Stanley Szwarc’s Metalwork

After the “yogurt incident” and Holiday Inn Express, and the hunt for Starbucks, the day started with a visit to an metalworking artist that I have been hoping to meet for years, Stanley Szwarc.  

Stanley Szwarc, Sculpture (metal)

1929-

Lyon, IL

Former accountant Stanley Szwarc immigrated from Poland to Chicago in 1977.  With no skills in welding, but no desire to continue as a bookkeeper, Stanley found work at sheet metal company, learning to become a spot welder.  When business was slow, his boss told him to “just look busy.”  And so he did.

He picked up scraps of stainless steel slated to be tossed away and began to assemble them as boxes and crosses.  And so began his hobby-turned-passion.  Stanley’s work has caught the eye of Bill Swislow of Intuit and the Folk Art Society has honored him as well.  This former musician (and charmer) was left with a few less boxes as we departed his home.  Thanks Stanley for a day to remember!

Stanley and his son, Jacek

With over a million toothpicks, Wayne Kusy’s fleet is spectacular

The guys from Rare Visions got to Chicago last night, and we headed out this morning in search of a few roadside attractions (dancing hot dogs on the roof of Super Dawgs and a 50% actual size replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in front of the Niles YMCA) and an incredible toothpick artist, Wayne Kusy.  

Wayne Kusy, Toothpick Sculptures

1961-

Chicago, IL

Web programmer and musician Wayne Kusy began building things out of toothpicks in a 5th grade art class.  “I got a B+.”  The hobby turned to obsession ad ultimately to inspiration and over a million of round, flat, and square toothpicks later, he has built a fleet that has set sail for museums nationwide.

His 25-ft-long replica of the ocean liner “Queen Mary” took over 3 years to build with approx. 814,000 toothpicks.  16-ft-long British liner “Lusitania” used over 193,000 toothpicks and is on display at the American Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore.  

Wayne lives on a small apartment in Chicago, so small that the boats he has built cannot fit in it anymore.  He has designed them to be reassembled in segments, so that he can move them to public venues.  He carefully researches the boats’ blueprints, studies photographs, to make them as accurate as possible. His current schooner “Cutty Sark” has to be on a lean, supported by toothpick boxes, as the ceilings aren’t tall enough.