Images: Milissa Sprecher ANOTHER MAN ’ S TREASURE By Bill Schiller and John Sprecher ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Southwest Florida sculptor Jonas Stirner proves that one man’s trash can indeed become highly treasured works of art.
Most of us might visit a junkyard and see, well, junk. Not so for Jonas Stirner. A visionary steel sculptor who has an affinity for well-worn or rusted metals, Stirner sees endless creative opportunities and artistic expression among the detritus of long-
“I’m not recycling industrial waste. I’m transforming it.”
In fact, Stirner’s unbridled creativity and command of metallic craftsmanship has led to the creation of wondrous works of art, all
the more remarkable considering that each piece has risen and taken shape from his recycling and
forgotten heavy e q u i p m e n t , m a c h i n e r y , a u t o m o b i l e s , a p p l i a n c e s ,
“I’m not recycling industrial waste. I’m transforming it.”
repurposing of materials that might otherwise be destined to a local dump or a distant landfill.
drums, ladders — pretty much anything and everything that clearly shows its age and abuse.
Stirner exploring scrap piles and plying his artistic traits during an abbreviated college career that wasn’t necessarily
“I take something you might find in a scrap yard and place it on a pedestal,” he explains.
8
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter