catfish swims into east falls

After creating two bike racks for the NKCDC, I fell in love with the concept of creating this kind of function art. I started to seek out other areas that might want an artrack. At this time, The East Falls Development Corporation (EFDC), in Philadelphia, PA sent out a call to artists to create several eco-art fish to install through out the area. This made me immediately think BIKERACK! I called straight away to see if a bike rack would fit into the criteria of the project.  They loved the idea so I started plugging away to get a proposal together for them.

Catfish bikerack proposal:  to create a linear sculpture that incorporates a variety of scrap metal pieces, including farm equipment, pipe and rebar.

Like all of my work, Catfish is about creating a fluid movement with lines that directs your eye around the sculpture.  My goal is to not only to be a source of function but my hope is that I might show people, children especially to recycle. I also secretly dream that catfish will entice the people of East Falls to ride their bikes to work or to the park so that they can use something that I made just for them.  I envision kids chaining their bikes and climbing on him. (please don’t fall, ok? i only want happy smiling people around catfish.) I love the idea of beauty found in the mundane concept of a bike rack.

“girl before a mirror”…picasso

The Picasso sculpture is my most challenging and rewarding piece to date.

Loic Barnieu, The owner of the Picasso restaurant in Media, Pennsylvania, commissioned me to make the piece as a sculptural room divider separating the bar from the more formal dining area. Since the piece was going into the “Picasso” restaurant, I decided it would only be fitting to pay homage to the man.

After some research, I was reacquainted with one of my favorite paintings, Girl before a Mirror, 1932. Picasso’s sense of continuously moving line in this painting is everything I hope to have emulated in my very loose interpretation.

frankford adds my artrack to their avenue!

The “Growing” bike rack was the first rack I created for NKCDC (New Kensington Community Development Corporation) as part of their ongoing effort to create links between local artists and revitalization efforts. The “Frankford Avenue Artsrack Project” is an economic development initiative to promote biking, local artists and local businesses. Part beautification, part economic development, these functional pieces of public art add to the Frankford Avenue Arts Corridor experience.

“Growing” incorporates 2 recycled wheels and scrap metal pieces. A variety of pipe, construction rod (rebar) and other bar stock steel are incorporated as the structure of the wheel sculpture.