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ART-A-FACTS: BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION

I’ve always tried to make things fit… Probably too many times out of necessity and not artistry, but the lifelong learning exercise has paid dividends. I’ve been trained to build complicated contraptions, oversized contrivances which stimulate your imagination. 

I’ve acquired the artistic gift of symmetry, bringing balance to juxtaposition. I put round pegs in square holes and neither complains. Do stuff which fundamental physics rejects. Construct triangles with two sides obtuse. Your eyes can’t discern if it’s upside down or down sign up.  

Call me a mad mechanic. Or a goofy gadgeteer. Or a liberated technophile. 

These unconventional artistic expressions blend old and new, rough and polished, refined and bizarre, familiar and obscure, form and function, and bourbon with pickle juice.

My art features playful fusion, the confluence of many tributaries, all intentionally designed to complement the other in a fashion where the end surpasses the sum of the parts.

ART-A-FACTS, for the discriminating collector of culture’s story

Contraptions

You’ve never seen machines like these.
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Chandeliers

Light up your world like no one else.
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Leftovers

Something weird; something wild.
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What Makes My Contractions Captivating?

FUSION

ART-A-FACT creations mount crude, massive, and coarse components alongside fine and delicate lovelies. Old and new, primitive and contemporary, common and the uncommonly rare share space. Some stuff makes sense and some makes none. Some select pieces perform and others simply twinkle to delight your senses. Abstract and concrete co-mingle in peace. It’s yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Memory Lane intersects with Rodeo Drive.

FUNCTIONALITY

ART-A-FACT contraptions represent the working class; show up every day with a lunch bucket and a tool box. We look down our nose at lazy art. Every piece of recycled history has a functional pedigree. Castoffs relish the opportunity for a second chance to prove they were put out to pasture prematurely. ART-A-FACT parts are reborn to serve anew. We pump Spirits, blow smoke, massage tender spots, and light up your life.

ENTERTAINMENT

ART-A-FACTS live to party! They never sleep and they always draw a crowd. They are mechanical marvels on par with circus poodles. They are unapologetic attention seekers. These wild and crazy imachinations want to show you and your friends a good time. They are the hit of every party and the envy of every entertainer. They never complain or feign a headache. They are wired for fun and juiced to perform.

WIZARDRY

ART-A-FACTS are a magic act! They suspend reality and transcend the predictable. They are notoriously mischievous. These contraptions lure their prey with shiny buttons and polished knobs. Folks can’t keep their hands off an ART-A-FACT. They are constructed to solicit participation and violation. Interacting with a contraption is like driving a Model T and flying a 747 at the same time. Part quackery and part technocraft, every creation is a contradiction, and proud of it!

HISTORICAL

ART-A-FACTS amount to miniature museums. Each thematic creation displays hundreds of historical oddities and rare representations of past eras. Thoughtfully collected, restored, and repurposed antiques live and play together in harmony on each ART-A-FACT platform. Each contraption relates ancient stories of conquest and defeat, brilliance and failure, progress and regress, and undoubtedly, acceptance and rejection... and so the current expression may well be your story!

UNIQUENESS

ART-A-FACTS may one day be copied, but for now they are one-of-a-kind eclectic masterpieces. Each contraption was hatched as an ugly duckling, and the growth process necessary to become a swan followed an unchartered path. No contraption evolved knowing what it would ultimately become— simply accepting its noble opportunity to represent playful con-fusion. Every ART-A-FACT wants to hook up with the man who has everything—less this.

Contact Me To Learn More

CONTACT ME

Frequently Asked
Questions

How long does it take to build a complicated contraption?

It depends on the dimensions and complexities of the contraption, but normal time is between six and eight months, though that doesn’t include the years of collecting it took to build the massive inventory necessary for artful construction. I estimate the largest contraption, FIRE IN THE HOLE, took over 1000 hours to build. 

Where are the contraptions built?

I have a 500 square-foot shop in Duncanville, a southern suburb of Dallas.

Can the owner purchase a service contract from the artist?

I highly recommend a long-term relationship between myself and the new owner. In fact, the original purchase contract includes a half day per month maintenance agreement for the first year. If the owner is planning an event at which the contraption is featured, it’s recommended the artist be in attendance for the event to ensure it operates smoothly for the duration. Fees for these kind of services will be negotiated. 

What materials are primarily used in the creation of a contraption?

Brass is the dominant material on most contraptions. Stainless steel and copper are also used. Most of the antiques are brass, many of them 19th century. Most the pipe is brass and is ground, polished, and sealed with a special 10 year anti-oxidant coating to preserve its luster. Almost all the antiques have been restored.

Does the contraption come with an explanation of each part?

Yes, a detailed legend is included giving an expanded history of each and every piece, many of them fascinating and conversational, others famous and exceptional.   

What type of lighting is used?

I’ve search the world for the most unique LED lights, always trying to purchase ones with extended life spans upward of 25,000 to 30,000 hours. You may own this for a decade and never have to change a lightbulb.

How do you move something so heavy and awkward?

With great care! Each contraption is built to be moved. In fact, they will strip down to roll through a standard 32” x 80” door! They’re mounted on extra heavy duty casters and purposefully balanced. The journey to their final destination will be accomplished in an air cushioned trailer using lots of padding and strapping. Once they arrive at their new home, they will be carefully reassembled and finely tuned.

Are the contraptions safe?

Like any large industrial machine with moving parts, these contraptions must be respected and handled with care. They are not a toy, and serious injury is possible if they are mishandled in a careless fashion. Though extreme care was taken in the wiring of the contraptions, they are not UIL approved, and owners should always employ the services of a professional electrician if alterations are made. Same suggestion applies to any mechanical alterations; it’s wise to employee a qualified professional. Every contraption resides in my own home for a year to demonstrate my confidence in the safety and durability of its construction. 

What about pumping liquids through all the pipes and hoses? Are they clean and sterile?

Yes, they have to be following dozens of cleansing services featuring acetone, bleach, and a variety of high proof cheap whiskey’s, generally recognized as effective antiseptics.

Is the contraption warrantied?

Yes, there is a one year conditional warranty. The conditions are straightforward and simple: the machine must be operated in a manner in which it was intended. The artist cannot and will not guarantee the contraption’s performance or durability if it is improperly operated or abused. Contraptions function best with a single operator. Though it features relatively simple mechanics, it’s sophisticated and delicate enough it can’t sustain misuse or abuse at the hands of someone unfamiliar with it.

Where is the most likely location for a contraption to be installed... what’s a perfect application? Who possesses the perfect purchaser’s profile?

Anywhere groups of people are gathered looking to be entertained, and that might include event centers, bars, restaurants, hotel lobbies, man caves, commercial building lobbies, or a wealthy man’s playroom. I hope they make it to market before a big distiller claims one to promote it’s brand. 

Are they expensive?

Yes.