Art Project that lead to a career change...

[Kurt Swanson]

In 2015 I entered ArtPrize, an international art contest that attracts artists from all over the world. It takes place every year in my home town of Grand Rapids. I thought it would be fun to combine my two favorite activities, cycling and woodworking, so I proceeded to build three full-scaled replicas of the Schwinn Stingray of my youth. Out of 1500 entries I was shocked to have been voted into the top twenty. Success at ArtPrize gave me the courage to ditch a 30-year career in tool & die and launch a small woodworking business. Below is what the finished piece looked like. The photo in the background is a picture of me taken by my grandfather, a professional photographer, when I was about ten years old.

http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/Tsunamibay/Stingrays/IMG_1321_zpsjfrmwkla.jpg (http://s655.photobucket.com/user/Tsunamibay/media/Stingrays/IMG_1321_zpsjfrmwkla.jpg.html)

[Steve Eure]

Wow, your telling your age. I had a bike like that way back in the late sixties. BTW, congrats on the prize and career move. Much success to you. Great job on the bikes too.

[Prashun Patel]

It’s beautiful. I grew up with that same bike and that same haircut.

Seems like we spent every summer popping wheelies and making ramps to jump and seeing who could make the longest, coolest skids.

Great piece.

The banana seat was the best part of being 11 in 1982

[Bill McNiel]

Kurt,
Beautiful work and installation. You created a very real art piece, kudos!
Mahalo for sharing - Bill

[Jim Becker]

Very nice art installation!

My brother had a "banana bike" like that when we were young....they sure were an interesting part of the late 1960s/early 1970s culture.

[Marshall Harrison]

My dad considered those bikes to be signs of juvenile delinquency so I was never allowed to have one. I always had the standard type of bike. But I wanted one and rode the ones belonging to my "delinquent" friends whenever I got a chance.

Anyway, great art piece and congrats on the carer change. I like the use of color in front of the photography. Great contrasts.

[Jim Becker]

Kurt, unfortunately, Photobucket no longer is a viable place to host photos for display in forums unless you're willing to pay them $400 a year for the privilege. It appears that they permitted it for a short time after you posted it before they substituted the "come pay us" image. Please consider uploading the photo directly to SMC so that it's stays with your thread.

Jim
Forum Moderator

[Kurt Swanson]

Since Photobucket has become uncooperative, here is the picture I originally posted.
383308

Thank you all for your nice comments.
The hard part has been trying to find a buyer for the bikes. I've tried bike shops, restaurants, bars and art galleries. I even contacted the corporation that owns Schwinn, but no dice. I hate having them in crates in my basement. Anybody out there have any ideas?

[Jim Becker]

Contact art museums and galleries that embrace "installation art"...