A materialization of the sense of promise and creative optimism so prevalent in Postwar America, the Sunfire Modern Steel Firebowl is latest addition to John T. Unger’s line of handcrafted Artisanal Firebowls. Each Sunfire Modern firebowl is encircled with a series of spokes and disks, like a complex atomic diagram. The pieces at rest have movement on their own accord as post-modern chic combines with rhythmic undulation to create both work of art and functional implement. If you''re looking for a retro firepit design that would look equally at home outside an Airstream or an architectural masterpiece by Alvar Aalto, the Sunfire Modern Steel Firebowl is a fabulous choice.
The Sunfire Modern design plays on the theme of improvisation. The artist invites the viewer to journey back to a different time. The streets are damp with pre-dawn rainfall and the other-atmosphere of smoke and cocktail chatter oozes from the nondescript doors of so many nearly secret jazz clubs. Wafts of layered melody drip from the fire escapes intermingling with the night air, pulling you closer. Creativity and spur-of-the-moment are bedfellows. The look is purely modern and timelessly classic. The spokes gracing the rim of each firepit skirt formality; purposefully variant lengths range from 4.5-in (11.4-cm) to 11-in (28-cm) long.
The Sunfire Modern Steel Firebowl is crafted from hand-finished 100% recycled steel. Its very essence is organic with the natural elements lending their paint of deep umber rust patina. The variegated browns and oranges intermingling on the surfaces of the firebowl make it the perfect complement to even the most unspoiled of landscapes. The firebowl’s sense of permanence is bolstered by its heavy ¼ -inch (0.65-cm) thick steel plate that can be left outdoors year-round, requiring no maintenance and guaranteed to last for generations.
John T. Unger creates works of art based on primitive inspiration and sublime integration of classical elements. In keeping with this overall message, the artist states, “As an artist, my job is to communicate ideas clearly, reach people emotionally, inspire or incite change and to fill in the blanks in the world... finding new ways of seeing things, or creating the things that don’t exist but so obviously should have once they do. I try to create objects that will endure by drawing from primal metaphor and classical elements of design that speak to what it means to be human and alive.”
The complete line of John T. Unger Artisanal Firebowls is available for sale on the artist’s website, www.johntunger.com. The Sunfire Modern Firebowl is available in three sizes, 40-in (102-cm), 37-in (94-cm), and 30-in (76-cm) and is suitable for use with gas, wood, and coal fires. The Sunfire Modern is actually much larger than its specs would convey since the measured size of each firepit is based on the diameter of the bowl, rather than the dimensions of the spokes. This makes it the largest standard firepit design offered by the artist and care should be taken when considering the size of the final placement area. Prices for the Sunfire Modern Firebowl design start at $999 and they ship ready to fit for natural gas or propane burners.
About the Artist
John T. Unger is best known as an artist and designer who has been making art professionally since about 1995. Having made a full-time living as an artist since 2000, John enjoyed several professional diversions along the way. He’s been a poet and writer, a tech geek, a print and web designer, illustrator, industrial designer, musician, teacher, actor, set designer and even a paid guru. John likes to joke, “I''m the world''s most well-educated self-taught artist - I''ve learned pretty much everything I know by doing it. I work in a lot of different styles using a wide variety of materials. I find that each new medium informs all which have come before.”
The artist’s use of reclaimed and recycled materials highlights his commitment to sustainable art and its positive environmental impact. He buys the materials for his firebowls at a local scrap yard, paying a premium to have them cut and delivered and since Mr. Unger is one of the larger customers for his local freight company, he is pleased to be able to pass along his savings to his clients.
The artist’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 forth coming books 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse by Garth Johnson and The Daily Book of Art from Walter Foster Publishing.
The Sunfire Modern design plays on the theme of improvisation. The artist invites the viewer to journey back to a different time. The streets are damp with pre-dawn rainfall and the other-atmosphere of smoke and cocktail chatter oozes from the nondescript doors of so many nearly secret jazz clubs. Wafts of layered melody drip from the fire escapes intermingling with the night air, pulling you closer. Creativity and spur-of-the-moment are bedfellows. The look is purely modern and timelessly classic. The spokes gracing the rim of each firepit skirt formality; purposefully variant lengths range from 4.5-in (11.4-cm) to 11-in (28-cm) long.
The Sunfire Modern Steel Firebowl is crafted from hand-finished 100% recycled steel. Its very essence is organic with the natural elements lending their paint of deep umber rust patina. The variegated browns and oranges intermingling on the surfaces of the firebowl make it the perfect complement to even the most unspoiled of landscapes. The firebowl’s sense of permanence is bolstered by its heavy ¼ -inch (0.65-cm) thick steel plate that can be left outdoors year-round, requiring no maintenance and guaranteed to last for generations.
John T. Unger creates works of art based on primitive inspiration and sublime integration of classical elements. In keeping with this overall message, the artist states, “As an artist, my job is to communicate ideas clearly, reach people emotionally, inspire or incite change and to fill in the blanks in the world... finding new ways of seeing things, or creating the things that don’t exist but so obviously should have once they do. I try to create objects that will endure by drawing from primal metaphor and classical elements of design that speak to what it means to be human and alive.”
The complete line of John T. Unger Artisanal Firebowls is available for sale on the artist’s website, www.johntunger.com. The Sunfire Modern Firebowl is available in three sizes, 40-in (102-cm), 37-in (94-cm), and 30-in (76-cm) and is suitable for use with gas, wood, and coal fires. The Sunfire Modern is actually much larger than its specs would convey since the measured size of each firepit is based on the diameter of the bowl, rather than the dimensions of the spokes. This makes it the largest standard firepit design offered by the artist and care should be taken when considering the size of the final placement area. Prices for the Sunfire Modern Firebowl design start at $999 and they ship ready to fit for natural gas or propane burners.
About the Artist
John T. Unger is best known as an artist and designer who has been making art professionally since about 1995. Having made a full-time living as an artist since 2000, John enjoyed several professional diversions along the way. He’s been a poet and writer, a tech geek, a print and web designer, illustrator, industrial designer, musician, teacher, actor, set designer and even a paid guru. John likes to joke, “I''m the world''s most well-educated self-taught artist - I''ve learned pretty much everything I know by doing it. I work in a lot of different styles using a wide variety of materials. I find that each new medium informs all which have come before.”
The artist’s use of reclaimed and recycled materials highlights his commitment to sustainable art and its positive environmental impact. He buys the materials for his firebowls at a local scrap yard, paying a premium to have them cut and delivered and since Mr. Unger is one of the larger customers for his local freight company, he is pleased to be able to pass along his savings to his clients.
The artist’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 forth coming books 1000 Ideas for Creative Reuse by Garth Johnson and The Daily Book of Art from Walter Foster Publishing.