Monday, July 27, 2015

junk art

This house near the Public Market in Rochester is almost a destination in itself. 
It's a bit difficult to describe - and almost as difficult to photograph well. But we met the owner as we were walking around the corner lot and he invited us in and walked us around his filled to the brim yard telling us the stories of everything in it. And trust me, there was a lot of stuff in his yard. Glass, metal, wood, granite, stones, plastic... As he said: one pink flamingo is sad, two or three is just tacky, but a couple dozen pink flamingos - or bowling balls - or croquet bats - or gnomes - is a statement. The roof of his shed was made from two dozen shower doors. And there are enough granite slabs to make any number of benches, statues or inukshuks.


















an original 'mailbox' for junk mail, which it seems the mail carrier uses!









The place is owned by artist Antoni Eckmair
 who has lived here for 30 years and is constantly working at it by using castoff bits of scrap.
These wavy shingles and the asymmetrical door appeal to me










There are collections of stuff, some of which has been put to use as garden features











too many shovels can an acorn make


these stacked papasan chairs were obviously liked by at least one other Rochester resident as we later found a similar sculpture in another garden







The property is on a corner lot and as you walk around it you see it's completely surrounded by fences and gates 














all of it hand crafted from bits and pieces of scrap (those are old roller skates, bottom right, not quite sure what that is on the left)


this portion of the fence is topped with a bowling ball track, which he demonstrated to us before we even had a chance to ask about it. Actually, he was very willing to talk about all his pieces of sculptural art. Apparently, he is so well known that people often come by to drop stuff off for him - whether he might want it or not, is another issue. But he will likely find some creative use for it. If you are ever in Rochester, find your way to Hayward Ave.  

Here is a video found on youtube that demonstrates the track.


a walk around a yard for Restless Jo
and a sign or two for Lesley

22 comments:

  1. What a totally incredible place! I was loving the acorn shovels but the bowling ball track is genius! What an amazing guy! And an amazing share too, Violet :) Thank you very much!

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    1. We were wondering about that track when we saw it from the sidewalk and were thrilled with the demonstration. I do love that shovel acorn, I must admit.

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  2. Oh I really really want to go there. I love where artists live it is like a journey through their minds. Incredible find. Hug B

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    1. We were lucky he happened to come home while we were there.

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  3. I think the wavy shingles are visually appealing as well. Those papasan chairs are definitely ugly. People certainly are creative. One man's junk is another man's treasure. It's the stories behind the pieces that make it interesting. The best part of the bowling ball demonstration was the noise it made. I've come across yards like this in the middle of the desert. To me, they look like junk yards, but then again, I didn't get the story.

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    1. I'm not a fan of the papasan chairs either.
      I did think it looked too junky - the best bit is the tiled address post and the 'imagine / dream' driveway gate.

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  4. Wow! Some of this is very attractive and all of it is intriguing - but I could never live with all that stuff. Must have been interesting to visit though.
    Anabel's Travel Blog

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    1. Yes, it was intriguing, but far too much clutter for my taste.

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  5. More and more junk art practitioners (for lack of better word) are found these days.

    My SIGNS, SIGNS

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    1. at least he does something with his hoarding.

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  6. Oh my. I'm afraid I'm more of a minimalist and this would drive me insane!
    I do like the imagine dream sign, though.

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    1. Then you would not have liked the bits that I didn't photograph! I asked him about his neighbours, and he seemed to feel they were cool with his junk yard. He also bought the house next door and rents it out!

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  7. Nice job! Tom The Backroads Traveller

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  8. This is fantastic! Rochester is really a hidden gem of a place. I always loved visiting there. :)

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    1. It is, isn't it? I had no idea how photogenic the place was!

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    2. Goodness, how extraordinary!

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  9. What a hoot. I love the bowling ball track with bells.

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  10. Whatan incredible place. That acorn shovel is quite something.

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  11. I would love to visit this place!

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