Stanley Szwarc’s Metalwork
May 6, 2009 at 11:20 pm 1 comment
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
Entry filed under: boxes, crosses, metal work, outsider artist, polish, spot weld, stanley szwarc.
detour art travels 
1.
Alison | May 29, 2009 at 12:12 am
I’m glad to see that Stanley is still working and receiving at least some of the admiration he so deserves. My late husband, Bill Miller, and I discovered Stanley at Casablanca Flea Market 20 years ago. Stanley has always given Bill credit for encouraging him to polish the boxes and charge more than $5.00. Stanley is a work of art, himself. I treasure the dozen boxes, crosses, mobiles, paperweights and so on that Stanley has given me over the years.Alison Hubbard-Miller 5/28/09