From TV Repairman to Artist, One Man Makes Art Out of Parts | Short Film Showcase

I saw a video once and it showed that

I saw a video once and it showed that the house of the future TV set in the

the house of the future TV set in the

the house of the future TV set in the refrigerator TV set in the counter TV

refrigerator TV set in the counter TV

refrigerator TV set in the counter TV set everywhere you know controls for

set everywhere you know controls for

set everywhere you know controls for this for that there I thought oh this is

this for that there I thought oh this is

this for that there I thought oh this is you’d have to have you haven’t

you’d have to have you haven’t

you’d have to have you haven’t have another room the house for the

have another room the house for the

have another room the house for the repairman because he’d always be fixing

repairman because he’d always be fixing

repairman because he’d always be fixing this stuff a third of the people fix

this stuff a third of the people fix

this stuff a third of the people fix everything they don’t believe in throw

everything they don’t believe in throw

everything they don’t believe in throw things away that’s our base and then

things away that’s our base and then

things away that’s our base and then there’s another third that thinks

there’s another third that thinks

there’s another third that thinks everything new is better in the middle

everything new is better in the middle

everything new is better in the middle are people that can go either way and so

are people that can go either way and so

are people that can go either way and so it’s always this battle between these

it’s always this battle between these

it’s always this battle between these these three groups of people we get a

these three groups of people we get a

these three groups of people we get a lot of older electronics in you know

lot of older electronics in you know

lot of older electronics in you know stereos from the 60s tube TV sets tube

stereos from the 60s tube TV sets tube

stereos from the 60s tube TV sets tube radios a lot of people are very thankful

radios a lot of people are very thankful

radios a lot of people are very thankful this somebody can do stuff like that

this somebody can do stuff like that

this somebody can do stuff like that otherwise they gotta keep buying

otherwise they gotta keep buying

otherwise they gotta keep buying something new my art is based on found

something new my art is based on found

something new my art is based on found objects and I pick up stuff that people

objects and I pick up stuff that people

objects and I pick up stuff that people bring us here and I get all kinds of

bring us here and I get all kinds of

bring us here and I get all kinds of stuff that I use in my work I use

stuff that I use in my work I use

stuff that I use in my work I use electronic parts I’ve been using that in

electronic parts I’ve been using that in

electronic parts I’ve been using that in my earliest pieces whatever works in a

my earliest pieces whatever works in a

my earliest pieces whatever works in a piece I’ll use

my work is California assemblage is the

my work is California assemblage is the word I like there’s lots of different

word I like there’s lots of different

word I like there’s lots of different words found objects sculpture by

words found objects sculpture by

words found objects sculpture by addition but for me California

addition but for me California

addition but for me California assemblage fits the best

I started working as an artist in 1962

I started working as an artist in 1962 my father was a machinist and he’d bring

my father was a machinist and he’d bring

my father was a machinist and he’d bring home all kinds of metals and things that

home all kinds of metals and things that

home all kinds of metals and things that scrap you know and I started putting

scrap you know and I started putting

scrap you know and I started putting things together and then I had the idea

things together and then I had the idea

things together and then I had the idea that an artwork should look back out at

that an artwork should look back out at

that an artwork should look back out at you you know what would that be and so I

you you know what would that be and so I

you you know what would that be and so I put a ball in and hooked it up to this

put a ball in and hooked it up to this

put a ball in and hooked it up to this Volkswagen wiper motor and an oil

Volkswagen wiper motor and an oil

Volkswagen wiper motor and an oil derrick there and that helped make the

derrick there and that helped make the

derrick there and that helped make the eyeball open up that ended up being my

eyeball open up that ended up being my

eyeball open up that ended up being my very first sculpture and I named it the

very first sculpture and I named it the

very first sculpture and I named it the protists I guess I liked just working

protists I guess I liked just working

protists I guess I liked just working with objects I didn’t even realize that

with objects I didn’t even realize that

with objects I didn’t even realize that it was really art I was just having fun

it was really art I was just having fun

it was really art I was just having fun playing with these things

you can make art and the living off

you can make art and the living off doing this stuff you know this is art

doing this stuff you know this is art

doing this stuff you know this is art listen just the paintings and drawings

listen just the paintings and drawings

listen just the paintings and drawings that he’s doing it’s sculpture I spent a

that he’s doing it’s sculpture I spent a

that he’s doing it’s sculpture I spent a lot of time trying to get galleries

lot of time trying to get galleries

lot of time trying to get galleries attention

attention

attention I took the hundred dollar bill I put it

I took the hundred dollar bill I put it

I took the hundred dollar bill I put it behind glass but a frame attached a

behind glass but a frame attached a

behind glass but a frame attached a hammer to it and wood lettering on it I

hammer to it and wood lettering on it I

hammer to it and wood lettering on it I put in case of emergency and I sent this

put in case of emergency and I sent this

put in case of emergency and I sent this off to a local art gallery and I get a

off to a local art gallery and I get a

off to a local art gallery and I get a letter back saying oh well we had a lot

letter back saying oh well we had a lot

letter back saying oh well we had a lot of fun with the piece we broke the glass

of fun with the piece we broke the glass

of fun with the piece we broke the glass we divided the hundred dollars amongst

we divided the hundred dollars amongst

we divided the hundred dollars amongst ourselves and then we threw everything

ourselves and then we threw everything

ourselves and then we threw everything in the trash can but we kept the hammer

in the trash can but we kept the hammer

in the trash can but we kept the hammer because you can never have too many

because you can never have too many

because you can never have too many Hanover’s in a in our art gallery I

Hanover’s in a in our art gallery I

Hanover’s in a in our art gallery I realized later I should assign the

realized later I should assign the

realized later I should assign the hammer at least I would have had a piece

hammer at least I would have had a piece

hammer at least I would have had a piece in art gallery some artists that make

in art gallery some artists that make

in art gallery some artists that make the same thing for ten years the same

the same thing for ten years the same

the same thing for ten years the same piece a variation over and over and over

piece a variation over and over and over

piece a variation over and over and over and I thought when I started that’s what

and I thought when I started that’s what

and I thought when I started that’s what I had to do and so he did several like

I had to do and so he did several like

I had to do and so he did several like that and by the fifth one I said that’s

that and by the fifth one I said that’s

that and by the fifth one I said that’s it I can’t do this I want to do

it I can’t do this I want to do

it I can’t do this I want to do something differently and so they took

something differently and so they took

something differently and so they took off in my own direction I mean I want to

off in my own direction I mean I want to

off in my own direction I mean I want to do something different I want to play

do something different I want to play

do something different I want to play with different materials I mean I’ve

with different materials I mean I’ve

with different materials I mean I’ve used concrete I use nails I use cement

used concrete I use nails I use cement

used concrete I use nails I use cement the spaghetti up there I mean I I like

the spaghetti up there I mean I I like

the spaghetti up there I mean I I like to work with different stuff one of the

to work with different stuff one of the

to work with different stuff one of the most difficult pieces was a rendition of

most difficult pieces was a rendition of

most difficult pieces was a rendition of van Gogh’s Starry Night with nails to

van Gogh’s Starry Night with nails to

van Gogh’s Starry Night with nails to figure out how to take that painting and

figure out how to take that painting and

figure out how to take that painting and render it with nails was was quite a

render it with nails was was quite a

render it with nails was was quite a feat

feat

feat that piece took a 135 hours to build the

that piece took a 135 hours to build the

that piece took a 135 hours to build the Spruce Goose took 500 hours

and the erector set piece of lost count

and the erector set piece of lost count I had gone to this antique store and I

I had gone to this antique store and I

I had gone to this antique store and I saw the rector set down there and I said

saw the rector set down there and I said

saw the rector set down there and I said well how much for that he’s 125 that’s

well how much for that he’s 125 that’s

well how much for that he’s 125 that’s okay great I didn’t realize there was 13

okay great I didn’t realize there was 13

okay great I didn’t realize there was 13 of them he starts pulling one out and

of them he starts pulling one out and

of them he starts pulling one out and another out and another one out it’s

another out and another one out it’s

another out and another one out it’s it’s massive so I made all these little

it’s massive so I made all these little

it’s massive so I made all these little elements that move that you could do

elements that move that you could do

elements that move that you could do with this with these toys and I’ve been

with this with these toys and I’ve been

with this with these toys and I’ve been working on that piece for off and on now

working on that piece for off and on now

working on that piece for off and on now for 20 years it’s just the biggest

for 20 years it’s just the biggest

for 20 years it’s just the biggest massive piece I’ve ever made it’s

massive piece I’ve ever made it’s

massive piece I’ve ever made it’s important for me to sell my work

important for me to sell my work

important for me to sell my work especially now because the store what

especially now because the store what

especially now because the store what that is supported it’s getting tougher

that is supported it’s getting tougher

that is supported it’s getting tougher and tougher to survive now more never I

and tougher to survive now more never I

and tougher to survive now more never I really have to cut back on certain

really have to cut back on certain

really have to cut back on certain pieces I like to do because I don’t have

pieces I like to do because I don’t have

pieces I like to do because I don’t have the money to do them

the money to do them

the money to do them I sometimes think that van Gogh had

I sometimes think that van Gogh had

I sometimes think that van Gogh had pretty easy yet somebody gets somebody

pretty easy yet somebody gets somebody

pretty easy yet somebody gets somebody sending him money rents were cheap you

sending him money rents were cheap you

sending him money rents were cheap you know he he went nuts and went into the

know he he went nuts and went into the

know he he went nuts and went into the asylum I’m thinking who paid for that I

asylum I’m thinking who paid for that I

asylum I’m thinking who paid for that I mean today if you went in an asylum

mean today if you went in an asylum

mean today if you went in an asylum you’d be bankrupt when you came out I

you’d be bankrupt when you came out I

you’d be bankrupt when you came out I mean how I mean I can’t go nuts I mean I

mean how I mean I can’t go nuts I mean I

mean how I mean I can’t go nuts I mean I can’t afford it it’s a real shame to

can’t afford it it’s a real shame to

can’t afford it it’s a real shame to throw something away that has just the

throw something away that has just the

throw something away that has just the loose ribbon cable or small parts and

loose ribbon cable or small parts and

loose ribbon cable or small parts and the power supply since things are being

the power supply since things are being

the power supply since things are being made more cheaply sometimes people just

made more cheaply sometimes people just

made more cheaply sometimes people just go buy a new one and don’t get it fixed

go buy a new one and don’t get it fixed

go buy a new one and don’t get it fixed somebody else came buyer of a writer and

somebody else came buyer of a writer and

somebody else came buyer of a writer and he says it’d be shame to break up this

he says it’d be shame to break up this

he says it’d be shame to break up this collection he says what if somebody

collection he says what if somebody

collection he says what if somebody bought the whole thing yeah that’s a

bought the whole thing yeah that’s a

bought the whole thing yeah that’s a great 1900 and keep it together one sale

great 1900 and keep it together one sale

great 1900 and keep it together one sale be beautiful

when I make art I don’t feel anything I

when I make art I don’t feel anything I mean I’m just that’s my vacation I get

mean I’m just that’s my vacation I get

mean I’m just that’s my vacation I get to have a vacation every every weekend I

can relax and it wasn’t for that I mean

can relax and it wasn’t for that I mean why what’s the point