Drawing on the inspiration of the ages for his latest creation, artist John T. Unger has once again breathed new life into the atoms of the abandoned. Shovels retired after a life of hard labor are reborn as playful, intriguing masks- faces peering back as if astonished by their own renewed existence. The Face of Spades mask designs are individually hand-cut by the artist from reclaimed steel shovelheads. From whimsical, cartoonish expressions exaggerated for impact, to hauntingly beautiful adaptations of traditional tribal designs, the collection features 24 designs resplendent in their individuality. Stoic or serene, silly or insouciant, their glances enhance the indoors and outdoors alike. A single mask makes an excellent accent piece, but the most exciting display is to group a series of the shovel-mugged characters to create your own custom totem pole.
The tradition of masks has haunted and enchanted the dreams of man for millennia. Rain forests hide glaring eyes and snarled lips amongst twisted vines and water-wet branches as shamans craft faces to protect and faces to defend. Masks of the Far East embellished with their red and black lacquered paints give character to the actors of old and knit the fabric of stories for generations. What do they foretell of your destiny? Will they ward off evil or draw in spirits that bless? Display the Face of Spades series as a single mask, or combine them for a powerful grouped display. Since the intricate designs are crafted freehand, without the use of guides and stencils, Face of Spades masks each contain their own unique spiritual fingerprint.
So whether a playful grin is more your style or a powerful sneer conveys your message, the Face of Spades series has character abounding. The expressions are drawn from within as if they had lain dormant within the metal for eons. Once exposed to nature’s influence they’ll turn a rich rust color, a perfect compliment to the flora and fauna that graces their newfound environs.
John T. Unger is an artist filled with a passion for found materials. He creates from everyday objects often discarded as used-up, void of life. “If my job as an artist is to fill the world with more things, I feel that I should also remove unused or unwanted things from the world in the process in order to make room for the new art.” states the artist. “This is one reason I like working with recycled materials.” The Face of Spades masks collection continues this loyalty to reclamation, imparting life into once static pieces of steel.
The Face of Spades masks retail for $59 each (plus shipping and handling) and may be purchased online at the following sites: www.johntunger.com, http://www.johntunger.etsy.com, and http://www.1000markets.com/users/johntunger
About the Artist
John T. Unger''s creative mandate is "sustainable design with an edge." He works primarily with recycled or re-used materials to minimize impact on natural resources, climate and the environment. His functional art is designed for permanence and is intended to last for generations. Drawing from primal metaphor and classical elements of design that speak to what it means to be human and alive, he creates objects that will never go out of style. Unger feels that successful recycled art and design encourages creativity in others- it''s alchemical, magical, subversive, and transformative by nature.
John T. Unger has spent a lifetime in training for his career in the arts- at age eight he taught himself how to cast recycled lead melted over an open fire and learned to forge intricate toys working with steel, copper, brass and semi-precious stones. After graduating from the writing program at Interlochen Arts Academy, he dropped out of college to pursue a career in poetry, eventually performing at Lollapalooza. Poetry led to an interest in publishing and Unger taught himself graphic design. He worked as a freelance illustrator and designer while developing his fine art and chose to work full time as an artist in 2000. All of his skills have been acquired through a philosophy of learning by doing. Constant experimentation with different styles, mediums and materials bring a depth and inventiveness to his work- Unger specializes in combining techniques from different media to create hybrid designs that might be less obvious to an artist with formal training.
Unger’s work has been praised in print by Craft Magazine, VenusZine, Variety Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Chicago Sun Times, The Detroit News, and others. Online reviews include Boing Boing, Neatorama, Daily Candy, Materialicious, Treehugger, Slashfood, Etsy''s Storque. HGTV''s Red Hot & Green and DIY Networks 2006 Holiday Gift Guide have featured Artisanal Firebowls, as will the forthcoming books 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse by Garth Johnson and The Daily Book of Art from Walter Foster Publishing.
The tradition of masks has haunted and enchanted the dreams of man for millennia. Rain forests hide glaring eyes and snarled lips amongst twisted vines and water-wet branches as shamans craft faces to protect and faces to defend. Masks of the Far East embellished with their red and black lacquered paints give character to the actors of old and knit the fabric of stories for generations. What do they foretell of your destiny? Will they ward off evil or draw in spirits that bless? Display the Face of Spades series as a single mask, or combine them for a powerful grouped display. Since the intricate designs are crafted freehand, without the use of guides and stencils, Face of Spades masks each contain their own unique spiritual fingerprint.
So whether a playful grin is more your style or a powerful sneer conveys your message, the Face of Spades series has character abounding. The expressions are drawn from within as if they had lain dormant within the metal for eons. Once exposed to nature’s influence they’ll turn a rich rust color, a perfect compliment to the flora and fauna that graces their newfound environs.
John T. Unger is an artist filled with a passion for found materials. He creates from everyday objects often discarded as used-up, void of life. “If my job as an artist is to fill the world with more things, I feel that I should also remove unused or unwanted things from the world in the process in order to make room for the new art.” states the artist. “This is one reason I like working with recycled materials.” The Face of Spades masks collection continues this loyalty to reclamation, imparting life into once static pieces of steel.
The Face of Spades masks retail for $59 each (plus shipping and handling) and may be purchased online at the following sites: www.johntunger.com, http://www.johntunger.etsy.com, and http://www.1000markets.com/users/johntunger
About the Artist
John T. Unger''s creative mandate is "sustainable design with an edge." He works primarily with recycled or re-used materials to minimize impact on natural resources, climate and the environment. His functional art is designed for permanence and is intended to last for generations. Drawing from primal metaphor and classical elements of design that speak to what it means to be human and alive, he creates objects that will never go out of style. Unger feels that successful recycled art and design encourages creativity in others- it''s alchemical, magical, subversive, and transformative by nature.
John T. Unger has spent a lifetime in training for his career in the arts- at age eight he taught himself how to cast recycled lead melted over an open fire and learned to forge intricate toys working with steel, copper, brass and semi-precious stones. After graduating from the writing program at Interlochen Arts Academy, he dropped out of college to pursue a career in poetry, eventually performing at Lollapalooza. Poetry led to an interest in publishing and Unger taught himself graphic design. He worked as a freelance illustrator and designer while developing his fine art and chose to work full time as an artist in 2000. All of his skills have been acquired through a philosophy of learning by doing. Constant experimentation with different styles, mediums and materials bring a depth and inventiveness to his work- Unger specializes in combining techniques from different media to create hybrid designs that might be less obvious to an artist with formal training.
Unger’s work has been praised in print by Craft Magazine, VenusZine, Variety Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Chicago Sun Times, The Detroit News, and others. Online reviews include Boing Boing, Neatorama, Daily Candy, Materialicious, Treehugger, Slashfood, Etsy''s Storque. HGTV''s Red Hot & Green and DIY Networks 2006 Holiday Gift Guide have featured Artisanal Firebowls, as will the forthcoming books 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse by Garth Johnson and The Daily Book of Art from Walter Foster Publishing.