Here’s a short for-fun posting for what is usually an off day for off-center views.
I’ve long had a fascination with art made either from repurposed machine parts or from metals that look as if they were. Vermont’s late Bill Heise (1943-2011) was one of the first I encountered. His work can be found in lots of places and is recognizable as he like to fashion animals and whimsical creatures from shovels, rakes, plows, and other such objects. When I moved to Western Massachusetts, I met Archie Nahman (b. 1931) who used found metals and tools to make Jewish religious objects, among other things. You might also see work from other “junk art” artists like James Kitchen, Dale Rogers, or Emily Toth.
In this column, though, I’d like to focus on work of Brian McQuillan on view last December at the Hosmer Gallery of the Forbes Library in my town of Northampton, Massachusetts. He too likes found materials and from it he creates some very cool things, usually animals. He makes his home in Hampden, MA.
None of this needs a lot of commentary from me. Here are some quick iPhone images I shot that induce emotions ranging from aww! to how did he think of that? Some of his work costs thousands of dollars so I’m not likely to be hauling one of them into my front yard any time soon (or at all), but he makes me smile every time I encounter it. Enjoy and if you’re ever tempted to own one, some of his smaller pieces can be yours starting at $300. That’s a price point that tempts me, though I’ll be hanged if I know where I put any of it.
Sometimes the greatest pleasure isn’t in the owning, it’s seeing public art from a talented guy wherever you encounter it. If you can’t buy a piece, check in with your local arts council and encourage them to buy a piece and display it for all to enjoy.
Rob Weir
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