The works shown here are available for acquisition. If a piece speaks to you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch — I’d be glad to tell you more about it.
2026
NY State slate /pigmented and sealed steel, 13"h x19"w x4"d, April 2026
The Lunge series explores implied movement and gesture through an abstract sculptural language. The title Lunge suggests a sudden extension of the body—a reaching, thrusting, or shifting of weight that gives the sculpture a sense of physical momentum and directed energy.
While not figurative in a literal sense, the work draws on my interest in the expressiveness of the human figure. Its balance, tension, and spatial gesture suggest a body caught in motion, allowing the sculpture to convey a human presence through posture and movement rather than recognizable form.
NY green granite/pigmented and sealed steel, 11"h x 18"w 6"d, April 2026
The Lunge series explores implied movement and gesture through an abstract sculptural language. The title Lunge suggests a sudden extension of the body—a reaching, thrusting, or shifting of weight that gives the sculpture a sense of physical momentum and directed energy.
While not figurative in a literal sense, the work draws on my interest in the expressiveness of the human figure. Its balance, tension, and spatial gesture suggest a body caught in motion, allowing the sculpture to convey a human presence through posture and movement rather than recognizable form.
NY State green granite / pigmented and sealed steel, 11.5"h x15"w x4"d, April 2026
SAGITTA: Latin for arrow
Constellation: A dim but distinctive constellation in the northern sky, representing an arrow and included in the original 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is not to be confused with the larger constellation Sagittarius.
Mythology: The constellation is associated with the arrow of Hercules, the arrow of Apollo, or the arrow of Eros (Cupid).
2025
October 2025. Pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 14 × 15.5 × 3.5 in (36 × 39 × 9 cm).
SAGITTA: Latin for arrow
Constellation: A dim but distinctive constellation in the northern sky, representing an arrow and included in the original 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is not to be confused with the larger constellation Sagittarius.
Mythology: The constellation is associated with the arrow of Hercules, the arrow of Apollo, or the arrow of Eros (Cupid).
October 2025. Slate, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 14 × 26 × 4 in (36 × 66 × 10 cm).
The Lunge series explores implied movement and gesture through an abstract sculptural language. The title Lunge suggests a sudden extension of the body—a reaching, thrusting, or shifting of weight that gives the sculpture a sense of physical momentum and directed energy.
While not figurative in a literal sense, the work draws on my interest in the expressiveness of the human figure. Its balance, tension, and spatial gesture suggest a body caught in motion, allowing the sculpture to convey a human presence through posture and movement rather than recognizable form.
July 2025. Sacandaga river stone, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 8 × 12 × 3 in (20 × 30 × 8 cm).
The title derives from the English word catapult, meaning “to launch forward.” The sculpture’s arrangement of stone and steel conveys a sense of arrested motion—energy captured and poised for release—a dynamic tension that has been a central focus of Van Alstine’s work throughout his career.
July 2025. Sacandaga river stone, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 9 × 9 × 2.5 in (23 × 23 × 6 cm).
The title derives from the English word catapult, meaning “to launch forward.” The sculpture’s arrangement of stone and steel conveys a sense of arrested motion—energy captured and poised for release—a dynamic tension that has been a central focus of Van Alstine’s work throughout his career.
July 2025. Sacandaga river stone, Pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 10.5 × 13 × 3.5 in (27 × 33 × 9 cm).
The title derives from the English word catapult, meaning “to launch forward.” The sculpture’s arrangement of stone and steel conveys a sense of arrested motion—energy captured and poised for release—a dynamic tension that has been a central focus of Van Alstine’s work throughout his career.
July 2025. Sacandaga river stone, Pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 7 × 10 × 3 in (18 × 25 × 8 cm).
The title derives from the English word catapult, meaning “to launch forward.” The sculpture’s arrangement of stone and steel conveys a sense of arrested motion—energy captured and poised for release—a dynamic tension that has been a central focus of Van Alstine’s work throughout his career.
June 2025. River stone, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 11 × 10 × 4 in (28 × 25 × 10 cm).
The Catapulta series reflects my ongoing interest in tools and tool-like forms as expressive metaphors. Removed from their practical function, these familiar forms suggest human ingenuity, effort, and our impulse to act upon and transform the physical world.
These works also projects a sense of kinetic energy. Through the tension of weight, balance, and leverage, the forms appear poised for movement—as if something might pivot, swing, or release. Though physically static, Catalulta XII holds a sense of potential action and suspended energy.
John Van Alstine
June 2025. River stone, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 6.25 × 15 × 7 in (16 × 38 × 18 cm).
The Catapulta series reflects my ongoing interest in tools and tool-like forms as expressive metaphors. Removed from their practical function, these familiar forms suggest human ingenuity, effort, and our impulse to act upon and transform the physical world.
These works also projects a sense of kinetic energy. Through the tension of weight, balance, and leverage, the forms appear poised for movement—as if something might pivot, swing, or release. Though physically static, Catalulta XII holds a sense of potential action and suspended energy.
John Van Alstine
June 2025. River stone, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 7.25 × 14 × 3 in (18 × 36 × 8 cm)
.The Catapulta series reflects my ongoing interest in tools and tool-like forms as expressive metaphors. Removed from their practical function, these familiar forms suggest human ingenuity, effort, and our impulse to act upon and transform the physical world.
These works also projects a sense of kinetic energy. Through the tension of weight, balance, and leverage, the forms appear poised for movement—as if something might pivot, swing, or release. Though physically static, Catalulta XII holds a sense of potential action and suspended energy.
John Van Alstine
March 2025. Green granite, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 16.5 × 22 × 5 in (42 × 56 × 13 cm).
SAGITTA: Latin for arrow
Constellation: A dim but distinctive constellation in the northern sky, representing an arrow and included in the original 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is not to be confused with the larger constellation Sagittarius.
Mythology: The constellation is associated with the arrow of Hercules, the arrow of Apollo, or the arrow of Eros (Cupid).
2024
2023
February 2023. River stone, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 11 × 13 × 3.5 in (28 × 33 × 9 cm).
The title derives from the English word catapult, meaning “to launch forward.” The sculpture’s arrangement of stone and steel conveys a sense of arrested motion—energy captured and poised for release—a dynamic tension that has been a central focus of Van Alstine’s work throughout his career.
January 2023. Riverstone, forged pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 16 × 12 × 4 in (41 × 30 × 10 cm).
When Cronus, the Greek mythological figure, learns that he was destined to be overthrown by one of his children like his father was before him, he swallowed all the children Rhea bore him as soon as they were born.
When Rhea had her sixth and final child, Zeus, she spirited him away and hid him in Crete, giving Cronus a rock wrapped in swaddling bands to swallow instead, thus saving her youngest son who would go on to challenge his father's rule and rescue the rest of his siblings.
Zeus grew up and learned the truth about his father and siblings. He tricked Cronus into drinking a potion that made him vomit out his children and the stone. This stone is also known as the Omphalos Stone, which means the navel of the world 4 .
In "CRONUS II (stone swallower)", the round stone is centered within the spiraling circular element suggesting it has been ‘ingested' by Cronus as the myth tells us. It is resting on a red, expressively torqued steel element which presents and intriguing ambiguity; is the red element the swaddling clothes, or the tail of vomit? Perhaps both?
2022
December 2022. River stone, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 6 × 13 × 5 in (15 × 33 × 13 cm).
Cronus, the Greek mythological figure, learns that he was destined to be overthrown by one of his children like his father was before him, he swallowed all the children Rhea bore him as soon as they were born.
When Rhea had her sixth and final child, Zeus, she spirited him away and hid him in Crete, giving Cronus a rock wrapped in swaddling bands to swallow instead, thus saving her youngest son who would go on to challenge his father's rule and rescue the rest of his siblings.
Zeus grew up and learned the truth about his father and siblings. He tricked Cronus into drinking a potion that made him vomit out his children and the stone. This stone is also known as the Omphalos Stone, which means the navel of the world 4 .
November 2022. River stone, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 8.75 × 9 × 4 in (22 × 23 × 10 cm).
The title derives from the English word catapult, meaning “to launch forward.” The sculpture’s arrangement of stone and steel conveys a sense of arrested motion—energy captured and poised for release—a dynamic tension that has been a central focus of Van Alstine’s work throughout his career.
2021
August 2021. Bronze, Vermont slate. Dimensions: 16.5 × 16 × 6 in (42 × 41 × 15 cm).
The Lunge series explores implied movement and gesture through an abstract sculptural language. The title Lunge suggests a sudden extension of the body—a reaching, thrusting, or shifting of weight that gives the sculpture a sense of physical momentum and directed energy.
While not figurative in a literal sense, the work draws on my interest in the expressiveness of the human figure. Its balance, tension, and spatial gesture suggest a body caught in motion, allowing the sculpture to convey a human presence through posture and movement rather than recognizable form.
July 2021. Bronze. Dimensions: 5 × 16.5 × 7 in (13 × 42 × 18 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
May 2021. Bronze. Dimensions: 14.5 × 9.5 × 9 in (37 × 24 × 23 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
April 2021. Bronze. Dimensions: 5 × 14 × 8 in (13 × 36 × 20 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
April 2021. Bronze. Dimensions: 10 × 15 × 11 in (25 × 38 × 28 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass
It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
March 2021. Bronze. Dimensions: 22 × 10 × 11 in (56 × 25 × 28 cm). SOLD
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
**This piece was created as an informal memorial to Adirondack boat builder Peter Hornbeck, originator of the “Hornbeck “ super lightweight fiberglass vessel inspired by the original wooden Adirondack guideboats.
February 2021. Bronze. Dimensions: 19 × 14 × 9.5 in (48 × 36 × 24 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass
It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and
shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
February 2021. Bronze. Dimensions: 7.5 × 18 × 8 in (19 × 46 × 20 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass
It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and
shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
February 2021. Bronze. Dimensions: 9.5 × 17 × 9 in (24 × 43 × 23 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass
It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and
shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
February 2021. Bronze. Dimensions: 14 × 17.5 × 10 in (36 × 44 × 25 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass
It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and
shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
February 2021. Bronze. Dimensions: 10 × 16 × 9 in (25 × 41 × 23 cm).
This work was inspired by the Winslow Homer watercolor “First Rapid”.
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass
It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and
shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
January 2021. Bronze. Dimensions: 11 × 23 × 12 in (28 × 58 × 30 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass
It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and
shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
January 2021. Bronze. Dimensions: 5.5 × 20 × 9 in (14 × 51 × 23 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass
It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and
shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
January 2021. Bronze. Dimensions: 12 × 24 × 12 in (30 × 61 × 30 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass
It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and
shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
January 2021. Bronze. Dimensions: 6.5 × 21 × 13 in (17 × 53 × 33 cm).
As an avid kayaker living and working in a historic lumber mill on the Sacandaga River I am keenly aware and influenced by the location's history where not too many years ago log drives (and log jams) where common. On January 17, 2021 when "Pyxis Awry 2021 (river jam break)" was completed I was sensing a bit of hope and optimism on the horizon by the recent put down and arrests of those who mounted an assault on our nation's capital, a new presidential administration coming, and new effective Covid vaccines with hopefully a more effective roll out.
Like others in the Pyxis Awry series this piece comments on a country adrift, but through its river metaphor subtitle “river jam break”, suggests my positive feeling about the release of the much pent-up energy we witnessed in the recent tumult, and more importantly, the resulting renewed determination for reform, moving us “down river” towards something better.
John Van Alstine
January 2021. Bronze. Dimensions: 4.5 × 12 × 6 in (11 × 30 × 15 cm).
strainer: A major river hazard in kayaking/canoeing. It is created by a manmade or natural obstruction such as a tree, root system, fencing, or guard rails. To be avoided at all costs.
Like others in the Pyxis Awry series this piece comments on a country adrift, but through its river metaphor subtitle “river jam break”, suggests my positive feeling about the release of the much pent-up energy we witnessed in the recent tumult, and more importantly, the resulting renewed determination for reform, moving us “down river” towards something better.
John VA
2020
December 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 6.5 × 20 × 10 in (17 × 51 × 25 cm).
Like others in the Pyxis Awry series this piece comments on a country adrift, but through its river metaphor subtitle “river jam break”, suggests my positive feeling about the release of the much pent-up energy we witnessed in the recent tumult, and more importantly, the resulting renewed determination for reform, moving us “down river” towards something better.
John VA
December 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 6 × 16 × 10 in (15 × 41 × 25 cm).
Like others in the Pyxis Awry series this piece comments on a country adrift, but through its river metaphor subtitle “river jam break”, suggests my positive feeling about the release of the much pent-up energy we witnessed in the recent tumult, and more importantly, the resulting renewed determination for reform, moving us “down river” towards something better.
John VA
December 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 4.5 × 15 × 8 in (11 × 38 × 20 cm).
strainer: A major river hazard in kayaking/canoeing. It is created by a manmade or natural obstruction such as a tree, root system, fencing, or guard rails. To be avoided at all costs.
Like others in the Pyxis Awry series this piece comments on a country adrift, but through its river metaphor subtitle “river jam break”, suggests my positive feeling about the release of the much pent-up energy we witnessed in the recent tumult, and more importantly, the resulting renewed determination for reform, moving us “down river” towards something better.
John VA
December 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 7 × 18 × 8 in (18 × 46 × 20 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass Pyxis is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
November 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 2.5 × 14 × 7 in (6 × 36 × 18 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass. It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
November 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 3 × 14 × 5 in (8 × 36 × 13 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass. It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
November 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 3 × 15 × 7 in (8 × 38 × 18 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass. It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
November 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 2 × 12 × 5 in (5 × 30 × 13 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass. It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
November 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 2 × 13 × 7 in (5 × 33 × 18 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass. It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
November 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 4 × 19 × 8 in (10 × 48 × 20 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass. It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
November 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 7.5 × 23 × 7 in (19 × 58 × 18 cm).
Over the years I have created many sculptures that feature openings or portals suggesting entrance or passages into spaces and places, both real and figurative. In the Portal and Passages 2020 Series a vessel form, historically understood as a metaphoric “container or carrier” of an individual, a group, or even society in its entirety, is typically careening through a portal or circular opening. In the context of 2020 it suggests a “passage” from a dark and politically stymied place into a new decade and a brighter more hopeful future.
In a more general sense, this passage suggests a moment of personal transition or breakthrough: moving beyond obstacles and from the known toward the unknown. The portal becomes both a barrier and an opening, while the vessel embodies the energy and determination required to pass through it toward discovery, transformation, and new possibilities.
John Van Alstine
October 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 9 × 11 × 8 in (23 × 28 × 20 cm).
Over the years I have created many sculptures that feature openings or portals suggesting entrance or passages into spaces and places, both real and figurative. In the Portal and Passages 2020 Series a vessel form, historically understood as a metaphoric “container or carrier” of an individual, a group, or even society in its entirety, is typically careening through a portal or circular opening. In the context of 2020 it suggests a “passage” from a dark and politically stymied place into a new decade and a brighter more hopeful future.
In a more general sense, this passage suggests a moment of personal transition or breakthrough: moving beyond obstacles and from the known toward the unknown. The portal becomes both a barrier and an opening, while the vessel embodies the energy and determination required to pass through it toward discovery, transformation, and new possibilities.
John Van Alstine
October 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 7.5 × 13 × 7 in (19 × 33 × 18 cm).
Over the years I have created many sculptures that feature openings or portals suggesting entrance or passages into spaces and places, both real and figurative. In the Portal and Passages 2020 Series a vessel form, historically understood as a metaphoric “container or carrier” of an individual, a group, or even society in its entirety, is typically careening through a portal or circular opening. In the context of 2020 it suggests a “passage” from a dark and politically stymied place into a new decade and a brighter more hopeful future.
In a more general sense, this passage suggests a moment of personal transition or breakthrough: moving beyond obstacles and from the known toward the unknown. The portal becomes both a barrier and an opening, while the vessel embodies the energy and determination required to pass through it toward discovery, transformation, and new possibilities.
John Van Alstine
John VA
October 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 7 × 17 × 6.5 in (18 × 43 × 17 cm).
Over the years I have created many sculptures that feature openings or portals suggesting entrance or passages into spaces and places, both real and figurative. In the Portal and Passages 2020 Series a vessel form, historically understood as a metaphoric “container or carrier” of an individual, a group, or even society in its entirety, is typically careening through a portal or circular opening. In the context of 2020 it suggests a “passage” from a dark and politically stymied place into a new decade and a brighter more hopeful future.
John VA
October 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 2.5 × 15 × 5 in (6 × 38 × 13 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass
It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
October 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 2.75 × 15 × 7 in (7 × 38 × 18 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass
It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1 : in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
October 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 7 × 11 × 6 in (18 × 28 × 15 cm).
NOT, is simple straightforward, sarcastic statement created in late October 2020 when we all hoped that the political powers would have provided leadership that would have the pandemic reasonably under control and we would be “OK” ... we were not .
August 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 12.5 × 19 × 7 in (32 × 48 × 18 cm).
In Greek mythology and Roman mythology , Charon or Kharon is a psychopomp , the ferryman of Hades , often depicted with a long pole, who carries souls of the newly deceased across the river Styx that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead.
A coin to pay Charon for passage, usually an obolus or danake , was sometimes placed in or on the mouth of a dead person. [1] Some authors say that those who could not pay the fee, or those whose bodies were left unburied, had to wander the shores for one hundred years, until they were allowed to cross the river.
private collection
August 2020. Bronze. Dimensions: 8 × 27 × 14 in (20 × 69 × 36 cm).
Pyxis isa small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass
It is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees northfrom January through March.
awry 1 :in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2 : off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
August 2020. Bronze, river stone. Dimensions: 10 × 18 × 8 in (25 × 46 × 20 cm).
In the Greek mythology ‘Labors of Heracles,' King Eurystheus' third task to Heracles was to capture the Ceryneian Hind, often referred to as the ‘golden Hind' because of its golden antlers.
In the Greek Mythology, the Ceryneian Hind was an enormous female deer that was believed to have lived in the region of Keryneia. Based on various Greek tales, the Ceryneian Hind was considered sacred and was associated with the hunt goddess Artemis. A careful review of the Ceryneian Hind reveals that although the mythical creature was female, it had antlers that were male-like moulded from gold while its hooves were bronze. The Ceryneian hind was According to the Greek mythology, the creature had the ability to outdo a flying arrow.
July 2020. Bronze, slate. Dimensions: 8 × 11 × 3 in (20 × 28 × 8 cm).
flèche
Pronunciation: 'flesh, flèche
Function: noun
Etymology: French, literally, arrow, from Old French fleche, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch vlieke arrow, Old English flEogan to fly
: SPIRE ; especially : a slender spire above the intersection of the nave and transepts of a church
also
also: in the sport of Fencing : defined as a running attack with arm extended
July 2020. Bronze, river stone. Dimensions: 11.5 × 21 × 6 in (29 × 53 × 15 cm).
During the Covid pandemic, John Van Alstine returned to the Sisyphean myth—a theme he has long used to reflect on the nature of the creative process. In 2020 he produced fourteen new works in the series, responding to a moment when the world confronted both a global health crisis and political movements that openly rejected scientific knowledge.
These sculptures employ the formal vocabulary familiar in Van Alstine’s work—circles, stones, arcs, and inclined planes—evoking the endless effort of pushing the stone uphill. In several works, titles and phrases stamped directly into the bronze add a new expressive dimension, linking the ancient myth to the challenges of the present moment.
For Van Alstine, the Sisyphean series he produced during this period affirms the resilience of the human spirit and the capacity to find meaning through perseverance, even in times of uncertainty.
April 2020. Bronze, river stone. Dimensions: 9.5 × 29 × 6 in (24 × 74 × 15 cm).
In this series, Van Alstine expands his commentary on the 2020–2021 Covid crisis by incorporating the words of Martin Luther King Jr. into several Sisyphean works, stamping them directly into the bronze. In paraphrasing King’s well-known observation that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,” Van Alstine reframes the idea for the present moment, suggesting instead that the arc of Covid bends toward science.
Through these works he reflects his concern that elements within the MAGA movement show a deep disregard for scientific understanding. The sculptures point to what he sees as the troubling absurdity of rejecting science—an attitude that effectively erases the long trajectory of rational thought and the scientific revolution that, over centuries, replaced superstition and myth as the dominant intellectual foundation of Western civilization.
April 2020. Bronze, river stone. Dimensions: 9 × 29 × 9 in (23 × 74 × 23 cm).
During the Covid pandemic, John Van Alstine returned to the Sisyphean myth—a theme he has long used to reflect on the nature of the creative process. In 2020 he produced fourteen new works in the series, responding to a moment when the world confronted both a global health crisis and political movements that openly rejected scientific knowledge.
These sculptures employ the formal vocabulary familiar in Van Alstine’s work—circles, stones, arcs, and inclined planes—evoking the endless effort of pushing the stone uphill. In several works, titles and phrases stamped directly into the bronze add a new expressive dimension, linking the ancient myth to the challenges of the present moment.
For Van Alstine, the Sisyphean Circle series he produced during this period affirms the resilience of the human spirit and the capacity to find meaning through perseverance, even in times of uncertainty.
April 2020. Bronze, river stone. Dimensions: 6 × 27 × 4 in (15 × 69 × 10 cm).
Imagine Sisyphus Happy
During the Covid pandemic, John Van Alstine returned to the Sisyphean myth—a theme he has long used to reflect on the nature of the creative process. In 2020 he produced fourteen new works in the series, responding to a moment when the world confronted both a global health crisis and political movements that openly rejected scientific knowledge.
These sculptures employ the formal vocabulary familiar in Van Alstine’s work—circles, stones, arcs, and inclined planes—evoking the endless effort of pushing the stone uphill. In several works, titles and phrases stamped directly into the bronze add a new expressive dimension, linking the ancient myth to the challenges of the present moment.
The title references the famous line by Albert Camus: “One must imagine Sisyphus happy.” For Van Alstine, the phrase affirms the resilience of the human spirit and the capacity to find meaning through perseverance, even in times of uncertainty.
April 2020. Bronze, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 8 × 10 × 4 in (20 × 25 × 10 cm).
Over the years I have created many sculptures that feature openings or portals suggesting entrance or passages into spaces and places, both real and figurative. In the Portal and Passages 2020 Series a vessel form, historically understood as a metaphoric “container or carrier” of an individual, a group, or even society in its entirety, is typically careening through a portal or circular opening. In the context of 2020 it suggests a “passage” from a dark and politically stymied place into a new decade and a brighter more hopeful future.
In a more general sense, this passage suggests a moment of personal transition or breakthrough: moving beyond obstacles and from the known toward the unknown. The portal becomes both a barrier and an opening, while the vessel embodies the energy and determination required to pass through it toward discovery, transformation, and new possibilities.
John Van Alstine
March 2020. Pigmented river stone, steel. Dimensions: 11 × 21 × 5.5 in (28 × 53 × 14 cm).
Sisyphean Circle Series
The formal arrangements of stone and steel in the Sisyphean Circle series often suggest a figure frozen in the act of prying or pushing a stone. Yet to view the creative process simply as endless toil is undeniably negative. I prefer to approach the myth and metaphor through the lens of Albert Camus.
As in life, this perspective lies at the core of the creative process, where the act of making ultimately triumphs over the object or final product. The focus shifts from the burden of creation to the meaning found in the effort itself—celebrating the process as the true reward rather than the finished sculpture.
—John Van Alstine
March 2020. River stone, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 10.5 × 16 × 3 in (27 × 41 × 8 cm).
Schaats - old Dutch work for “skate”.
March 2020. River stone, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 11 × 14 × 3 in (28 × 36 × 8 cm).
Schaats - old Dutch work for “skate”.
2010s
March 2019. Slate, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 22.5 × 20 × 5 in (57 × 51 × 13 cm).
B’more Auger
The title “B’more” references Baltimore, where the auger element was sourced, and reflects the way many locals pronounce the city’s name. The sculpture acknowledges both the object’s geographic origin and the vernacular character of the place from which it came.
Like many of Van Alstine’s works, it incorporates repurposed industrial material, transforming a utilitarian tool into a sculptural form where function gives way to rhythm, balance, and visual tension.
February 2019. River stone, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 7 × 10 × 5 in (18 × 25 × 13 cm).
Sisyphean Holiday Series
After completing more than 150 sculptures in the original Sisyphean Circle series, a new direction emerged—the Sisyphean Holiday series. These works take a lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek approach, suggesting that Sisyphus (and perhaps the artist) might finally deserve a break—a holiday from the endless task.
Here, the familiar “Sisyphean stone” is placed within a vessel form reminiscent of an Adirondack guideboat or canoe. The shift offers a playful twist, transforming the symbol of perpetual struggle into one of pause, reflection, and perhaps even leisure.
—John Van Alstine
November 2017. River stone, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 4.5 × 8 × 6 in (11 × 20 × 15 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass Pyxis is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1: in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2: off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
November 2017. River stone, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 4.5 × 16 × 8 in (11 × 41 × 20 cm).
Pyxis is a small and faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name is Latin for a mariner's compass Pyxis is completely visible in latitudes south of 53 degrees north from January through March.
awry 1: in a turned or twisted position or direction: askew 2: off the correct or expected course: amiss
The works in this series feature a “vessel” form - historically understood in art and literature as a symbol or metaphor for the self, a group of people, human kind. If the vessel's compass is awry it will likely end up adrift, untethered, off course.
My intent with this series is raise questions/search for answers relative to personal (or a group) decisions or courses of action and shed light on the resulting consequences, whether they are personal, political, environmental.
August 2017. Fieldstone, bronze, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 15 × 19 × 4 in (38 × 48 × 10 cm).
flèche
Pronunciation: 'flesh, flèche
Function: noun
Etymology: French, literally, arrow, from Old French fleche, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch vlieke arrow, Old English flEogan to fly
: SPIRE ; especially : a slender spire above the intersection of the nave and transepts of a church
also: in the sport of Fencing : defined as a running attack with arm extended
July 2017. Slate, bronze, lacquered steel. Dimensions: 5 × 14 × 3 in (13 × 36 × 8 cm).
Sisyphean Circle Series
The formal arrangements of stone and steel in the Sisyphean Circle series often suggest a figure frozen in the act of prying or pushing a stone. Yet to view the creative process simply as endless toil is undeniably negative. I prefer to approach the myth and metaphor through the lens of Albert Camus.
As in life, this perspective lies at the core of the creative process, where the act of making ultimately triumphs over the object or final product. The focus shifts from the burden of creation to the meaning found in the effort itself—celebrating the process as the true reward rather than the finished sculpture.
—John Van Alstine
July 2017. Slate, bronze, lacquered steel. Dimensions: 6.5 × 12.5 × 3 in (17 × 32 × 8 cm).
Sisyphean Circle Series
The formal arrangements of stone and steel in the Sisyphean Circle series often suggest a figure frozen in the act of prying or pushing a stone. Yet to view the creative process simply as endless toil is undeniably negative. I prefer to approach the myth and metaphor through the lens of Albert Camus.
As in life, this perspective lies at the core of the creative process, where the act of making ultimately triumphs over the object or final product. The focus shifts from the burden of creation to the meaning found in the effort itself—celebrating the process as the true reward rather than the finished sculpture.
—John Van Alstine
July 2017. Slate, bronze, lacquered steel. Dimensions: 7.5 × 16 × 3 in (19 × 41 × 8 cm).
Sisyphean Circle Series
The formal arrangements of stone and steel in the Sisyphean Circle series often suggest a figure frozen in the act of prying or pushing a stone. Yet to view the creative process simply as endless toil is undeniably negative. I prefer to approach the myth and metaphor through the lens of Albert Camus.
As in life, this perspective lies at the core of the creative process, where the act of making ultimately triumphs over the object or final product. The focus shifts from the burden of creation to the meaning found in the effort itself—celebrating the process as the true reward rather than the finished sculpture.
—John Van Alstine
July 2017. Slate, bronze, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 6.5 × 13 × 3 in (17 × 33 × 8 cm).
Sisyphean Circle Series
The formal arrangements of stone and steel in the Sisyphean Circle series often suggest a figure frozen in the act of prying or pushing a stone. Yet to view the creative process simply as endless toil is undeniably negative. I prefer to approach the myth and metaphor through the lens of Albert Camus.
As in life, this perspective lies at the core of the creative process, where the act of making ultimately triumphs over the object or final product. The focus shifts from the burden of creation to the meaning found in the effort itself—celebrating the process as the true reward rather than the finished sculpture.
—John Van Alstine
July 2017. River stone, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 25 × 16 × 6 in (64 × 41 × 15 cm).
The title, derived from two Latin words—fūnis meaning rope and ambulāre to walk— refers to a "tight rope walker," a meaning reinforced by the dynamic, horizontal "balanced baton" and the sculpture’s overall poise. It suggests great physical balance, agility, and daring, suggesting for some a circus performer. But perhaps more poignantly, the term funambulist also refers to mental agility.
April 2017. Slate, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 10.5 × 14 × 3.5 in (27 × 36 × 9 cm).
Sisyphean Circle Series
The formal arrangements of stone and steel in the Sisyphean Circle series often suggest a figure frozen in the act of prying or pushing a stone. Yet to view the creative process simply as endless toil is undeniably negative. I prefer to approach the myth and metaphor through the lens of Albert Camus.
As in life, this perspective lies at the core of the creative process, where the act of making ultimately triumphs over the object or final product. The focus shifts from the burden of creation to the meaning found in the effort itself—celebrating the process as the true reward rather than the finished sculpture.
—John Van Alstine
September 2016. Slate, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 22.5 × 23 × 6 in (57 × 58 × 15 cm).
POINTE falls in the ‘figurative camp” of my work and refers to Pointe technique of classical ballet, in which a ballet dancer supports all body weight on the tips of fully extended feet within pointe shoes.
As in most of my work, I try to lift and “choreograph” the earth-bound elements of stone and steel to make them dance. It is my hope that once the viewer is aware of the title’s meaning, it will more clearly frame this abstract work and provide insight and understanding into my intent.
February 2016. Slate, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 10 × 18 × 4 in (25 × 46 × 10 cm).
acciaccato (It.). Musical term - the sounding of the notes of a chord not quite simultaneously, but from bottom to top. Ascending.
September 2015. Slate, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 18 × 22 × 6 in (46 × 56 × 15 cm).
acciaccato (It.). Musical term - the sounding of the notes of a chord not quite simultaneously, but from bottom to top. Ascending.
June 2015. Granite, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 11 × 18 × 4.5 in (28 × 46 × 11 cm).
Beam references a “balance beam” scale. This is also a good example for the use of tools in my work.
April 2011. River stone, pigmented steel. Dimensions: 12 × 20 × 4 in (30 × 51 × 10 cm).
The title, derived from two Latin words—fūnis meaning rope and ambulāre to walk— refers to a "tight rope walker," a meaning reinforced by the dynamic, horizontal "balanced baton" and the sculpture’s overall poise. It suggests great physical balance, agility, and daring, suggesting for some a circus performer. But perhaps more poignantly, the term funambulist also refers to mental agility.
February 2011. River stone, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 11 × 8 × 4.5 in (28 × 20 × 11 cm).
The title derives from the English word catapult, meaning “to launch forward.” The sculpture’s arrangement of stone and steel conveys a sense of arrested motion—energy captured and poised for release—a dynamic tension that has been a central focus of Van Alstine’s work throughout his career.
2000s
September 2009. River stone, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 9 × 15.5 × 4 in (23 × 39 × 10 cm).
The title derives from the English word catapult, meaning “to launch forward.” The sculpture’s arrangement of stone and steel conveys a sense of arrested motion—energy captured and poised for release—a dynamic tension that has been a central focus of Van Alstine’s work throughout his career.
SOLD.
August 2009. River stone, pigmented steel. Dimensions: 6.5 × 13.5 × 4 in (17 × 34 × 10 cm).
Catalulta XII reflects my ongoing interest in tools and tool-like forms as expressive metaphors. Removed from their practical function, these familiar forms suggest human ingenuity, effort, and our impulse to act upon and transform the physical world.
The sculpture also projects a sense of kinetic energy. Through the tension of weight, balance, and leverage, the forms appear poised for movement—as if something might pivot, swing, or release. Though physically static, Catalulta XII holds a sense of potential action and suspended energy.
John Van Alstine
April 2009. River stone, slate, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 6.5 × 24 × 12 in (17 × 61 × 30 cm).
After completing more than 150 sculptures in the original Sisyphean Circle series, a new direction emerged—the Sisyphean Holiday series. These works take a lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek approach, suggesting that Sisyphus (and perhaps the artist) might finally deserve a break—a holiday from the endless task.
Here, the familiar “Sisyphean stone” is placed within a vessel form reminiscent of an Adirondack guideboat or canoe. The shift offers a playful twist, transforming the symbol of perpetual struggle into one of pause, reflection, and perhaps even leisure.
—John Van Alstine
September 2005. Slate, steel. Dimensions: 17 × 24 × 7 in (43 × 61 × 18 cm).
The Lunge series explores implied movement and gesture through an abstract sculptural language. The title Lunge suggests a sudden extension of the body—a reaching, thrusting, or shifting of weight that gives the sculpture a sense of physical momentum and directed energy.
While not figurative in a literal sense, the work draws on my interest in the expressiveness of the human figure. Its balance, tension, and spatial gesture suggest a body caught in motion, allowing the sculpture to convey a human presence through posture and movement rather than recognizable form.
January 2005. Slate, steel. Dimensions: 19 × 35 × 9 in (48 × 89 × 23 cm).
Flèche
Pronunciation: 'flesh, flèche
Function: noun
Etymology: French, literally, arrow, from Old French fleche, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle Dutch vlieke arrow, Old English flEogan to fly
: SPIRE ; especially : a slender spire above the intersection of the nave and transepts of a church
also: in the sport of Fencing : defined as a running attack with arm extended
January 2005. Slate, steel. Dimensions: 16 × 30 × 6 in (41 × 76 × 15 cm).
Title references Taughannock Falls in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York know for it abundance of geologic slate formations.
December 2003. Oil enamel on stone, steel. Dimensions: 22 × 32 × 10 in (56 × 81 × 25 cm).
SAGITTA: Latin for arrow
Constellation: A dim but distinctive constellation in the northern sky, representing an arrow and included in the original 48 constellations listed by Ptolemy. It is not to be confused with the larger constellation Sagittarius.
Mythology: The constellation is associated with the arrow of Hercules, the arrow of Apollo, or the arrow of Eros (Cupid).
1980s - 1990s
September 1999. Painted granite, steel. Dimensions: 15 × 20 × 3.5 in (38 × 51 × 9 cm).
Private collection
September 1999. Painted granite, steel. Dimensions: 15 × 10 × 4 in (38 × 25 × 10 cm).
Private collection
January 1998. Steel. Dimensions: 34 × 17 × 4 in (86 × 43 × 10 cm).
Private collection
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.”
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"
