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.
2020’s
May 2025. Vermont slate, galvanized and powder-coated steel. Dimensions: 27.5 × 35 × 11 in (70 × 89 × 28 cm).
Lunge/Slate 5-25 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.
May 2023. Green Hamilton county granite, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 35 × 15.5 × 8 in (89 × 39 × 20 cm).
Stone has been a constant in John Van Alstine’s work for more than forty years. He often focuses on the material’s inherent qualities—especially its weight—choreographing stone and steel to create moments of visual and physical tension.
Landscape, particularly the mountain terrain where the artist has spent much of his life, has also been a powerful influence. In the Rockslide series, the shape and placement of stone, and its dynamic interaction with steel, evoke the drama of a familiar alpine event: a rock caught in mid-fall.
November 2021. Granite, galvanized and powder coated steel. Dimensions: 42.5 × 37 × 12 in (108 × 94 × 30 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).
March 2021. Bronze, Vermont slate. Dimensions: 17 × 33 × 8 in (43 × 84 × 20 cm).
Implement (Cornu) explores the relationship between human invention and the natural world. Throughout John Van Alstine's work, tools have symbolized human ingenuity and labor, while animal horns represent nature's elegant solutions for defense, survival, and strength. Here, these two forms merge, revealing their shared purpose and surprising visual kinship.
Rather than opposing nature and technology, Implement (Cornu) suggests they are part of the same continuum. The sweeping cast bronze form echoes the organic growth of a horn, while the granite anchors the sculpture in the enduring landscape from which both culture and nature arise. The work reflects Van Alstine's enduring fascination with the dialogue between the invented and the evolved.
SOLD
December 2020. Bronze, slate. Dimensions: 25.5 × 26 × 9 in (65 × 66 × 23 cm).
A humpback whale surfaces near the Statue of Liberty in this photo taken from a boat on New York Harbor. (Source: Bjoern Kils via Reuters) In a rare occurrence, a massive humpback whale has been spotted several times this week in the Hudson River near midtown Manhattan.
The whale was caught on camera in front of the Statue of Liberty and other New York landmarks as it paid a visit to the city’s harbour.
SOLD
August 2020. Bronze, stainless steel, granite. Dimensions: 34 × 38 × 8 in (86 × 97 × 20 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
March 2020. Slate, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 17 × 27 × 5 in (43 × 69 × 13 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.
2010’s
October 2019
Slate, galvanized and powder-coated steel
30.5 × 42 × 7 in. (77 × 107 × 18 cm)
Sisyphean Circle (Tefillin) draws its title from the small black steel element that anchors the circular form to the base, recalling the Hebrew tefillin (phylacteries)—small leather boxes containing passages from the Torah that are traditionally bound to the arm and forehead during prayer as symbols of faith, remembrance, and devotion. Here, the stone becomes both burden and sacred object, suggesting that the weight we carry can also be a source of purpose and spiritual meaning.
Like other works in the Sisyphean Circle series, the sculpture suggests a figure engaged in the timeless act of lifting or guiding a stone. Inspired by Albert Camus' reinterpretation of the Sisyphus myth, the work embraces the creative process as an act of perseverance and affirmation. Rather than dwelling on endless labor, it celebrates the journey itself, reminding us that meaning is found not in reaching the summit, but in the continual act of striving.
— John Van Alstine
May 2019
Slate, pigmented and sealed steel
17 × 22 × 8 in. (43 × 56 × 20 cm)
The title Barani comes from the gymnastic term for a half-twisting front somersault. Here, the arrangement of stone and steel suggests a body caught in mid-rotation, suspended between ascent and descent. The sculpture captures a fleeting moment when gravity, momentum, and balance exist in perfect equilibrium.
Like many of John Van Alstine's sculptures, Barani III explores the tension between stability and motion. The weight of the slate is countered by the lightness and sweep of the fabricated steel, creating a composition that appears both grounded and airborne. Rather than depicting a literal figure, the work evokes the grace, risk, and exhilaration of movement itself.
March 2018
Slate, pigmented and sealed steel
24 × 32 × 7 in. (61 × 81 × 18 cm)
The title Sagitta, Latin for arrow, refers both to the ancient constellation and to one of humanity's oldest and most enduring tools. First recorded by the astronomer Ptolemy, the constellation has long been associated with the arrows of Hercules, Apollo, and Eros—symbols of strength, purpose, and transformation. In Sagitta (Turned Tip), the arrow is reimagined as an abstract dialogue between stone and steel.
The turned tip introduces a subtle tension, suggesting that even the most direct path may be altered by circumstance or intention. Rather than depicting a weapon, the sculpture evokes the arrow as a symbol of direction, aspiration, and the continual search for meaning. As in much of John Van Alstine's work, the interplay of weight and movement transforms a familiar form into a meditation on balance, journey, and possibility.
December 2016. Vermont slate, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 17 × 36 × 6 in (43 × 91 × 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.
Granite and galvanized and powder-coated steel, 33”h x 40”w x9”d
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 2015
Vermont slate, pigmented and sealed steel
23 × 41 × 6 in. (58 × 104 × 15 cm)
Storm Warning V (Red Rain 3.14) grew from John Van Alstine's experiences in the vast landscapes of Wyoming, where towering storm clouds and sweeping curtains of rain could be seen moving across the open sky, sometimes evaporating before reaching the ground. Here, a heavy slate form becomes an ominous storm cloud while strands of red steel suggest rain suspended between earth and sky.
The sculpture embraces the visual irony found throughout Van Alstine's work: the earthbound stone appears to float while the "falling" rain simultaneously supports it. The red rain alludes to the environmental threat of acid rain in the Adirondacks, while the subtitle 3.14 refers to the steel element's resemblance to the mathematical symbol π, expressing the artist's belief that science, understanding, and human ingenuity can help solve the environmental challenges we create.
November 2014. Slate, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 25 × 34 × 9 in (64 × 86 × 23 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.
March 2013. Slate, pigmented and sealed steel. Dimensions: 17.5 × 44 × 7 in (44 × 112 × 18 cm).
A meteoroid fell to Earth on February 15, 2013 streaking some 20 to 30 kilometers above the city of Chelyabinsk , Russia at 9:20am local time. Initially traveling at about 20 kilometers per second , its explosive deceleration after impact with the lower atmosphere created a flash brighter than the Sun. An estimated 500 kilotons of energy was released by the explosion of the 17 meter wide space rock with a mass of 7,000 to 10,000 tons. Actually expected to occur on average once every 100 years, the magnitude of the Chelyabinsk event is the largest known since the Tunguska impact in 1908 .
May 2011. Pigmented steel. Dimensions: 31 × 15 × 8 in (79 × 38 × 20 cm).
One of several model (ideas) for project.
May 2011. Steel, pigment. Dimensions: 48 × 29 × 15 in (122 × 74 × 38 cm).
One of several model (ideas) for project.
May 2011. Steel, pigment. Dimensions: 28 × 15 × 9 in (71 × 38 × 23 cm).
One of several models (ideas) for Saratoga Springs, NY September 11 memorial project.
April 2011. Steel, pigment. Dimensions: 28 × 15 × 7 in (71 × 38 × 18 cm).
One of several model (ideas) for Saratoga Springs, NY September 11 memorial project.
April 2011. Steel, pigment. Dimensions: 32 × 15 × 7 in (81 × 38 × 18 cm).
One of several model (ideas) for Saratoga Springs, NY September 11 memorial project.
April 2011. Steel, pigment. Dimensions: 48 × 30 × 14 in (122 × 76 × 36 cm).
One of several model (ideas) for Saratoga Springs, NY September 11 memorial project.
April 2011. Steel. Dimensions: 26 × 17 × 5 in (66 × 43 × 13 cm).
One of several model (ideas) for Saratoga Springs, NY September 11 memorial project.
April 2011. Steel. Dimensions: 25 × 15 × 9 in (64 × 38 × 23 cm).
One of several model (ideas) for Saratoga Springs, NY September 11 memorial project.
April 2011. Steel. Dimensions: 29 × 13 × 7 in (74 × 33 × 18 cm).
One of several model (ideas) for Saratoga Springs, NY September 11 memorial project.
April 2011. Steel. Dimensions: 26 × 15 × 13 in (66 × 38 × 33 cm).
One of several model (ideas) for Saratoga Springs, NY September 11 memorial project.
April 2011. Steel. Dimensions: 28 × 12 × 12 in (71 × 30 × 30 cm).
One of several model (ideas) for Saratoga Springs, NY September 11 memorial project.
2000’s
November 2006. Slate, steel. Dimensions: 21 × 33 × 6 in (53 × 84 × 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.
November 2006. Slate, pigmented steel. Dimensions: 29.5 × 31 × 8 in (75 × 79 × 20 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.
March 2002. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 21 × 31 × 9 in (53 × 79 × 23 cm).
Sa*git"ta, n. [L., an arrow.] 1. (Astron.) A small constellation north of Aquila; the Arrow.
January 2002. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 13.5 × 24 × 6 in (34 × 61 × 15 cm).
Private collection
Planche, 2002
Taking its title from the gymnastic planche—a horizontal handstand in which the body appears suspended against gravity—Planche exemplifies John Van Alstine’s exploration of the implied human figure. Rather than depicting the body literally, Van Alstine translates its physical dynamics into stone and steel. Weight, extension, tension, balance, and counterbalance transform the sculpture into a kind of arrested gesture. Like the gymnast, whose apparent stillness depends upon extraordinary exertion, the work suggests movement held momentarily in equilibrium. Throughout Van Alstine’s sculpture, references to dance, gymnastics, and fencing provide a vocabulary for this choreography of materials: granite assumes the weight and gravitational presence of the body, while steel extends, braces, pivots, and reaches. Planche thus occupies a space between abstraction and figuration, inviting the viewer to experience sculpture not simply as an arrangement of materials, but as a body negotiating gravity.
1970’s - 1980’s - 1990’s
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
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.
October 1990. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 42 × 41 × 18 in (107 × 104 × 46 cm).
An adze (/ædz/) or adz is an ancient and versatile cutting tool similar to an axe but with the cutting edge perpendicular to the handle rather than parallel.
March 1990. Granite, steel. Dimensions: 21 × 35 × 13 in (53 × 89 × 33 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 Portal (ad augusta per ad augusta)” 1990, a small, narrow “portal” or archway is created by an arc of steel bookended by two pieces of found granite.
Occasionally I use Latin (the one foreign language I briefly studied) in my titles as a way to “bridge” the romance languages and expand the work’s communicative power. The sub title literally translates “to honors through difficulties” (augusta refers to holy places, angusta to narrow places) all suggesting that to achieve great results, we must pay the price, a maxim that was very much a part of my upbringing and perhaps a fit motto for dieters.
April 1975. Vermont marble, stainless steel. Dimensions: 24 × 24 × 18 in (61 × 61 × 46 cm).
In 1975, a nearly completed carved marble sculpture, similar to Wedge I, fell off my Cornell studio carving table and broke into pieces. After a period of consternation and disbelief, I finally regained enough composure to pick the shards off the floor. The crystals of the freshly broken surfaces, gleaming in the sunlight, caught my eye. Intrigued by the relationships I saw among the shapes, volumes, and contrasting surfaces—and trying to make the best of a bad situation—I began experimenting with the shards.
Falling Stones, initially conceived as an attempt to recapture the act of falling, consists of two “broken” elements lifted from the floor and pinned precariously to a steel plate. It was my first sculpture with dynamically positioned stone elements and the first to feature rough, natural “found” surfaces.
I didn’t fully realize it at the time, but this sculpture—and, more significantly, the “new” approach to making it—marked one of the most important hinge moments in my career. It set me on a new and dynamic course, freeing and choreographing this traditionally “earthbound” material.
The transformation came as a result of a disruptive event and an honest re-evaluation of the material and how I could best communicate with it.
JVA, 1999
"More Than the Sum of Its Parts", 1975, Vermont marble and stainless steel, 21"h x27"w x5"d
