Tj's vision for the RagTop goes beyond ArtPrize, and a mere sculpture. A mobile museum that could be filled with art, brought to everyday people. 

ArtServe features Tj in their publication!

Forever on Duty:

Cast Stone- 60” x 28”x24”

The story

This piece was commissioned by the city of East Grand Rapids, MI. to commemorate a public safety officer who was killed in the line of duty. David Smith, who worked side by side with fallen officer Bruce VanPopering for many years, created the original concept. David does graphic design for NASCAR drivers.

Van Popering was a fireman who reluctantly cross- trained as a policeman when the city required all safety officers do both jobs. He was constantly drilling others on where the fire hydrants are and how to use them. He was killed by a drunk driver while directing traffic. 

The city wanted Tj’s stone process for this memorial. It was cast in just two pieces. The darker gray areas have a different formula than the white granite look.

The piece was unveiled and dedicated on July 4^th 2011. 

A limited edition of these is under consideration.

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Alpha Deco

57 Descending

The Art story

57 Descending a Switchback  is a monument to the cresting of car culture, which has been strongest In America with the Boomer generation being steeped in it. Their favorite ride, the 57 Chevy was chosen to represent this turning point in a composition from "Nude Descending a Staircase" by Duchamp (in 1911). That piece introduced the new study of motion from motion pictures and moving vehicles when technology was brand new. Now in 2011 we must move away from our dependence on cars. We have begun the descent and they will not be what we have known by 2111. The installation for ArtPrize 2010 was accompanied by a projection show each evening.

Background

Tj envisioned this piece in 1995 with a wax maquette which has been lost. The first study, Boomer's Nike was done full scale in 97. The  pedestal size Boomer was done in 2005 enabling the 42" version of 57 Descending a Switchback in 2007. The big piece was created for ArtPrize and Shown at the Grand Rapids Public Museum in 2010. This piece kicked off an entire series of Nikes from Classic cars of the boomer generation.

14.5 x 8 x 8 feet -Polymer Cement, Steel. It is concrete over steel with structural foam core. See it at the Tecumseh Center for the Arts.

Related Pieces

Car Chase (Installation)

The Art story

An Obsolete American Car, (a 50 Hudson) is being Chased by a swarm of flying invaders from a foreign shore (VW Beetle Nikes).  The car has careened into the parking lot dislodging pavement and a group of human forms in it's wake. The work placed in the top 25 that year.

Background

The Major Impact and the Bug Swarm were combined to assemble this installation for the First ArtPrize competition in 2009. A cable system was strung from the street lamps in the Parking Lot of the BOB, just across the Street from the VanAndel Auditorium.  12  24" bugs in a V formation are lead by the full size Bug. The figures from the impact series were built into the waves of the car's wake. 

The bugs are fiberglass on steel cable, the waves are carved foam coated with Concrete.  Figures were various states of models and casts coated with concrete. 12 x 18 x 66 feet

Car, cement on foam, fiberglass, steel, with figures

Related/ Included Pieces

Speed of Change

The Art story

The landscape is a weave of people tied to the scene until the automobile unravels this relationship. Under it's influence they fly free and go where they will.

Background

In progress on the wall of the studio for over a decade this piece was worked on intermittently from the construction of the cedar car in 1996 to a completion for the Auto Impact at the Logsdon 1909 in 2007.  The process of carving foam and stretching fabric was first introduced with this piece.  The full scaleengineering drawings to the Viper coupe were used to lay out the car in relief.  The cedar planking was also used in the Skirted Jazz,  done simultaneously over this same period.  Speed is slated for revision and exhibition at the Forest Hills Art center in March of 1012.

Relief - 32 x 9 x 1.5 feet - Cedar, foam, fabric

Related Pieces

Series: Impact

Bug

The Art story

2nd of the Nike series the VW beetle was dissected and re-assembled into this form.  The car is so insect like that many viewing the piece do not realize it is all stock beetle parts.  Still winged but lass heraldic this work is less space age than the rest of the Nikes. 

Background

The Nike series began with the Boomer's from the 57 Chevy.  Tj then did several other cars.  A maquette of Bug was created in 2000 with the full size version constructed as the second large Nike in 2003 from a 54 beetle that Tj owned.  It was constructed of fiberglass and foam and has a Corian finish. It originally sat on a pedestal.  A hangar was constructed for the Impact  show in Chicago at the Logsdon1909 Gallery where it was displayed in the garden. A new hangar and massive concrete base were done for the Troy Ohio show in 2009.  The piece was part of the Car Chase installation for ArtPrize 2009 which placed in the top 25. On display in Canton, MI.

Tj would like to do a swarm full scale for an airport, preferably near Wolfsburg Germany, home of the beetle.

10' X 8' X 9' -Fiberglass Composites with Corian® on steel fixture

Related Pieces

Series: Nikes

Impacted Man

The Art Story

From the Major Impact installation  the Impacted Man represents the effects of powerful inertia on men brought on by the modern age of machines and motion. Caught in the waves of change this figure, never the less, endures

Background

This was the 4th figure modeled full scale for the Major Impact installation.  The original maquette was cast for "Auto Impact" in Chicago 2007. By the time Tj created the full sized foam carving in 2008, he started documenting the process used to enlarge, carve and coat foam with Polymer modified concrete. The documentation of this work became the book series Big Sculpture for Little where you can see the progress in of the model.  It was included in the Car Chase installation for ArtPrize 2009 and shown at the Muskegon Museum that year.  It has been molded for an edition of 8 cast pieces.

71" X 47" X 39" -Polymer modified cement and foam 

Related Pieces

 Series: Impact

Impacted Female

The Art Story

From the Major Impact installation  the impacted female represents the effects of powerful inertia on people brought on by the modern age of machines and motion.  Caught in the waves of change this figure, never the less, endures. 

Background

This was the 3th figure modeled full scale for the Major impact installation. The original maquette was cast and the full sized model shown at "Auto Impact" in Chicago 2007. The model was highlighted in a promotional event for the Boys and Girls Club in 2008. It was coated with polymer cement and included in the Car Chase installation for ArtPrize 2009. The piece has been shown in Grand Rapids for Festival of the Arts. It has been molded and cast in cement  for an edition of 8 cast pieces. Displayed at City Hall in Hastings, MI.

Cast cement with granite fines 66" x 45" x 48"

Related Pieces

Series: Impact

Impacted Figure #5

The Art Story

From the Major Impact installation, #5 represents the effects of powerful inertia on people brought on by the modern age of machines and motion.  Blown back in the blast of change this figure, never the less, endures. 

Background

This was the 2nd figure modeled full scale for the Major impact installation and the first to get molded.  The original maquette was cast and the full sized casting shown at  "Auto Impact" in Chicago 2007. Several of these maquettes have been given as awards to people having a major impact on others. Several casts have been made to test material formula.  A concrete casting was shown In Troy Ohio in 09 and used in the Car chase installation.  The piece has been molded for an edition of 8 concrete castings.

Related Pieces

 Series: Impact

Harbinger

The Art Story

From the "Major Impact" installation  Harbinger represents a warning about the effects of powerful inertia on people brought on by the modern age of machines and motion.  The hood ornament like figure points to the future, recollecting the past.

Background

This was the first figure modeled full scale for the Major impact installation and a version was cast in a Corian type material.  The original maquette was cast and the full sized casting shown at  "Auto Impact" in Chicago 2007. The piece was included in the Car Chase installation for ArtPrize 09.  The piece has been molded for an edition of 8 concrete castings.

Related Pieces

Series: Impact

57 Descending a Switchback (42" cast cement)

The Art Story

57 Descending is a monument to the cresting of car culture, which has been strongest In America with the Boomer generation being steeped in it.  Their favorite ride, the 57 Chevy was chosen to represent this turning point in a composition from "Nude Descending a Staircase" by Duchamp (in 1911) .  That piece introduced the new study of motion from motion pictures and moving vehicles when technology was brand new.  Now  in 2011 we must move away from our dependence on cars.  We have begun the descent and they will not be what we have known by 2111. 

Background

Tj envisioned this piece in 1995 with a wax maquette which has been lost.  the first study; Boomer's Nike was done full scale in 97.  The  pedestal size Boomer was done in 2005 enabling the 42" version of 57 Descending a Switchback in 2007.  It was cast in a concrete counter to p formula and weighs 235 Lbs.  The big version was created for ArtPrize and Shown at the Grand Rapids Public Museum in 2010.  This piece kicked off an entire series of Nikes from Classic cars of the boomer generation. On display in Carbondale, Colorado for 2011. 

Related Pieces

Bug Swarm Mobile

The Art Story

The Bugs were the first import to America to achieve success, eventually becoming Iconic to the Boomer generation.

Background

2nd of the Nike series the VW beetle was dissected and re-assembled into Bug.  The pieces are so insect like that many viewing the piece do not realize they are all modeled from stock beetle parts. Still winged but less heraldic this work is less space age than the rest of the Nike series.   The BugSwarm was cast in fiberglass and suspended on steel cable for Car Chase for ArtPrize 2009 which placed in the top 25. Since then the suspension has been redesigned to allow them to float and swivel freely  as a swarm. They swivel and rotate on a series of rods and pivots swarming in and around a central focus.  It was suspended in front of the Holland Area Arts Center Gallery in 2010.

Related Pieces

Boomer's Nike

The Art Story

Nike, goddess of victory was a prized antique collectable but usually only in components like a wing or torso.  The Baby Boom generation's favorite collectable was reduced to it's design components in winged form.

Background

Originally a study for the more ambitious "57 Descending"  this piece stood on it's own quite well.  It started the Nike series of several classic car reconstructions. This was Tj's first full size piece in fiberglass created in 1996 and mounted on a concrete base. It was molded and used for the full size cement version of the 57 Descending in 2010. A layout was done for the 24 inch version when a friend offered a 57 Chevy to take molds from. That was all Tj needed to be into full size.  The 24inch and small maquettes were done after this piece was created. This work has been shown around the Midwest since 2001. Currently showing at University of Toledo, OH.

Related Pieces

Series - Nikes

Skirted Jazz

The Art Story

Smooth form suspended to rotate slowly

Background

The Nike theme gone extreme with 63 Mercury parts and a planking process of cedar done while the Speed car was being constructed 1996 to 2007.

Related Pieces

Series: Nikes

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Bug Alight

The Art Story

Bug, from Beetle by VW, on a steel  leaf form by a hot rod builder in granite.

Background

2nd of the Nike series the VW beetle was dissected and re-assembled into Bug.  The piece was modeled and molded in a material that allows cement, wax for bronze, or fiberglass to be cast from it.  The pieces are so insect like that many viewing the piece do not realize they are all modeled from stock beetle parts.

A dozen were cast for BugSwarm in fiberglass and suspended on steel cable for Car Chase for ArtPrize 2009.

Related Pieces

Series: Nikes

 Impacted Man (relief)

The Art Story

See Tj.'s books to find out the whole story!

36 x 24 x 3.5 inches Polymer Cement over foam

Related Pieces

Series: Impact