2000
April 2000. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 8 × 17 × 6 in (20 × 43 × 15 cm).
Private collection - Sarasota FL
April 2000. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 12 × 18 × 6 in (30 × 46 × 15 cm).
Private collection
The Tiller series grows from my interest in tools and agricultural implements as extensions of the human hand—objects that cultivate, shape, and engage the land. The title also evokes the tiller of a boat, a simple device used to steer and determine direction. Bringing these meanings together, the works explore the relationship between cultivation and navigation—our impulse both to shape the world around us and to chart a course through it.
May 2000. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 60 × 34 × 24 in (152 × 86 × 61 cm).
Corporate collection - Washington, DC
May 2000. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 17 × 10 × 5 in (43 × 25 × 13 cm).
Cannibalized to make “Rollover 02” (T-02-40)
June 2000. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 22 × 10 × 5 in (56 × 25 × 13 cm).
Private collection - New York State
Many of Van Alstine’s works take inspiration from the movement of the human body. This work can be seen as a kind of self-portrait, suggesting his studio process—literally juggling and repositioning the individual elements of a sculpture until they achieve a moment of perfect balance, then freezing that moment in space through welding. More universally, juggling becomes a metaphor for the way we all balance the competing demands of family, work, play, and responsibility.
The anvil, which appears in a number of the artist’s works, represents both the ultimate heavy object to “juggle” and the act of assembly itself—the forging together of object, material, and ideas that is central to Van Alstine’s work.
July 2000. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 16 × 22 × 5 in (41 × 56 × 13 cm).
Collection: Adirondack Museum, Blue Mountain Lake, NY
July 2000. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 12 × 20 × 7 in (30 × 51 × 18 cm). Private Collection.
Many of Van Alstine’s works take inspiration from the movement of the human body. This work can be seen as a kind of self-portrait, suggesting his studio process—literally juggling and repositioning the individual elements of a sculpture until they achieve a moment of perfect balance, then freezing that moment in space through welding. More universally, juggling becomes a metaphor for the way we all balance the competing demands of family, work, play, and responsibility.
The anvil, which appears in a number of the artist’s works, represents both the ultimate heavy object to “juggle” and the act of assembly itself—the forging together of object, material, and ideas that is central to Van Alstine’s work.
August 2000. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 16 × 21 × 6 in (41 × 53 × 15 cm). Private collection - New York State
Many of Van Alstine’s works take inspiration from the movement of the human body. This work can be seen as a kind of self-portrait, suggesting his studio process—literally juggling and repositioning the individual elements of a sculpture until they achieve a moment of perfect balance, then freezing that moment in space through welding. More universally, juggling becomes a metaphor for the way we all balance the competing demands of family, work, play, and responsibility.
The anvil, which appears in a number of the artist’s works, represents both the ultimate heavy object to “juggle” and the act of assembly itself—the forging together of object, material, and ideas that is central to Van Alstine’s work.
October 2000. Granite, bronze. Dimensions: 16 × 14 × 6 in (41 × 36 × 15 cm). Private collection - Los Angles, CA
Many of Van Alstine’s works take inspiration from the movement of the human body. This work can be seen as a kind of self-portrait, suggesting his studio process—literally juggling and repositioning the individual elements of a sculpture until they achieve a moment of perfect balance, then freezing that moment in space through welding. More universally, juggling becomes a metaphor for the way we all balance the competing demands of family, work, play, and responsibility.
The anvil, which appears in a number of the artist’s works, represents both the ultimate heavy object to “juggle” and the act of assembly itself—the forging together of object, material, and ideas that is central to Van Alstine’s work.
October 2000. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 15 × 17 × 6 in (38 × 43 × 15 cm). Private collection - New York State
Many of Van Alstine’s works take inspiration from the movement of the human body. This work can be seen as a kind of self-portrait, suggesting his studio process—literally juggling and repositioning the individual elements of a sculpture until they achieve a moment of perfect balance, then freezing that moment in space through welding. More universally, juggling becomes a metaphor for the way we all balance the competing demands of family, work, play, and responsibility.
The anvil, which appears in a number of the artist’s works, represents both the ultimate heavy object to “juggle” and the act of assembly itself—the forging together of object, material, and ideas that is central to Van Alstine’s work.
November 2000. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 112 × 40 × 28 in (284 × 102 × 71 cm).
As its title suggests, this work was inspired and pays homage to the classical greek sculpture by Polyclitus, DORYPHORUS (Spear Bearer) c.450-440 B.C. This Greek work (below) is a quintessential example of contropposto (counterpoise), the Italian word we use to describe the “S-like” vertical line (or, to be exact, a reverse S-curve) that runs through figurative sculpture. It is this development that allowed the Greeks to convincingly convey motion or life in a non moving piece of stone.
Van Alstine's granite and bronze "Doryphorus" convincingly exhibits the reverse "S" curve. His attraction and affection for this period of classical work is precisely because of the way the ancients were able to breath life and movement into inanimate materials, a concept at the very core of his work for over 25 years.
September 2002. Indiana Limestone, steel. Dimensions: 19 × 33 × 8 in (48 × 84 × 20 cm).
Private colletion - Johnstown, NY
1999
March 1999. Painted granite, steel. Dimensions: 88 × 18 × 18 in (224 × 46 × 46 cm).
Private collections
May 1999. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 6’h × 8’w × 4’d (183 cm × 244 cm × 122 cm).
Private collection - NJ
Pique à terre is a term from classical French ballet for a pose with one toe touching the ground, the other foot firmly planted, and a sweeping arm gesture. Once you are aware of the title, when you see the piece the connection is clear. I am in a sense choreographing these works, getting a heavy weight off the ground and making it dance—taking what is often seen as a negative, the fact that stone is damn heavy and a big hassle to move around, and turning it into a positive. It is this transition that helps give theses pieces their magic"*.
*from: Bones of the Earth, Spirit of the Land. The Sculpture of John Van Alstine
May 1999. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 45 × 11 × 8 in (114 × 28 × 20 cm).
Corporate collection - Hartford, CT
August 1999. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 41 × 59 × 31 in (104 × 150 × 79 cm).
"Some more recent pieces refer to movement of the figure, particularly the Juggler and Pique à Terre series. Pique à terre is a term from classical French ballet for a pose with one toe touching the ground, the other foot firmly planted, and a sweeping arm gesture. Once you are aware of the title, when you see the piece the connection is clear. I am in a sense choreographing these works, getting a heavy weight off the ground and making it dance—taking what is often seen as a negative, the fact that stone is damn heavy and a big hassle to move around, and turning it into a positive. It is this transition that helps give theses pieces their magic".
from : Bones of the Earth, Spirit of the Land. The Sculpture of John Van Alstine
September 1999. Painted granite, steel. Dimensions: 16.5 × 15.5 × 5 in (42 × 39 × 13 cm).
Private collection - Toronto, Canada
September 1999. Painted granite, steel. Dimensions: 15 × 10 × 4 in (38 × 25 × 10 cm).
Private collection
September 1999. Painted granite, steel. Dimensions: 18 × 8 × 7 in (46 × 20 × 18 cm).
Private collection
gimlet noun
gim·?let | 'gim-l?t
Definition of gimlet : a small tool with a screw point, grooved shank, and cross handle for boring holes
September 1999. Painted granite, steel. Dimensions: 15 × 20 × 3.5 in (38 × 51 × 9 cm).
Private collection
September 1999. Painted granite, steel. Dimensions: 14 × 14 × 4 in (36 × 36 × 10 cm).
Private collection
September 1999. Painted granite, steel. Dimensions: 16.5 × 19 × 4 in (42 × 48 × 10 cm).
Private collection
November 1999. Painted granite, steel. Dimensions: 66 × 14 × 10 in (168 × 36 × 25 cm).
Private collections
November 1999. Bronze. Dimensions: 47 × 28 × 10 in (119 × 71 × 25 cm).
Cannibalized
November 1999. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 22 × 31 × 9 in (56 × 79 × 23 cm).
Private collection
November 1999. Bronze, field stone. Dimensions: 56 × 20 × 11 in (142 × 51 × 28 cm).
Private collection
1998
January 1998. Steel. Dimensions: 34 × 17 × 4 in (86 × 43 × 10 cm).
Private collection
January 1998. Pink granite, steel. Dimensions: 36 × 20 × 8 in (91 × 51 × 20 cm).
Corporate collection
February 1998. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 25 × 22 × 8 in (64 × 56 × 20 cm). Private collection - Washington, DC
Many of Van Alstine’s works take inspiration from the movement of the human body. This work can be seen as a kind of self-portrait, suggesting his studio process—literally juggling and repositioning the individual elements of a sculpture until they achieve a moment of perfect balance, then freezing that moment in space through welding. More universally, juggling becomes a metaphor for the way we all balance the competing demands of family, work, play, and responsibility.
The anvil, which appears in a number of the artist’s works, represents both the ultimate heavy object to “juggle” and the act of assembly itself—the forging together of object, material, and ideas that is central to Van Alstine’s work.
February 1998. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 27.5 × 45 × 9 in (70 × 114 × 23 cm).
Private collection
March 1998. Aluminum, bronze, granite. Dimensions: 74 × 30 × 24 in (188 × 76 × 61 cm).
Private collection Palm Desert, CA
March 1998. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 10 × 9 × 3 in (25 × 23 × 8 cm).
Private collection
March 1998. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 19 × 8 × 4 in (48 × 20 × 10 cm).
Private collection.
Fax; Latin for torch, especially as carried at weddings and funerals.
March 1998. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 16 × 9 × 3.5 in (41 × 23 × 9 cm).
FAX takes its name from the Latin word meaning “torch,” which the physical arrangement of stone and steel suggests. The sculpture rises in a dramatic upward sweep, achieving a sense of precarious balance—a quality I often strive for and one that has become a signature feature of much of my work.
The piece also reflects an important aspect of my sculpture: the transformation of the viewer’s perception of material. If we accept the idea of a torch suggested by the title, the stone shifts in our imagination from something earthbound, heavy, and solid to something more like the gaseous energy of a chemical reaction—fire itself. It is this transformation that gives the work its power and invites the viewer to return, drawn again to its mystery and magic.
April 1998. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 11 × 11 × 5 in (28 × 28 × 13 cm).
Private collection
June 1998. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 20.5 × 10 × 5 in (52 × 25 × 13 cm).
Private collection
July 1998. Bronze. Dimensions: 39 × 16 × 22 in (99 × 41 × 56 cm).
Private collection
December 1998. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: (52"h x49"w x14"d).
Private collection -Santa Fe NM, USA
December 1998. Bronze, rose granite. Dimensions: 26 × 38 × 11 in (66 × 97 × 28 cm).
Private collection - Washington, DC
December 1998. Bronze, slate. Dimensions: 31 × 16 × 8 in (79 × 41 × 20 cm).
Amalthea is a figure in Greek mythology—often depicted as a nurturing nymph or goat who fed the infant Zeus with her milk. In the myth, one of her horns became the Cornucopia, the horn of plenty, a symbol of nourishment and abundance. Her name is often interpreted as meaning “tender goddess” or “to soothe.”
In this work, Van Alstine invokes Amalthea as a metaphor for the sustaining power of art, expressing his belief that the arts nourish and sustain the human soul.
1997
January 1997. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 26 × 39 × 16 in (66 × 99 × 41 cm).
Private collection - Pittsburgh, PA
July 1997. Steel. Dimensions: 80 × 23 × 32 in (203 × 58 × 81 cm).
Incorporated into new sculpture: “Cornucopia with Columns”
June 1997. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 113 × 66 × 43 in (287 × 168 × 109 cm).
Collection: City of Alexandria, VA
August 1997. Granite. Dimensions: 24 × 26 × 10 in (61 × 66 × 25 cm).
Private Collection.
The Tiller series grows from my interest in tools and agricultural implements as extensions of the human hand—objects that cultivate, shape, and engage the land. The title also evokes the tiller of a boat, a simple device used to steer and determine direction. Bringing these meanings together, the works explore the relationship between cultivation and navigation—our impulse both to shape the world around us and to chart a course through it.
October 1997. Bronze, pink granit. Dimensions: 12 × 5 × 2 in (30 × 13 × 5 cm).
Private collection - Germany
December 1997. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 22 × 16 × 7 in (56 × 41 × 18 cm).
Private collection
December 1997. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 30 × 26 × 8 in (76 × 66 × 20 cm).
Private collection - Beaver Creek, CO
December 1997. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 88 × 60 × 42 in (224 × 152 × 107 cm). Collection: SUNY Potsdam, Potsdam, New York. Gift of Don and Kathy Lougheed with additional support of Robert and Wendy Wagner.
Pompadour refers to Madame de Pompadour and, more specifically, to the distinctive hairstyle associated with her and its many later iterations—from the Gibson Girls of the early 20th century to the exaggerated pompadours of the 1950s. The sculpture’s granite and steel configuration—with its upward sweep, crest, elaborate profile, and figurative quality—evokes the form and character of the pompadour.
Van Alstine’s sculptures from this period frequently use titles to introduce figurative, mythological, historical, nautical, or metaphorical associations into otherwise abstract arrangements. His work, therefore, is not simply formal abstraction; titles, as in this case, can provide an important interpretive key.
1996
February 1996. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 71 × 65 × 40 in (180 × 165 × 102 cm).
Private collection Washington, DC
Symplegades (sim-PLEG-uh-deez) The Clashing Rocks, which smashed together upon any ship passing between them. Jason and the Argonauts had been advised to avoid this trap by causing a bird to fly ahead of their vessel. The Symplegades clashed together on its tail feathers, then drew apart in readiness to clash again. At this moment, the Argonauts sailed through safely, with only minor damage to the very stern of their ship.
February 1996. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 53 × 24 × 10 in (135 × 61 × 25 cm).
Private collection
February 1996. Granite, steel, bronze. Dimensions: 17 × 4 × 20 in (43 × 10 × 51 cm).
Charon, the mythical ferryman, is charged with transporting the deceased across the River Styx to the underworld. The vessel - my attempt to simulate an Adirondack like guide boat in steel – with its out-stretched oar, un-inhibited trailing “rope” and attached coin to “pay passage”- is poised atop the long black pole or stick/styx. It is aiming for its destination, the large cleat below (under) the globe like, metal buoy. The piece, contrary to perhaps its first impression is not about death or dying, but rather quite the opposite. The “final” journey is portrayed as a wild almost carnival-like passage, reminding us of the importance of each day and the necessity to live each one fully.
John Van Alstine
March 1996. Green granite, steel. Dimensions: 33 × 16 × 8 in (84 × 41 × 20 cm).
Private collection
Many of my works incorporate anvils, either real or cast. Anvils have the shape suggestive of a boat or vessel which implies journey which interests me. But further, as a metal worker and “assembler”, the anvil is the place where I physically and conceptually forge things together; for me it is the symbolic place where the “art” is born - there is an art spirit that comes off the anvil. It‘s almost like an altar. I've titled many of these pieces Ara, which is Latin for altar.
June 1996. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 25 × 11 × 14 in (64 × 28 × 36 cm).
Private collection
July 1996. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 110 × 53 × 31 in (279 × 135 × 79 cm).
"Labyrinth Trophy" was inspired by the myth of Theseus slaying the Minotaur and his use of the ball of thread that Princess Anadne, daughter of King Minos, gave him to find his way out.
SOLD
1996. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 92 × 43 × 30 in (234 × 109 × 76 cm).
The Latin title translates as “Stone Sail;” the sculpture features a bronze vessel careening off a sparkling gray granite “waterfall”, together they present an interesting suite of ironies.
Stone that we perceive as durable, ageless and heavy takes on the visual fluidity and capriciousness of water, reminding us that granite, an igneous stone, was once liquid. A sail generally get its billowing shape from something as ephemeral as the wind. Sparkling bits of cystatin mica embedded in the granite bring to mind sun sparkling on freshly fallen snow. All these characteristics and associations are quite the opposite of our traditional understanding of stone.
Art often confronts us with these conceptual reversals allowing, or sometimes forcing, us “to see” our preconceived ideas differently. When successful, it can re-align our instinctive understanding of the “real world” and open us up to new ideas and experiences.
John Van Alstine
October 1996. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 13 × 18 × 5 in (33 × 46 × 13 cm).
Private collection - Philadelphia
November 1996. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 44 × 20 × 8 in (112 × 51 × 20 cm). Private collection
Many of Van Alstine’s works take inspiration from the movement of the human body. This work can be seen as a kind of self-portrait, suggesting his studio process—literally juggling and repositioning the individual elements of a sculpture until they achieve a moment of perfect balance, then freezing that moment in space through welding. More universally, juggling becomes a metaphor for the way we all balance the competing demands of family, work, play, and responsibility.
The anvil, which appears in a number of the artist’s works, represents both the ultimate heavy object to “juggle” and the act of assembly itself—the forging together of object, material, and ideas that is central to Van Alstine’s work.
November 1996. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 16 × 14 × 5 in (41 × 36 × 13 cm).
Many of my works incorporate anvils, either real or cast. The anvil’s form, reminiscent of a boat or vessel, carries an inherent suggestion of journey—an idea that has long fascinated me. As a metalworker and “assembler,” I regard the anvil as both a physical and conceptual forge, the place where things come together and where the act of making transforms into art. For me, it holds an almost sacred presence—an altar of creation. In fact, I’ve titled a number of these works Ara, the Latin word for “altar.”
December 1996. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 44 × 22 × 20 in (112 × 56 × 51 cm).
Private collection - Baltimore
Amalthea is a figure in Greek mythology—often depicted as a nurturing nymph or goat who fed the infant Zeus with her milk. In the myth, one of her horns became the Cornucopia, the horn of plenty, a symbol of nourishment and abundance. Her name is often interpreted as meaning “tender goddess” or “to soothe.”
In this work, Van Alstine invokes Amalthea as a metaphor for the sustaining power of art, expressing his belief that the arts nourish and sustain the human soul.
December 1996. Bronze, green granite. Dimensions: 16 × 12 × 6 in (41 × 30 × 15 cm).
Private collection.
December 1996. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 19 × 12 × 9 in (48 × 30 × 23 cm).
Private collection - Baltimore
December 1996. Bronze. Dimensions: 22 × 36 × 11 in (56 × 91 × 28 cm).
Private collection
1995
January 1995. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 47 × 75 × 24 in (119 × 191 × 61 cm).
Private collection - Atlanta, GA
January 1995. Bronze, pink granite. Dimensions: 15 × 13 × 4 in (38 × 33 × 10 cm).
Private Collection.
Clavus meaning a ship's rudder/tiller in certain Latin nautical usages. In fact, the expression ad clavum sedere essentially means “to sit at the helm.”
January 1995. Bronze. Dimensions: 24 × 41 × 8 in (61 × 104 × 20 cm).
Private collection - Baltimore
February 1995. Alum, granite, steel. Dimensions: 128 × 50 × 36 in (325 × 127 × 91 cm).
Public collection - Millersville University, PA
Comprised of raw granite and a large aeronautical fragment, the combination, scale, and positioning transforms the found “elements” into a upward reaching “cup of life”.
February 1995. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 88 × 60 × 19 in (224 × 152 × 48 cm).
Cannabilized
February 1995. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 22.5 × 22 × 10 in (57 × 56 × 25 cm).
Private collection
Circinus, Its name means “the compass” in Latin.
It is one of the 14 southern constellations named by French astronomer Abbé Nicolas Louis de Lacaille after his trip to the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa in 1756. It was named for its shape, which resembles a drawing compass.
May 1995. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 126 × 72 × 42 in (320 × 183 × 107 cm).
Cannabilized
May 1995. Granite, bronze. Dimensions: 50 × 26 × 94 in (127 × 66 × 239 cm).
Private collection - Baltimore, MD
June 1995. Aluminum, granite, steel. Dimensions: 16’h × 14’w × 10’d.
Tether (Boy's Toys) grew from two formative experiences. As a child, I was fascinated by rural mailboxes mounted on lengths of welded chain that seemed to dance in my boyish imagination. Years later, during my first scuba dive, I looked upward to see boats drifting gently overhead, suspended from their anchor chains. That underwater view—where massive vessels appeared to float effortlessly—left a lasting impression.
At the time, my Jersey City studio overlooked the Hudson River and was filled with objects gathered from nearby marine salvage yards: anchors, heavy chain, buoys, pontoons, and cleats. Tether brings these memories together, recreating the sensation of looking upward through water at a vessel held in delicate balance. The subtitle, Boy's Toys, emerged during the sculpture's creation, referring both to its unmistakably phallic form and, with a touch of humor, to the oversized objects that have long captivated—and occasionally gotten the masculine imagination into trouble.
— John Van Alstine
August 1995. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 22 × 32 × 9 in (56 × 81 × 23 cm).
Private collection - New York State
August 1995. Granite, aluminum, bronze. Dimensions: 149 × 52 × 3 in (378 × 132 × 8 cm).
September 1995. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 14 × 21 × 16 in (36 × 53 × 41 cm). Private collection - Baltimore
Many of Van Alstine’s works take inspiration from the movement of the human body. This work can be seen as a kind of self-portrait, suggesting his studio process—literally juggling and repositioning the individual elements of a sculpture until they achieve a moment of perfect balance, then freezing that moment in space through welding. More universally, juggling becomes a metaphor for the way we all balance the competing demands of family, work, play, and responsibility.
The anvil, which appears in a number of the artist’s works, represents both the ultimate heavy object to “juggle” and the act of assembly itself—the forging together of object, material, and ideas that is central to Van Alstine’s work.
October 1995. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 9 × 11 × 3 in (23 × 28 × 8 cm).
Private collection
October 1995. Granite, bronze, steel. Dimensions: 9 × 17 × 5 in (23 × 43 × 13 cm).
Private collection - Baltimore, MD
December 1995. Bronze. Dimensions: 126 × 72 × 42 in (320 × 183 × 107 cm).
Atlas/Highroller is a work that operates on several formal and conceptual levels.
The formal design of this bronze sculpture suggests a human form shouldering a globe and can be viewed as a reference to the Atlas, the mythic bearer of the Earth.
The second part of the title, Highroller is two pronged. The large sphere at the top of the work is perched precariously on a sloping linear element - there is a visual sense that it will "roll off of a high place" which when coupled with the title brings to mind the indeterminacy of high stakes gambling. This idea is further underscored by the fact that the sphere or globe is a bronze casting of an actual Navy sea mine - used for underwater detonations. The "explosive" reference together with the global/earth symbolism of the Atlas myth, will hopefully enlighten viewers to the probable environment trouble ahead and raise awareness that might amend our collective behavior .
October 1996. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 117 × 60 × 27 in (297 × 152 × 69 cm).
Private collection, Bluffton, SC
1994
January 1994. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 98 × 100 × 52 in (249 × 254 × 132 cm).
Public collection - Art Center at Highland Park, Highland Park, IL, Chicago
January 1994. Granite, bronze. Dimensions: 87 × 76 × 32 in (221 × 193 × 81 cm).
(“Cannibalized” by artist - parts used to make new work)
March 1994. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 20 × 16 × 8 in (51 × 41 × 20 cm).
The English word coulter (a plow blade) derives from the Latin word culter, meaning "a knife," "plowshare," or "cutting instrument". It entered Middle English as culter from Old English, maintaining the original Latin sense of a sharp tool used to cut the ground before the plowshare
March 1994. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 22 × 16 × 4 in (56 × 41 × 10 cm).
Private collection
March 1994. slate, steel. Dimensions: 15.5 × 19 × 5 in (39 × 48 × 13 cm).
As a sculptor I've always been interested in tools, implements, and instruments. I see them as extensions of the artists' hand, important allies. I am also drawn to their raw, efficient beauty of form dictated by function. I am certainly not unique in using tools, David Smith, Jim Dine, Picasso and many others have staked out some very impressive territory. But I feel I have something to add to the mix based on my unique experiences and perspective.
John Van Alstine from "Bones of the Earth"
April 1994. Granite, bronze. Dimensions: 96 × 93 × 64 in (244 × 236 × 163 cm).
Private collection
The Tiller series grows from my interest in tools and agricultural implements as extensions of the human body—objects that cultivate, shape, and engage the land. The title also evokes the tiller of a boat, a simple device used to steer and determine direction. Bringing these meanings together, the works explore the relationship between cultivation and navigation—our impulse both to shape the world around us and to chart a course through it.
May 1994. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 124 × 55 × 50 in (315 × 140 × 127 cm).
Cornua is the nominative/accusative plural of the Latin noun cornu (fourth declension, neuter), meaning "horns," "hooves," "beaks," or "ends". It frequently refers to the wings of an army, projecting parts of a structure (such as the ends of a scroll), or anatomical horn-shaped structures.
Destroyed by Oct 2019 flood, parts used in new 2020 works.
July 1994. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 13 × 15 × 4 in (33 × 38 × 10 cm).
Private collection - Washington, DC
August 1994. Granite, bronze. Dimensions: 25 × 40 × 11 in (64 × 102 × 28 cm).
Private collection - Washington, DC
September 1994. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 172 × 205 × 128 in (437 × 521 × 325 cm).
November 1994. Granite, bronze. Dimensions: 12 × 16 × 4 in (30 × 41 × 10 cm).
Private collection: New York
November 1994. Granite, bronze. Dimensions: 8 × 12 × 4.5 in (20 × 30 × 11 cm).
As a sculptor, I have always been fascinated by tools, implements, and instruments. I see them as extensions of the hand—essential allies in the act of making—and am drawn to their raw, efficient beauty, shaped over time by function and necessity. They also embody human ingenuity, labor, and our impulse to shape and engage the world around us.
Throughout my work, agricultural implements—rakes, plow blades, sledges, and tillers—as well as anvils, scales, compasses, and other instruments become both sculptural forms and vehicles for metaphor, suggesting ideas of balance, navigation, transformation, and our relationship to the natural world.
December 1994. Bronze, granite. Dimensions: 60 × 85 × 31 in (152 × 216 × 79 cm).
Private collection - Baltimore, MD
The Tiller series grows from my interest in tools and agricultural implements as extensions of the human body—objects that cultivate, shape, and engage the land. The title also evokes the tiller of a boat, a simple device used to steer and determine direction. Bringing these meanings together, the works explore the relationship between cultivation and navigation—our impulse both to shape the world around us and to chart a course through it.
1993
June 1993. Granite, bronze, steel. Dimensions: APPROX 200' (APPROX 508 cm).
Custom interior railing project and table, Aspen, CO
Artery Sunwork
August 1993
Granite, bronze, and steel
16 × 8 × 8 ft (4.9 × 2.4 × 2.4 m)
Artery Sunwork (1991–93) was commissioned for the headquarters of Artery Organization, Inc., in Bethesda, Maryland, just north of the DC line. A mature expression of John Van Alstine's Celestial Works series, the sculpture functions as a solar calendar, aligned on a true north–south axis. At solar noon, a suspended bronze element casts a shadow that records each day's position within the annual cycle, reaching its longest point at the summer solstice and its shortest at the winter solstice.
Inspired by prehistoric solar monuments, the work unites monumental granite, bronze, and steel in a sculpture that bridges art, science, and landscape. By transforming the changing movement of sunlight into a visible measure of time, Artery Sunwork invites viewers to experience the enduring rhythms of the natural world within a contemporary setting.
MORE INFO: Artery Sunwork chapter in AMERICAN MONUMENTS
October 1993. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 24 × 16 × 8 in (61 × 41 × 20 cm).
Private collection
October 1993. Gray granite, steel. Dimensions: 18 × 13 × 7 in (46 × 33 × 18 cm).
Private collection - Washington, DC
October 1993. Gray granite, bronze. Dimensions: 32 × 27 × 18 in (81 × 69 × 46 cm).
Private collection
Cygnus is a northern constellation on the plane of the Milky Way , deriving its name from the Latinized Greek word for swan . [1] Cygnus is one of the most recognizable constellations of the northern summer and autumn, and it features a prominent asterism known as the Northern Cross (in contrast to the Southern Cross )
December 1993. Green granite, bronze. Dimensions: 98 × 80 × 32 in (249 × 203 × 81 cm).
On permanent loan: Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ
Many of Van Alstine’s works take inspiration from the movement of the human body. This work can be seen as a kind of self-portrait, suggesting his studio process—literally juggling and repositioning the individual elements of a sculpture until they achieve a moment of perfect balance, then freezing that moment in space through welding. More universally, juggling becomes a metaphor for the way we all balance the competing demands of family, work, play, and responsibility.
The anvil, which appears in a number of the artist’s works, represents both the ultimate heavy object to “juggle” and the act of assembly itself—the forging together of object, material, and ideas that is central to Van Alstine’s work.
1992
January 1992. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 22 × 12 × 6 in (56 × 30 × 15 cm).
The English word "coulter" (a plow blade) derives from the Latin word culter, which means a "knife," "plowshare," or "razor". In Roman agriculture, the culter was a vertical iron blade used to cut through soil ahead of the plowshare, facilitating the cultivation of heavy soils.
Wikipedia +4
Latin Term: Culter, cultrī (masculine).
Meaning: Knife, razor, or plowshare.
Agricultural Function: A blade that cuts a vertical furrow, improving plowing efficiency.
Origins: The term stems from an Old English adoption of the Latin word
January 1992. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 13 × 12 × 41 in (33 × 30 × 104 cm).
The English word coulter (a plow blade) derives from the Latin word culter, meaning "a knife," "plowshare," or "cutting instrument". It entered Middle English as culter from Old English, maintaining the original Latin sense of a sharp tool used to cut the ground before the plowshare.
January 1992. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 16 × 15 × 6 in (41 × 38 × 15 cm).
The English word coulter (a plow blade) derives from the Latin word culter, meaning "a knife," "plowshare," or "cutting instrument". It entered Middle English as culter from Old English, maintaining the original Latin sense of a sharp tool used to cut the ground before the plowshare.
January 1992. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 16 × 12 × 4 in (41 × 30 × 10 cm).
Private collection
January 1992. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 12 × 18 × 4 in (30 × 46 × 10 cm).
Cannabilized
February 1992. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 70 × 46 × 24 in (178 × 117 × 61 cm).
Private colletion - California
Vela: Latin for sail
February 1992. Granite, bronze. Dimensions: 61 × 52 × 14 in (155 × 132 × 36 cm).
Private collection
June 1992. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 30 × 64 × 42 in (76 × 163 × 107 cm).
sledge
Function: noun
Etymology: Dutch dialect sleedse; akin to Middle Dutch sledde sled
-a strong heavy sled often used to move stones
What makes this piece especially resonant is the merging of tool and cargo: the granite slab functions as both. This union collapses the distinction between means and end, reinforcing a sense of “oneness” between material, action, and intent. It's a key idea in Van Alstine's work—tools are not separate from the world they act upon, but deeply intertwined with it.
Within the sculptor's broader career, “Sledge” represents a foundational, almost primal form of navigation. Unlike later works that reference compasses or charting devices, this sculpture evokes a more direct, physical way of finding one's path—through effort, contact, and movement across the land. At the same time, its implied motion held in stillness reflects his ongoing ability to animate heavy materials, suggesting both the memory and potential of action.
June 1992. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 16 × 15 × 4 in (41 × 38 × 10 cm).
Private collection - Washington, DC
August 1992. Granite, painted steel. Dimensions: 9'h x16'w x6'd.
Collection: Jeresy City State College
Reconsidering Sisyphus (1992) was commissioned for Jersey City State College (now New Jersey City University) as a monumental sculpture exploring one of humanity's oldest and most enduring myths. Drawing inspiration from the story of Sisyphus, John Van Alstine transforms the ancient tale from one of futility into a meditation on perseverance, renewal, and the human capacity to confront seemingly impossible challenges. Granite and steel combine in a dynamic composition that suggests both the weight of the stone and the energy required to move it.
Rather than illustrating the myth literally, Reconsidering Sisyphusinvites viewers to reconsider its meaning. The sculpture proposes that purpose is found not in reaching the summit, but in the continual act of striving. This early exploration of the Sisyphus theme foreshadowed Van Alstine's later Sisyphean Circle series, in which the ancient narrative became a central metaphor for resilience, creativity, and the enduring optimism of the human spirit.
MORE INFO: Reconsidering Sisyphus chapter in AMERICAN MONUMENTS
August 1992. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 14 × 15 × 4 in (36 × 38 × 10 cm).
Private collection
September 1992. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 12 × 12 × 4 in (30 × 30 × 10 cm).
Private collection
October 1992. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 64 × 134 × 56 in (163 × 340 × 142 cm).
“SPLAY as all of my work is, in a general sense, about the pairing or marying of natural and human made.
This work takes its title from position of the individual elements which suggests the act of “opening” or ” spreading out” (a verb). The fact the the heavy stone elements suggest that they are caught and held in a state of arrested motion reinfoces the verb idea of movement or action.
I like also that the title can also be interepreted as a noun (or thing) as an achitectural detail: a sloped or beveled surface, or a surface that forms an oblique angle with an other, as when an opening through a wall for a door or window, widens toward one face.”
October 1992. Pink granite, steel. Dimensions: 11 × 10 × 4 in (28 × 25 × 10 cm).
no photo
November 1992. Pink granite, steel. Dimensions: 15 × 34 × 5 in (38 × 86 × 13 cm).
Private collection - Philadelphia
November 1992. Pink granite, steel. Dimensions: 17 × 12 × 31 in (43 × 30 × 79 cm).
no photo
December 1992. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 13 × 8 × 5 in (33 × 20 × 13 cm).
Private collection
December 1992. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 17 × 12 × 6 in (43 × 30 × 15 cm).
Vela is a Latin noun meaning "sails," "curtains," or "coverings." It is the plural form of vēlum, originating from the Proto-Indo-European root *weg- (to weave). It is famously used for the southern constellation Vela, representing the sail of the ship Argo Navis
1991
March 1991. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 79 × 29 × 36 in (201 × 74 × 91 cm).
Private collection
April 1990. Bronze, steel. Dimensions: 29 × 51 × 30 in (74 × 130 × 76 cm).
Nidus is Latin for “nest.” It can also carry related meanings such as a dwelling place, home, birthplace, or place of origin—a place where something is sheltered, formed, or begins.
In this case the sculpture suggests more than a literal nest: containment, protection, nurturing, origin, and the place from which something emerges or develops.
(Things are not always what they appear)
January 1991. Granite, bronze. Dimensions: 85 × 60 × 27 in (216 × 152 × 69 cm).
Private collection - Apsen, CO
April 1991. Granite, bronze. Dimensions: 55 × 72 × 18 in (140 × 183 × 46 cm).
ASTRAEA - Daughter of Zeus and Themis and the Roman goddess of justice, lived on earth during the Golden Age but the wickedness and impiety of humankind during the Brazen and Iron ages drove her to heaven, where she was placed among the constellations of the zodiac under the name of Libra
ASTRAEA's BEAM combines several important aspects of Van Alstine's work; balance, tools and the use of myth to convey or comment on contemporary issues. Astraea's beam or scale's is much like Libra's but her scale is unnaturally askew - the heavy end is up, the lighter or smaller stone down. This aberration is meant as a poignant reminder to us that we must be ever vigilant as stewards of one of our most basic democratic principals - the rule of law and its fair (blind) and un-basis administration.
October 1991. Granite, bronze. Dimensions: 110 × 43 × 24 in (279 × 109 × 61 cm).
Collection: American University, Washington, DC
November 1991. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 23 × 49 × 12 in (58 × 124 × 30 cm).
destroyed
November 1991. Slate, steel. Dimensions: 32 × 31 × 10 in (81 × 79 × 25 cm).
Cudgel II is part of my ongoing exploration of tools and tool-like forms as expressive vehicles. I have always thought of tools as extensions of our hands and, for artists, essential allies in the quest for creating. A cudgel is among the most elemental of these forms—an extension of the arm associated with physical action, strength, and force. In Cudgel II, the combination of slate and steel suggests something that might be grasped, lifted, or swung, giving the sculpture a distinctly human presence.
Tools also connect to my broader interest in movement, balance, gravity, and gesture. Like my references to dance, gymnastics, and fencing, they provide a way to evoke the figure without depicting it literally.
John Van Alstine
November 1991. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 32 × 69 × 18 in (81 × 175 × 46 cm).
destroyed
January 2000. Granite, painted steel. Dimensions: 88 × 30 × 41 in (224 × 76 × 104 cm).
Cannibalized