John T Unger Artist's Portfolio

Announcing Emoodicons— the new mood ring that tells the world how you feel!

Emoodicons are one of the most exciting ideas I've had in years and I just launched a new blog where you can get your own. Check out the animated short: Marcie's Grand Adventure which shows how Emoodicons work, enter the Make a Face Contest or the Emoodicon Design Contest for a chance to win one of the rings, or read the story of how Emoodicon.com got started. I've been working with some great people to make this a reality and I'm really excited about how it turned out.

What's an Emoodicon, you ask? Well, you know when you’re online and you can just type a couple keys and tell the whole world how you feel? Happy? Angry? Shy? ROFL? In lurve? Don’t you wish real life was that easy? No big discussion. No beating around the bush. No batting your eyes or getting passive aggressive. Just, “This is ME, are you LISTENING?!

Emoodicon Rings make that happen.

They're like a secret decoder ring for your mood. They’re smilies for the real world. They tell everyone just what’s on your mind. “If you don’t know, I’m not going to tell you,” is a phrase you’ll never utter again. If your boyfriend or girlfriend or best friend or evil arch nemesis has eyes, they’ll know. (If they don’t have eyes, no ring will help you. Sorry.) Emoodicon jewelry comes with your choice of 25 mood icons: pick Kitteh or Bleep the Robot. We'll be adding more designs soon so you can mix and match, swap and share, spice it up. Emoodicons are totally customizable. They’re cool, they’re fun, and they won’t break or turn your finger green. Isn’t that a nice change?

Elvis Is Love Mosaic Mirror

Elvis is Love Mosaic Mirror, 2003 vitreous glass tile, copper, Hardi-backer substrate over plywood. 36" x 36" x 1.5" (approximate) May be Available

This piece and the What Would Elvis Do? mirror were created for a show of all-Elvis art at Fleur Fine Art in Chicago. Other artists contributing work included folk artists C.M. & Grace Kelly Laster and photographer Patty Carrol.

 

Tags: art, folkart, mosaic, outsider art, pop culture, elvis, self taught, presley

What Would Elvis Do? Mosaic Mirror

What Would Elvis Do?, Mosaic Mirror, 2003 vitreous glass tile, copper, Hardi-backer substrate over plywood. 30" H x 15" W x 1.5" D (approximate) May be Available

I really wanted to make this piece into the door of a medicine cabinet…I wasn't allowed to cut big holes in the wall of the gallery, but if you would like it installed as the door to your medicine cabinet, lets talk! This piece and the  Elvis Is Love mirror were created for a show of all-Elvis art at Fleur Fine Art in Chicago. Other artists contributing work included folk artists C.M. & Grace Kelly Laster and photographer Patty Carrol.

 

Tags: art, folkart, mosaic, outsider art, pop culture, elvis, self taught, presley

Peter The Crow Mosaic Table

Peter the Crow Mosaic Table, 2002 Glass and ceramic tile mosaic, steel table. 26.5" x 19" x 17" high Commission
When my dad was young he had a series of pet crows, all named Peter, and Peter was the hero of my bedtime stories. Charles Culver, a well known artist where I grew up, traded a portrait of Peter to my dad for scrap lumber to make picture frames. 50 years later, I traded this mosaic portrait of Peter to my cousin Trina for a set of new tires. The second thumbnail below shows the original Culver portrait the mosaic was based on. If you'd like to read the Peter the Crow stories I grew up with, I've collected them here.
click thumbnails to view larger image.

 

Tags: Art, mosaic, charles culver, table, crow, raven

Erzuli VeVe Mosaic Table

Vévé for Erzuli Mosaic Table, 2003 vitreous glass, glass gems, steel table. 30" Tall x 42" x 42" Commission

Laurie Beasley of Ridge Art commissioned this table, featuring a version of the Vévé for Erzulie, the Haitian goddess (Lwa) of love.

 

Tags: art, folkart, mosaic, outsider art, pop culture, vodou, self taught, voodoo, furniture, garden, patio

El Corazon Mosaic Table

Corazon Mosaic Table, 2002 ceramic tile mosaic, steel table. 30" x 48" x 17" high Commission
This table was commissioned by Angelo at Casa Loca in Chicago. The original design is from the Mexican Loteria deck, a traditional game similar to Bingo.  I had long wanted to do a mosaic based on the Mexican Loteria deck, and this image in particular. I wish I had better pictures of this piece… it's much cooler than you can tell from these images. Teresa Villegas did a very cool updated version of the loteria game which has now been published in in a handsome book. I highly recommend checking out her site devoted to the project, which provides a good deal of background on the game and images. You can also learn more by visiting this website from Boston University on the History of the Mexican Loteria Card Game.
click thumbnails to view larger image.

 

Tags: Art, mosaic, heart, loteria, corazon, heart mosaic

After the Matador, Folk Art Mosaic Table

After the Matador, 1998 ceramic tile, glass, steel on wood. 26" x 46" x 1.5" high Buy this mosaic at ArtBuzz

This is the very first mosaic I ever did. I made it shortly after moving to Chicago, as a kitchen table for my first real studio. Shortly after I finished it, I participated in my first Pilsen East Artists’ Open House, an annual event in the neighborhood. I had a ton of great art filling the studio but the two questions I heard most were, "Wow. What's the rent here?" and "How much is the table?" Heh. By the end of the first day, I was sooooo tired of explaining that the table wasn't for sale, it was what we ate on. But by day two of the three day show, I was thinking "Hmmmm, maybe I should do more of these mosaics thingies." Some years back I removed the legs and made it a wall hanging piece, but it would be very simple to put legs on it again if you wanted a table. I think it works really nicely as a mural. The frame is made from antique yardsticks that happened to be the same orange and yellow as the tile. The bull's eye is a Xerox copier lense behind which is a photo of an eye. Actually, it's a photo of a television showing a big eye, but you can't really see the TV. The bull's horn is made from old roofing steel set into the tile.

 

Tags: art, fun, funky, mosaic, pop culture, Guadalupe, folk art, outsider art, mosaic table

Virgin Of Guadalupe Folk Art Mosaic Table

Virgin of Guadalupe, 1999 ceramic tile, glass, china, mirror, found wooden table. 50" x 32" x 17.5" high
Purchase Virgin of Guadalupe Mosaic Table for $950 ($800 plus $150 S+H).
The design for this table was inspired by murals in the Pilsen Neighborhood of Chicago. This was my second mosaic and the last one to use broken china. Although the china looked good in this context, I learned that it did not make a particularly flat table surface…

 

Tags: art, fun, funky, mosaic, pop culture, saint, retro, Guadalupe, religious art, Mexican art, mosaic table

La Femme Astrale Mosaic Table

La Femme Astrale, 1999 ceramic tile, plywood substrate. 24" x 48" x 17" high May be Available

The design for this table was adapted from a 19th Century French poster for a floating woman act.… This is one of a set of four tables I did in collaboration with Neil Verplank. The orange background tile is really nice vintage stuff from the Sixties that I discovered way, way deep in a warehouse in southern Michigan.

 

Tags: art, fun, funky, mosaic, pop culture, magic, retro, magician, mosaic table

Cocktail Girls, Mosaic Table

Cocktail Girls, 1999 ceramic tile, glass, plywood substrate. 24" x 48" x 17" high Private Collection

The design for this table came from an antique matchbook… Most of my early mosaics were based on old 4 color ads and posters. The limited colors of tile I was using seemed well suited to matching that style, and as a graphic designer I was fascinated by old pop culture images.

 

Tags: art, fun, funky, mosaic, pop culture, martini, retro, pinup, cocktail

Ballad of the Dragon Mosaic Table

Ballad of the Dragon, 1999 ceramic tile, glass, plywood substrate. 24" x 48" x 17" high Commission

The design for this table was adapted from a metal engraving by José Guadalupe Posada. The eye is a photo pasted behind a Xerox copier lense. … Most of my early mosaics were based on old 4 color ads and posters. The limited colors of tile I was using seemed well suited to matching that style, and as a graphic designer I was fascinated by old pop culture images.

 

Tags: art, fun, funky, mosaic, pop culture, posada, griffin

The Friendly Gesture: A Retro Mosaic Table

The Friendly Gesture, 1999 ceramic tile, slate, plywood substrate. 24" x 48" x 17" high Private Collection

The design for this table came from an antique matchbook… Most of my early mosaics were based on old 4 color ads and posters. The limited colors of tile I was using seemed well suited to matching that style, and as a graphic designer I was fascinated by old pop culture images.

 

Tags: art, fun, funky, mosaic, pop culture, cigar, retro, smoking

Mosaic Headstones for pets

Mud's Marker, 2001 Concrete, Ceramic tile 12.5" H x 12" W x 4" D Commission
I made the headstone above for Mud, a friend's cat who had sadly used up it's allotment of nine lives. The marker has been through five long winters in Michigan with no sign of wear. click thumbnail to view larger image.
	If you would like to commission a custom mosaic head stone with a portrait of your departed pet, contact me by email or phone. If you can provide a photo I should be able to produce a reasonable likeness. Prices start at $350 and increase depending on size, materials and complexity.

 

Tags: art, garden, headstone, mosaic, pets, custom monument

Frog Fountain Wire Sculpture

Frog Fountain, 2004 Steel, wire, hose, copper, paint 61" L x 28" W x 12" H (65" H with stand) Available from Cycling Salamander Gallery
The better part of two 1/4 mile spools of wire went into making this fountain. I found myself singing Bo Diddley's Who Do You Love? pretty much the whole time I was making it (47 miles of barbed wire, etc.). You can read more about the process and see photos of the frog in progress by visiting this entry of the studio blog.
Alternate view	Detail	Detail
	Movie	Movie
click thumbnail to view larger image.

 

Tags: art, garden, kinetic art, metal, fountain, sculpture, yard

Fun With Saw Blades: A Couple Custom Jobs

Sign for the Cole Farm, 2006. Recycled steel. 30" x 30" Commission
The sign above was made for a local produce farmer. The "C" is based on lettering from an antique seed catalog that happened to share his family name. Kinda cool. The door shown below was a little fix-it job I had some fun with. The original vent door for my uncle's fireplace had broken off (cast iron is like that). He needed a new door that could be fit to the original hinge. I figured the saw blade made a nice reference to the fire inside, and plus, it was just the right size.
Fireplace  door, vent closed 2002: saw blade, steel 8" x 8" Commission	Fireplace  door, vent open 2002: saw blade, steel 8" x 8" Commission
click thumbnail to view larger image.

 

Tags: art, iron work, metal, recycled, steel

Recycled Yard Gongs Make A Beautiful Ringing Bell Tone

Garden Meditation Gong. 2006. Recycled steel. 85" H x 35" W x 12" D Available
The freestanding garden gong above would make a nice centerpiece for any garden… it requires a concrete pad below grade to stabilize it (or you could do something like a cool stonework base to hold it in place). The bell shown below was cut from a recycled Oxygen tank. The decorative piece on top was scrap from making the Great Bowl O Fire. The  hanger is made from a farm implement that plows the earth.My bells are all one of a kind and tend to vary in design and tone. If you'd like to order one, drop me a line.
Big Bell, 2006: recycled steel 16" to 24" x 9" x 9" Custom Order Item	Big Bell, 2006: recycled steel 16" to 24" x 9" x 9" Custom Order Item
click thumbnail to view larger image.

 

Tags: art, garden, metal, outdoor, patio, recycled, steel, yard

Fire Wood Cradle Made From A Recycled Radiator

Antique Radiator Firewood Cradle, 1999. Cast iron, recycled steel. 23.5" x 22" x 8.5" Custom order only

I love the visual pun of making a cradle for holding fire wood from sections of an old radiator. This piece was originally made as a Christmas present, but I'd be into the idea of making more of them. No two will be exactly alike since the design and pattern of the radiator sections is likely to vary pretty widely.

 

Tags: art, deck, design, fire, fireplaces, flame, folkart, funky, home, patio, recycled

Gates, fences + Trellises

Blue Bottle Fence. 2006. Steel, glass. Dimensions variable More info on bottle fences here.
The gates below are largely created from various recycled elements… If you'd like to talk about a custom fence or gate project, drop me a line.
Fruited Vine Garden Screen, 2003: steel, copper, 45" x 24" x 1.5" Private Collection	Art Nouveau Gate, 2003: steel, copper, 68.5" x 38.5" x 3" Availlable	MacIntosh  Screen, 2003: steel, 48" x 36" x 2" Availlable
Devil in the Jungle Gate, 1998 steel 48" H x 42" W x 2" D Commission 2025 S. Halsted, Chicago	Devil in the Jungle Gate, 1998 steel 48" H x 42" W x 2" D Commission 2025 S. Halsted, Chicago	Legba Gate, 1998 steel 48" H x 42" W x 2" D Commission 2025 S. Halsted, Chicago
click thumbnail to view larger image.

 

Tags: art, modernist, design, modern design, fence, fun, funky, garden, gate, iron work, metal, steel, yard

Steel Grates in Style

Various Grates, Grilles, etc. 2000-6. Steel. Dimensions variable.
The first picture below is a commission I did for Café Jumping Bean based on a logo created by Guillermo Delgado. The rest are created from various recycled elements… If you'd like to talk about a custom project for doors or windows, drop me a line.
Security Grate, Café Jumping Bean, 1999: steel, 14" H x 11" W x 1" D Commission	Window Grille, 2005: steel, 20.75" H x 20" W x .25" D Available
Abstract Grate, 2006: steel, 12" H x 14" W x 2" D Available	Abstract Grate, 2006: steel, 12" H x 14" W x 2" D Available
click thumbnail to view larger image.

 

Tags: art, modernist, design, modern design, fence, fun, funky, garden, gate, iron work, metal, steel, yard

Modern Security Grates in Steel + Copper

Keeping out of the Jones', 2004 steel, copper. dimensions variable Commission
Elise Jones wanted burglar bars for her ground floor windows, but she didn't want to feel like she was in prison when she looked through them. These steel and copper grilles will definitely keep people out—but they do seem to attract admiring stares. When I returned to the site to finish installation, I met an architect who requested that I tender his apologize to the Jones family…he had been standing there looking at the grates for ten or fifteen minutes before he realized that he was also inadvertently staring into someone's window.
click thumbnail to view larger image.

 

Tags: art, modernist, design, modern design, fence, fun, funky, garden, gate, iron work, metal, steel, yard

City Gates, 4022 N. Sheridan Road Chicago

City Gates, 2002 Steel. 96" H x 96" W x 2" D Commission
City Gates, commissioned by Bob Racky for his offices at 4022 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, features two pairs of gates based on maps of the Chicago area. The south gates show Riverside, IL and feature urban planning by Frederic Law Olmstead in the lower left corner. It's not on every project that an ironworker gets to “quote” the designer of Central Park! The north gates are based on Des Plaines, IL and contain the only obvious clue to the design source...a railroad running through the upper right corner.
click thumbnail to view larger image.

 

Tags: art, design, fence, modern, gate, iron work, metal, steel

A Love Story: Narrative Fence in Steel, Glass, Copper and Brass

Acrobat Fence, 2002 Steel, Durock, porcelain, paint. 48" H x 120" W x 2" D Commission.
Having seen pictures of my Acrobat Fence, my friends Howie and JoAnn approached me to design four sections of fence to enclose a round garden at their Evanston, Illinois residence. Together, they scripted a narrative telling the story of their lives together in four acts: meeting and falling in love; traveling Asia; their first child, Gabriel; and their second child, Julian. This project is a  great example of artist/client collaboration. Through coversations and stories JoAnn told me, I was able to get a good feel for the personality and expression of each member of the family. Gabriel loves snakes, so in his panel, the family goes for a ride on a snake. Julian is really into math, so I portrayed him juggling numbers while the rest of the family plays or looks on. Each character is portrayed  using a different color glass: Howie is blue, JoAnn is green, Gabriel is red and Julian, yellow. The inside of the fence was done in copper instead of mosaic to keep the widths of the heads proportionate. This constraint actually turned out to be a good thing, because Howie prefers the copper and JoAnn loves the glass mosaic.
click thumbnail to view larger image.

 

Tags: art, design, fence, fun, funky, garden, gate, iron work, metal, steel, yard

Scrap Iron Fence 2208 S. Halsted Chicago, IL

Scrap Fence,  2208 S. Halsted, 2002 steel, cast iron. 83" H x 284" W x 6" D Collaboration with Kenneth Morrison Commission. A collaboration with kenneth Morrison. He originated the concept and sketched a rough layout for overall project. I designed and fabricated indivdual panels. The choice of which panels went together was his. It was a little like an enormous steel version of the exquisite corpse game played by the Surrealists...in which players take turns adding to a drawing without seeing the parts drawn by the last player.