John T Unger Artist's Portfolio

Little Red Riding Hood Narrative Sculpture

Little Red Riding Hood Narrative Sculpture, 2006 Recycled steel, 8.75" H x 20.25" W x 10" D Private Collection Collaboration with Mya Smith
Little Red Riding Hood is a narrative sculpture that my daughter Mya and I collaborated on. The drawing is hers, the cutting and welding I did. I love the way that she used the tree and the headboard to separate the story into three panels with three scenes. This one was almost the end of the process, because I made her re-draw the woodcutter about 12 times to get more of a dynamic swing to his axe… she was really frustrated by that, but in the end we both felt the results were worth it.
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The 3 Little Pigs: A Story in Steel

3 Little Pigs Story in Steel, 2006 Recycled steel, 14" H x 26" W x 6" D Collaboration with Mya Smith Private Collection
My daughter Mya is interested in making comics and she's pretty amazing at it…draws and writes very well. So when she came out this summer, I thought it would be cool to collaborate on some narrative steel sculptures together. She picked the stories, and decided how to lay out the image so that it would carry a narrative without words. I did the cutting and welding and offered a wee bit of editorial assistance in the few places where I thought the image or flow of the story could be stronger. Even though we worked pretty closely together on these, I think Mya could have done them alone if she wasn't a little bit afraid of the sparks in the shop. The house is made from an old refrigerator drawer and the rest is recycled steel plate. The wind from the wolf's mouth is copper plated welding rod. The plants are scrap left over from cutting out the flames on the Firebird Grill. This piece sold to Checkered House Gallery the minute Tess saw it.
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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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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