John T Unger Artist's Portfolio

Green River Station Glass Mosaic Panel

Green River Station, 2004 vitreous glass tile, steel frame. 36" H x 36" W x 1.5" D Commission

My neighbor across the street lives in what was once the old train station, sometime around the turn of the century. He commissioned this piece for the exterior of his home. This was actually the most difficult mosaic I've done to date. I worked from an old B+W photo that I converted to color in my head as I worked. Getting the shading right on the train engine with only black, white and two shades of grey was really tough… the engine of course, is painted solid black and the only way to show detail was by getting the highlights right. The other tricky part was really capturing the features of the men's faces at such a small size. The faces are about the size of my thumbnail. I feel I was able to really give them personality and a pretty good likeness to the guys in the photo even though most of the faces are done with under a dozen pieces of glass. That was a major challenge! The smaller a mosaic is, the more difficult it is to get detail. If this had been twice as large, I would probably have been able to do the entire mosaic in less time than it took to do it at this size!

 

Tags: art, folkart, mosaic, train station, history, trains, michigan

Galaxy No. 3, Kinetic Wind Vane Sculpture

Galaxy No. 3, 2005 recycled steel. 139" H x 133" W x 14" at the base NOTE: effective width/length is a radius of 133" Buy Galaxy No. 3 at ArtBuzz.
Galaxy No. 3 is the first kinetic piece I've done using sleeve bearings instead of pillow blocks. The bearings are inside the tubing that attaches the sculpture to the base, which keeps them out of the weather. The piece spins readily to point into the direction of the wind. It's a slow and graceful motion… I'd kind of like it if there was enough inertia to keep the piece in rotation, but I guess if the wind changes directions often enough (which it does here) you wind up with the same effect. Galaxy No. 3 is still available. You can buy it here. There are some in-progress photos of the construction of the piece here and here. 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. The Galaxy Series are Modernist inspired, abstract wind vanes made from recycled steel. The designs feature simple lines and shapes balanced to spin easily in a light breeze.  The  sculptures  disassemble into two pieces (horizontal arm and vertical base) for shipping. Each   is one of a kind and will not be reproduced. The Galaxy Series  was inspired in part by David Smith's sculptures Australia and Royal Bird. They are also an exploration of negative space… The Galaxy pieces are structured around lines and curves, but  depend heavily as well on the open shapes enclosed by the lines.
Alternate view	Detail	Detail	Movie
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Tags: abstract, abstract sculpture, art, funky, garden, kinetic art, metal, outdoor, windvane, recycled, recycled, yard

Galaxy No. 2, Kinetic Wind Vane Sculpture

Galaxy No. 2, 2004 recycled steel. 82" H x 82" W x 14" D Collection: Kathleen Glynn and Michael Moore
I kinda miss Galaxy No. 2… It was one of the pieces that really captured a part of my heart. On nasty, blustery days, I'd look out the window of the office and watch it just spinning merrily, happy in the wind that I wanted no part of. It was a good reminder that the weather is what you make of it (metaphorically or straight up). The Galaxy Series are Modernist inspired, abstract wind vanes made from recycled steel. The designs feature simple lines and shapes balanced to spin easily in a light breeze.  The  sculptures  disassemble into two pieces (horizontal arm and vertical base) for shipping. Each   is one of a kind and will not be reproduced. The Galaxy Series  was inspired in part by David Smith's sculptures Australia and Royal Bird. They are also an exploration of negative space… The Galaxy pieces are structured around lines and curves, but  depend heavily as well on the open shapes enclosed by the lines.
Installed at the Moore/Glynn residence		At Gallery	Movies of  windvane in motion
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Tags: abstract, abstract sculpture, art, funky, garden, kinetic art, metal, outdoor, windvane, recycled, recycled, yard

Inquisitive Creature AKA Little Colossus

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
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Tags: abstract, abstract sculpture, art, garden, sculpture

GrassChopper: A Kinetic Sculpture for People Who Don't Like to Mow

Grasschopper Wind Vane, 2004. Steel, cast iron, copper 60" H x 40" W x 20" D Private Collection
One of the things I really enjoy about making abstract work is hearing different people's interpretations of the work… someone thought this piece looked like a grasshopper, hence the title. I like the idea of moving this piece around the yard to actually mow the tops of very tall grass.
Detail view	Movie
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Tags: abstract, abstract sculpture, art, funky, garden, kinetic art, metal, outdoor, windvane, recycled, recycled, yard

The Dancers— Steel + Copper Line Drawing Sculptures

Dancing the Crane, 2004 Steel. 61"  x 33" x 8" Custom Order Item
The Dancer Sculptures come in two styles: the steel and copper version  shown here and a  powder coat enamel version. In creating these sculptures, I try to capture the essential gesture so precisely that the mind completes the movement—making a still image appear to be in motion. My goal is to create engaging characters which anyone can relate to and enjoy. These graceful figures suggest both the motion of their dance and the music that moves them. The obvious joy of the 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. The simplicity of these figures allows them to fit nearly any story or culture. Equally flexible, the materials are suitable for creating functional work such as fences, railings and furniture or more decorative projects such as relief murals. Check out the wonderful garden fence I made for Howard Hast & JoAnne Olsen— telling the story of their life together through a series of figures. If you are interested in commissioning a unique piece to express your own story or ideas, please contact me.
Oh Beautiful Life! Steel. 69.5"  x 30" x 8" Custom Order	Dancing the Crane Steel. 61"  x 33" x 8" Custom Order	The Flirt Steel. 52.5"  x 18.5" x 8" Custom Order	Whoa Nelly! Steel. 50.5"  x 29" x 8" Custom Order
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The Flying Game Steel, copper. 40"  x 22" x 21" Private Collection
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Tags: art, dancer, fun, funky, garden, home, iron work, metal, outdoor, pop culture, dance, sculpture, yard

The Dancers— Dynamic Line Drawings in Steel

Woo Hoo! Dancer Sculpture, 2006. Steel. 56.5"  x 27" x 8" Custom Order Item
The Dancer Sculptures come in two styles: the powder coat enamel version shown here and a  steel and copper version. In creating these sculptures, I try to capture the essential gesture so precisely that the mind completes the movement—making a still image appear to be in motion. My goal is to create engaging characters which anyone can relate to and enjoy. These graceful figures suggest both the motion of their dance and the music that moves them. The obvious joy of the 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. The simplicity of these figures allows them to fit nearly any story or culture. Equally flexible, the materials are suitable for creating functional work such as fences, railings and furniture or more decorative projects such as relief murals. Check out the wonderful garden fence I made for Howard Hast & JoAnne Olsen— telling the story of their life together through a series of figures. I've also used similar figures in a Tumbling Acrobat Fence and in Custom Furniture. If you are interested in commissioning a unique piece to express your own story or ideas, please contact me.
Oh Beautiful Life! Steel. 69.5"  x 30" x 8" Custom Order Item	Dancing the Crane Steel 61"  x 33" x 8" Custom Order Item	The Flirt Steel 52.5"  x 18.5" x 8" Custom Order Item	Whoa Nelly! Steel. 50.5"  x 29" x 8" Custom Order Item
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Tags: art, dancer, fun, funky, garden, home, iron work, metal, outdoor, pop culture, dance, sculpture, yard

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).
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Tags: abstract, abstract sculpture, art, metal, recycled, sculpture, steel

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.

 

Tags: abstract, abstract sculpture, art, metal, recycled, sculpture, steel

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.

 

Tags: abstract, abstract sculpture, art, metal, recycled, sculpture, steel

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.
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Tags: abstract, abstract sculpture, art, metal, recycled, sculpture, steel

Arbor Vitae : Scrapyard Abstract No. 5

Arbor Vitae: Scrapyard Abstract No. 5, 2005. Recycled steel. 39.5" H x 27.5" W x 13" D Collection of the Artist
Arbor Vitae reminds me of music in some ways, referencing both notes on a page and sort of twining piano keys. It also makes me think of a storm, or vortex, or swirling smoke. But the breakthrough idea came when I saw it as a sheltering tree, and that sort of pointed me in another direction. Some of the things I like best in sculpture are interactivity, movement, change, collaboration: It occurred to me that it would be really interesting to incorporate an element that could change over time and could be added by the owner or viewer of the sculpture. So I added a piece to the base which makes it kind of a vase for dried plants. If someone wanted to be able to use live plants or cut flowers which need water, the inside of the vase could be sealed. What I love best is the way plants or flowers interact and weave through the body of the sculpture, changing and filling out the form. I especially like the contrast between the hard industrial substance of the steel and the softer, more organic matter of the plant. Arbor Vitae displays best on a table or pedestal.
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Tags: abstract, abstract sculpture, art, metal, recycled, sculpture, steel

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.
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Tags: abstract, abstract sculpture, art, metal, recycled, sculpture, steel

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.
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Tags: abstract, abstract sculpture, art, metal, recycled, sculpture, steel, yard

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.
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Tags: abstract, abstract sculpture, art, rooster, recycled, sculpture, steel

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.
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Tags: art, abstract, fish, bird, ocarina, fine art, metal, recycled, steel