Bio
Originally from the SF Bay Area, John Baer has lived in Santa Cruz since 1978. After graduating from UCSC in 1983, he studied neon art at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco. For several years, John combined neon with other elements, such as wood, glass, and metal. He developed a fascination for "found" metal objects and often used them in his neon pieces. Eventually, he dropped the neon and focused solely on metal art. Today he creates functional art and sculptures from found and raw metal objects.
Statement
I create retro-futuristic furniture art and sculptures from found metal objects. I find most of my objects randomly in metal salvage yards, so many of my pieces are one-of-a-kind. I gravitate toward high grade aluminum or stainless steel artifacts that were industrial or high-tech components. I let the inherent characteristics of each object guide my design of the resulting piece of art. My finished pieces evoke a feeling of an imaginary time and place where metal is king. They complement rooms with modern or eclectic styles, but they can work anywhere (such as your place). My best pieces are bold, whimsical, and functional.
Originally from the SF Bay Area, John Baer has lived in Santa Cruz since 1978. After graduating from UCSC in 1983, he studied neon art at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco. For several years, John combined neon with other elements, such as wood, glass, and metal. He developed a fascination for "found" metal objects and often used them in his neon pieces. Eventually, he dropped the neon and focused solely on metal art. Today he creates functional art and sculptures from found and raw metal objects.
Statement
I create retro-futuristic furniture art and sculptures from found metal objects. I find most of my objects randomly in metal salvage yards, so many of my pieces are one-of-a-kind. I gravitate toward high grade aluminum or stainless steel artifacts that were industrial or high-tech components. I let the inherent characteristics of each object guide my design of the resulting piece of art. My finished pieces evoke a feeling of an imaginary time and place where metal is king. They complement rooms with modern or eclectic styles, but they can work anywhere (such as your place). My best pieces are bold, whimsical, and functional.
