| From Functional to Funky:
The Whimsical Art of Mark Blumenstein
By Rebecca Stelling
Photographs by Steve Brightwell
Climb aboard the Jupitarian Lunar Explorer or relax a bit in the Great Kahuna Swing. Then, take a Dream Vacation with Barney Wiggle and spend a Day at the Bridge with a Springasaurus. Titles for new Steven Spielberg movies? Not quite. Welcome to Mark Blumenstein’s whimsical world of sculpture.
It all started when Blumenstein moved to West Virginia in 1973, leaving behind the big-city life of Philadelphia. Drawn to the Mountain State’s clean air and world-class caving and rock climbing, Blumenstein settled on a homestead in Alderson with his wife, Terry, and son, Evan.
While cleaning up the old homestead and taking scrap materials to the junkyard, Blumenstein discovered a treasure trove of metal pieces. Impulsively, he collected these discarded metal objects and began creating collages on his wooden sheds. These metal odds and ends magically transformed ordinary structures into extraordinary art. Although he had no formal training in art, Blumenstein’s keen interest in sculpture and background in photography provided a rich palette for his new endeavor.
One day, Blumenstein was searching through a pile of metal when a birdlike piece emerged. "That was the beginning of creating stand-alone sculptures," he says. Not long afterwards, a friend arranged Blumenstein’s first commission–a set of bar stools made with tractor seats. His artistic odyssey had begun. He has since become famous for his functional art and his quirky stand-alone sculptures.
Blumenstein’s picturesque Greenbrier Valley farm, with its rolling hills and lush pastures, is the perfect backdrop for his distinctive metal sculptures which typically resemble birds and animals. A stone’s throw from his house, Blumenstein’s studio buzzes with excitement as he transforms everyday materials and tools into whimsical kinetic sculptures that incorporate movement. Blumenstein often uses metal springs and other moving parts to make his sculptures bounce, spin, twirl, and jump.
His studio is surrounded by a menagerie of more than 100 finished sculptures, from small indoor works with delicate movements to large outdoor and garden pieces. Even after making more than 3,000 sculptures, Blumenstein is still eager to show off his newest creations. As he weaves through his outdoor sculpture gallery, he points out the figures’ different kinetic qualities, propelling them to bob and whirl.
And, just like family, Blumenstein calls each sculpture by name. He names each piece to help define its personality. The names are often as funky as the sculptures themselves. Time Machine, It Came from Outer Space, The Great Kahuna Swing, Earth Guardian, and Jupitarian Lunar Explorer are just a few of his long list of monikers.
Collectors of Blumenstein’s work love the whimsical quality he achieves using recycled parts–from discarded shovels to old bolts. Some of his new pieces may even find their way into the world of gourmet entertaining. Cool-looking creatures made with shovel parts serve as platforms for hors d’oeuvres and entrees. "That guy would make a great server for fresh grilled trout or salmon," Blumenstein says, pointing to one of his creatures. Shovel Mania describes his new spree of shovel-inspired works that include a table, chairs, and planters. Many of the shovels came from West Virginia-based Ames Tools.
West Virginia is a great source for the farm machinery, old tools, and other metal parts that Blumenstein uses in his art. Traveling to junkyards, farm auctions, flea markets, and estate sales, Blumenstein has amassed a collection of early-twentieth-century tools and equipment parts. "These materials are valuable to me," he says. "I am preserving parts of the past in their original form that will never be replicated." Blumenstein does buy some new parts, like the springs that make his sculptures so fun and mobile.
Blumenstein’s construction process is just as intriguing as his creative process. "I only use ferrous materials like iron. I like the rough texture of the metals and doing things to enhance them," he says. He makes no renderings or models prior to the construction of an actual piece. "It comes from within, from the moment of creation," he says.
Each object undergoes a cleaning process with a wire brush. Working with extremely hot temperatures, Blumenstein welds the metal objects together, then heats, bends, and shapes them. Next, he applies a hydro-carbon finishing material to enhance the metals’ tonal qualities and to create a homogeneous surface. Finally, he coats the piece with a special oil to prevent oxidation.
Blumenstein makes fun, fanciful sculptures that people of all ages and degrees of artistic savvy can relate to. His sculptures have been exhibited and sold worldwide in one-man and invitational shows. They reside in numerous private and public collections, including the personal collection of former President Gerald Ford. One of the most notable collections to include Blumstein’s work is Tools as Art: The Hechinger Collection, which was featured in Smithsonian magazine in April 1996 and will be on display in Charleston next year (see sidebar on page 9). Public installations of his large sculptures include the Courtyard in Wells, England; the Youth Museum of Southern West Virginia in Beckley; The Watergate in Washington, D.C.; and Davis Park in Charleston, West Virginia.
What is the next challenge for this innovative artist? "I would love to create monumental art, such as a large entryway," says Blumenstein enthusiastically. "I have a large collection of wheels from agricultural equipment—the wheels that West Virginia was founded upon and that made transportation more convenient. A monumental public sculpture incorporating these wheels would make an amazing tourist attraction."
There is another side to Blumenstein’s future story as well. "As I get older, I am also interested in working on a smaller scale and using precious materials," he explains. "When I’m 80, wouldn’t it be nice to deliver my work in a suitcase instead of by truck and trailer?" For the past two years, Blumenstein has downsized his sculptures to heights under seven inches. Using sterling silver and semiprecious stones, he has fabricated a collection of more than 50 pieces of small sculpture and jewelry. "They are a parody of the large, whimsical metal works," he says. "I fabricate the pieces by cutting silver plate and wire and soldering them into unique small sculptures." The collection includes abstract and fanciful sculptures, jewelry, and wearable sculpture. Blumenstein launched these new works in an exhibit at The Mountain Artisan Collection at Alex Franklin, Ltd. in Charleston. The exhibit started in June and will run through September 2003.
"My work for the past 30 years has been the exploration of the physical properties of recycled metals and intense heat, and the relationships of these elements to each other. Not only does the process intrigue me, but so does the shape and interaction of the materials with the elements," reflects Blumenstein. "I continue to follow the path that this process has created and hope to work toward finding many more of its intricacies. My sculpture is the product of this search, and its direction is dictated by the discoveries that are revealed to me. The whimsy, I suppose, is a reflection of my inner self and the fun that we can have if we only allow ourselves to appreciate life a little bit more."
Rebecca Stelling is president of Mountain Artisans in Charleston. She has contributed several articles about West Virginia artists to Wonderful West Virginia.
|
