the Iridium line of glass from Sicis. As the light or viewing angle changes, the iridescent surface of the tile closely resembles the  scales of a live fish. The   photo above shows the iridescent sheen. The second pic shows the copper banding that finishes and protects the mosaic. The mosaic is set with mortar on a Hardibacker substrate over plywood and finished around the edges with copper banding. Indoors or out, this mosaic will last lifetimes.

Lunula Tropical Fish Mosaic

Lunula Tropical Fish Mosaic, 2006 Vitreous glass tile, steel frame. 17.25" H x 17.25" W x .75" D Collaboration: John T. Unger + Mya Smith
Purchase Lunula Tropical Fish Mosaic for $560 ($500 plus $60 S+H).
Mya and I collaborated on a few mosaic panels this summer that can either be hung on the wall or converted to table tops. She was really into fish by this point in time, so that's what we did. Mosaic is set with mortar on a Hardibacker substrate  in a steel frame. Indoors or out, this mosaic will last lifetimes.

Lineolatus Tropical Fish Mosaic

Lineolatus Tropical Fish Mosaic, 2006 Vitreous glass tile, steel frame. 17.25" H x 17.25" W x .75" D Collaboration: John T. Unger + Mya Smith
Purchase Lineolatus Tropical Fish Mosaic for $560 ($500 plus $60 S+H).
Mya and I collaborated on a few mosaic panels this summer that can either be hung on the wall or converted to table tops. This one is particularly striking. A great accent for kitchen or bath, patio or yard. Mosaic is set with mortar on a Hardibacker substrate in a steel frame. Indoors or out, this mosaic will last lifetimes.

Crazy Whale Glass Mosaic Panel

Crazy Whale Glass Mosaic, 2006 Vitreous glass tile, steel frame. 25" H x 20" W x .75" D Collaboration: John T. Unger + Mya Smith
Purchase Crazy Whale Glass Mosaic for $880 ($800 plus $80 S+H).
Mya and I collaborated on a few mosaic panels this summer that can either be hung on the wall or converted to table tops. She was really into fish by this point in time, so that's what we did. This one reminds Maggie of "rollicking 60's beach towels." Could be just the thing to turn your back yard into a beach party. Yay! Mosaic is set with mortar on a Hardibacker substrate  in a steel frame. Indoors or out, this mosaic will last lifetimes.

New Iridescent Glass Fish Mosaics

My daughter Mya and I collaborated this summer on the five fish below… she got to do the fun part, actually cutting and laying out the tile. I built the forms, framed them in copper, set the tile and grouted the mosaics. I'm amazed at how good she's gotten in the last two summers! These are easily the equal in quality of any professional mosaic artist I'm aware of.

Fish are a great subject for mosaic. The tiny tesserae (cut glass bits) give the impression of scales and the iridescent glass creates a highly realistic shimmer on the surface of these fish. When light moves across them, they look almost real.

All five are one of a kind and can be purchased through the new storefront I'm setting up on esnips. I'll still post work for sale directly on the ArtBuzz blog from time to time, but esnips makes creating the PayPal buttons a lot easier and quicker. To see larger photos or to buy one of these fish, just click the little widget buttons below and visit the esnips page.

 

       

   

 

Since each mosaic is one of a kind, I've placed PayPal buttons only on the images of the full fish, and left them off the detail images (which you can check out on my mosaic catalog page at esnips). That way, there's no risk of accidentally selling the fish twice.

If you are interested in a work which has already sold, it is possible to commission a similar work. A commissioned work will differ from the original to some degree but in the case of mosaic I can usually create a reasonably close match. The two brook trout mosaics in this gallery will give you a good idea of  what to expect in this case— they're not the same piece, but they're similar enough that it's a bit hard to tell them apart (hint: one has more brown where thetail meets the body). I can als