Artist Michael Bestwick comes off the scrap heap

Michael Bestwick's horse head sculpture is made from scrap materials and is a part of his "Found " exhibit that runs through Jan. 30 at Penn State New Kensington.

“Found” exhibit features sculptures made from discarded materials

“The inspiration that drives the creation of my functional and sculptural works is derived from the discards of the current culture, which have been deemed useless by their loss of profitability.”--Michael Bestwick

UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- Artist Michael Bestwick makes his Penn State New Kensington Art Gallery debut in January with a solo exhibition “Found.” The show runs until Jan. 30.

Bestwick’s art is the re-purposing of garden-variety objects. Working with found materials, he creates sculptural and functional pieces. A commercial truck driver and mechanical fabricator by trade, Bestwick found that his knack for mechanical achievements translated into the creativity and deft hand skills needed for artistic endeavors.

“When I was doing fabrication in the field, it was common to scrounge around and make do with whatever materials were available on site,” said Bestwick, a native of Saxonburg. “Using those same techniques for sculpture, I soon realized the rusting and weathering of the material gave my pieces a natural finish that is otherwise sometimes faked.”

Bestwick always possessed creative instincts and a natural ability to draw. An art class at Butler Country Community College confirmed his impressionist style. Succumbing to his artistic prowess, he joined the Saxonburg Area Artists Co-op in 2010, and his avocation quickly evolved into a vocation.

“I entered the cooperative as a painter of pastels, but my fellow artists encouraged me to incorporate my skills with welders, oxygen and acetylene torches to produce sculpture and contemporary furniture,” Bestwick said.

A year later, he turned discarded 55-gallon drums into abstract sculptures using his mechanical instincts and the tools of his trade. An owl he created out of a burn barrel, stood at the entrance to the artists co-op galley until it closed in February. In addition, he created a series of contemporary furniture pieces from barn beams that had been hand-cut over a century ago.

The 46-year-old artist’s work began to gain notoriety. In 2012, he received a Three Rivers Arts Festival Emerging Artist Scholarship and the Geraldine Freeling Award, as well as acceptance into the Pittsburgh Society of Artists, a group that provides members opportunities to exhibit their art. Two years later, he earned a Jurors award at the arts festival in Pittsburgh. The career change was complete.

“The success of these works led to encouraging and life-changing events,” Bestwick said. “I received numerous invitations to instruct at public and private schools. These achievements and recognition have validated my belief in myself and my desire to pursue a full-time vocation as a professional artist.”

Bestwick graduated from Knoch High School. He resides in the Village of Fenelton in Butler County.

A reception for the artist is set from 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, Jan. 22, in the gallery. The reception and exhibit are free to the public. The gallery is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., weekdays and noon to 5 p.m., weekends.

For more information, call Tina Sluss, 724-34-6056.

For photos of the exhibit, visit http://psnk.smugmug.com/

 A function chair sculpture by Michael Bestwick.