BIO

When I started creating assemblage art, I saw in the parts I was finding at thrift stores and flea markets my own vision of what craftsmen before me knew. That details, many unseen, were the true key to vision and expression. After a long period of art history ignorance for the sake of true inspiration, I have found myself in the artists’ past and have compounded on past ideas of collage and have made my form my own. The rocketships were first due to an old vacuum and it’s lines. Now after 14 years the form takes a larger shape, a tactile mural, a bowling ball planet; and what were sequentially numbered now have purpose and positivity. There is no welding in my work. I find parts that have never seen each other that mesh and form my style in a clean professional fit. My work contains nor depicts any form of guns, bullets, or bombs. They are for the peaceful exploration of time, space, ideas, and cultures. Recycling is a major key, and the finding of the raw materials is a large share of the end result, of which I am a professional in acquiring the vintage and beautiful in out of the way places.
After losing all at my former home and shop in New Orleans, I have found that the world is still full of inspiration and the means to get to the realization of those visions. In other words, there will always be more stuff. Traveling everywhere in America, I know I will never run out of the golden age of manufacturing raw materials. Though rockets are my specialty, I am not just the Rocketman, but a severe Reconstructivist seeking the cool and inspiration.

Galleries-Shows:
Presently donated Red Rocketship to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. commissioned and donated by a patron, Bob Baker of Michigan a doctor who is dying of ALS

Presently displaying "Pilot - Pontias' Politics' Protracted", in the downtown Sculpture Park of Salida, CO, replacing "Reverse Prometheus"

Presently open for rentals, and viewing of outdoor public art. "ROCKET", the futuristic apartment building at 1778 Gilpin, Denver, CO. Commissioned by Grant Barnhill and boutiqueapartments.com Aug. 2006, completed March 2007. Fifty rocketships inside, Electrolux vacuum cleaner hallway lighting, a four story outdoor bowling ball planet scene, futuristic wall murals, and a 12' long 6' wingspan rocketship outside made from many found objects like a large chrome truck filter, bee hive hair dryer, soda shop chairs, snare drum, etc. Mounted on a guy wire hoist trailer stand. Total weight 1000 lbs., Contact: Grant Barnhill, Boutique Apts.,

Presently installed, a commission of a 12' vertical rocketship in the sculpture garden of Gallery O, 1354 H St. NE, Wash., DC

Presently "The Rocket Bar" (named after my work) open & flourishing, 3 vacuum rocketships, 10 thermos rocketships, Penn Quarter, 7th & H NW, Wash, DC

Presently delivered to Phoenix June, 2008 the 10' long Monolith Recycle or Die Rocketship to be installed or hung at the soon to be opened Childrens Museum of Phoenix.

Current gallery representation:
Perlow-Stevens Gallery, Columbia, MO. 573-442-4831
Smokebrush Gallery, Colorado Springs, CO., 719-444-1012
Culture Clash Gallery, Geraldine Alexander, Salida, CO 719-539-3118
Gallery O, Steve Hessler, 1354 H St. NE, Wash, DC 202-296-3171
Big Top Gallery, Adele Borie, New Orleans, LA 504-569-2700

Specific shows
Jan 2011 Solo show Big Top Gallery, New Orleans
Nov - Jan 1 Solo show, NSU Gallery, Natchitoches, La., My Louisiana, and Rocketships"
Sept ArtPrize, Grand Rapids Art Museum, "JFK and Rockets"
Aug Salida Fine Arts Fest
July "Objectiphilia", group show, in conjunction with the Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver Biennial
July Summer group show, perlow-stevens Gallery, Columbia, MO
June Solo show, Smokebrush Gallery, Co. Springs
May Jazz Fest, N.O.
Feb 2010 FREE art giveaway for the soul, and the masses, Culture Clash, Salida, CO
Dec. 2009 Eco-Market, green group show, Smokebrush Gallery, Co. Sprngs, CO.
Aug, 2009 Salida Fine Arts Fest, Colorado:
June 2009 Installation of large rocket sculpture, Salida, CO Sculpture Park
May 2009 Guest artist at Tony Fitzpatrick Gallery/Studio, Chicago during ArtChicago
Jan. 2009 "Art as Microscope on America", my own produced show in alternative space, Salida, CO., Inauguration art show and Ball
Oct.- Nov 2008 "United States of Amockracy", Big Top Gallery, New Orleans, for the election
Sept. 2008 Installation of 12' commissioned water heater rocketship at Gallery O, Wash, DC
2004 -2008 Cherry Creek Arts Fest, Denver, Co.
1998 - 2009 New Orleans Jazz Fest, Contemporary Arts
Nov. 2007 "Katrina to Colorado", solo show, Art & Soul, Boulder
May 2006 "Zero Gravity" space show, Sangre De Cristo Art Museum, Pueblo, CO
April 2006 "PRO-WARning", solo show, Big Top Gallery, New Orleans
April 2006 Mayor's Arts Awards trophies commissioned by the N.O. Arts Council
Aug 2005 Group show, Mendenhall-Sobieski Gallery, Pasadena, CA
March 2005 Featured artist, Alexandria Museum of Art, Alexandria, LA
Nov 2004 Recycled Art Show, Santa Fe, NM
Jan., 04 solo show, Jefferson Parish Library display, Metairie, La.
Sept., 03 "The Extraordinary From the Ordinary", City East Gallery, Atlanta
Sept., 03 International Assemblage Exhibition, Berlin, Germany
Sept., 03 "All Media Show", La. State University Gallery, Baton Rouge, La.
March, 03 "La. Purchase - Dis-Mantled", Barrister's Gallery, New Orleans
Feb., 03 ArtExpo, NYC
Jan., 03 Funeria Urn art show, San Francisco
Dec., 02 solo show Sylvia Schmidt Gallery, N.O., La.
June, 02 Art Museum of S. Texas, Corpus Christi, Biennial Exhibition
April, 02 "N.O. Dead Artists" show, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, NO, La.
Feb., 02 Coconut Grove Arts Fest, Miami, Fl.
Jan., 02 Funeria art show, San Francisco
Dec., 01 group show, National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis
Sept., 01 Plaza Art Fair, Kansas City, Mo.
March, 01 Winterpark Arts Fest, Orlando; 1st Place in Sculpture
Dec., 00 Forbidden Gallery, Dallas, Tx.
Oct., 00 Kentuck Arts Fest, Northport, Al.
Sept., 00 "Deluxe Rocketships and Bowling Ball Planets" ,
Mid-City Lanes Rock 'n Bowl, New Orleans, La., my own produced solo show
June, 00 "Gadgets & Gizmos" show, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery; N.O., La.
Feb., 00 "Material Resurrection" show; Arts Alliance of Haverstraw, NY
Nov., 99 Space Coast Arts Festival, Cocoa Beach, Fl.; Best Space Art Award
Nov., 99 La. Division of the Arts Grant
April, 99 "NO Dead Artists" show, Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, NO, La.
Dec., 98 group show, Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans
Nov., 98 National Ornamental Metal Museum, Memphis
May, 98 New Orleans Jazz Fest, Contemporary Arts "Most Unique Work" award
Oct., 97 "Art for Art's Sake" at U.F.O. retail/gallery, New Orleans
Sept., 97 Oculus Gallery grand opening show, Baton Rouge
April, 97 "NO Dead Artists" show, Positive Space, New Orleans
Dec., 1996 Purchased and started work on my first Deluxe Rocketship,
VR-1 (Vacuum Rocket) - 1952 Kenmore
Dec., 1996 Purchased and started work on my first Deluxe Rocketship, VR-1 (Vacuum Rocket) - 1952 Kenmore