Wilhelm's Art - Featuring the artwork of artist and sculptor John V. Wilhelm
Wilhelm's Art - Featuring the artwork of artist and sculptor John V. Wilhelm

 

About the artist, John V. Wilhelm:

   Northeastern Arizona is known for its scenic vistas and stark rugged beauty. The dry desert air and sunlight, less filtered due to high elevations, give rise to special light that reveals the natural beauty of the area. Perceptive individuals, molded by this, are called "native artists" and we recognize them as products of the land. John V. Wilhelm is such an artist. As his cousin, I marvel as his creative genius is revealed by new works and endeavors. As a youth, John worked with his father, also a native born son of Arizona, manufacturing large diamond saws to slice the petrified wood strewn across the area. I've wondered if when the flaming bright colors of the ancient tree fossils were slowly brought out of the weathered rock somehow it fired John's creative talents. Or was it the tree covered mountains, wind swept mesas, or maybe the simmering sunsets that culminate the days. Whatever the source of his abilities, I am grateful to be an admirer of his varied art forms.

   As a native Arizonan, John's drawings and paintings often depict the heritage, landscapes and animals of the region. He's a prolific self-taught artist who works in acrylic, pencil, ink and scratchboard etchings, but most often in sculptures crafted from steel and stone. These pieces are usually "found object" art comprised of used, discarded and recycled industrial or automotive parts. These sculptures are frequently whimsical animal figures incorporating natural rock and rusty steel and are extremely durable as outdoor art. Thanks to the nature of the materials used, no two pieces are identical and every piece has a unique character which can rarely be duplicated. The techniques employed to build these pieces range from traditional blacksmith methods to modern welding practices. John's figures using railroad spikes originated in the 1970's and evolved into the stone and steel sculptures of today, and can be found in private collections from coast to coast.

   Take a look at his work and discover for yourself this gifted "native artist" .


-Mel Wilhelm

 

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