KINVARA COMMUNICATIONS |
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Steel Appeal Jeff Zischke has two passions: art and nature. The Scottsdale artist often melds the two in his work, where he explores such mediums as painting, photography and design. Zischke’s latest endeavor continues this tradition and brings his creations outdoors in the form of metal sculpture. “I’m really influenced by plants and botanicals—they’re so curvaceous,” the artisan notes. These shapes can be seen throughout a series of works in which large sheets of cut and welded steel, standing about 8 feet tall, are designed to throw geometric shadows across a landscape in such abstract forms as bulbous barrel cacti, thorny saguaros and an assortment of other desert vegetation. In another series, tall, thin slabs of metal with natural patinas reflect the contours and colors of the Southwest’s distinctive canyon formations. Zischke explains that he envisioned the sea life he had observed on the beaches of Mexico and the Mediterranean when creating a third series. As an example, he points to a sculpture, seemingly perched on its side, that spirals down to a tight point, akin to an abandoned conch shell. The Michigan native developed his passion for nature as a young man. He recalls living in a home with a large vegetable patch that he tended during college, which led him to become an avid gardener. Some of his fondest memories are of frequent visits to a birdhouse standing in the midst of the tomato plants. Laughing, he remembers that instead of seed, the birdhouse held a saltshaker for flavoring tomatoes eaten fresh off the vine. Since then, Zischke has continued to nurture his interest, saying, “Gardening is a really important part of my life.” Today, he merely has to step outside his home studio to find much of his inspiration. Situated on an acre, his residence is filled with various garden spaces, from one teeming with octopus agaves, to a vegetable and fruit patch, to a greenhouse that shelters his prized tomatoes. Zischke’s green thumb as well as his artwork are evident throughout. The artist says that he enjoys adding functional aesthetics to a landscape with sculpture that can double as screens to hide such things as unsightly pool equipment. “I love that I can create something dynamic for the yard.” Over the years, this one-time high school art teacher has exhibited his work internationally, designed an array of public art pieces, and recently created a permanent 39-piece plant-inspired sculpture at the headquarters of the Salt River Project (SRP) utility company. Looking back, Zischke describes his career path as an invigorating yet “mountainous journey” that presents him with hurdles on a nearly daily basis. “For me, the challenge is exciting,” he states. “Being able to create something new every day is something I look forward to. I never know what tomorrow will bring.” When asked what he would do if he wasn’t an artist, he says that answer is easy—he’d be a gardener.
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