Patrick Buckohr, mastermind behind the “critters” recycled art sculptures, can’t help but transform downtown Canton into a jungle. His larger than life critters delight children and return adults to their childhood fantasies, and now he’s set his sights on bringing the lifelike animals of the savanna home to Canton.
Beginning with a realistic rhinoceros, these urban animals will be formed from steel skeletons and lifelike rubber skin.
“I intended the critters as giant toys – they are larger than life, like walking around inside an enormous toy box,” said Buckohr.
The rubber rhino sculpture will be smaller than its Critter cousins, at 110 percent life-size, approximately ten feet long and six to seven feet tall. The rhino project is a prototype for future animals, as its skin lends itself well to the medium. But Buckohr imagines creating other animals, a baby elephant perhaps or more exotic, challenging creatures, like an ostrich. Buckohr learned to use retread adhesive from Ziegler Tire and gets the shredded rubber from Liberty Tire Recyclers. The shredded rubber is a first cut, and unlike the small pieces that cushion children’s playground equipment, the pieces that Buckohr will use are big hunks of rubber, the length of an arm. The rubber is stretched over steel frames.
“We’re skinning the frames with recycled tires. It’s traditional armature, except we’re substituting clay with rubber. In art, you have to be willing to experiment,” said Buckohr.
He believes that art from recycled materials is the right thing to do for our planet, and while he’s dedicated to his craft, he’s part of a growing movement looking to transform Canton into a center for green art and green artists.
“We’re trying to make Canton a ‘green art Mecca’,” said Buckohr. “We’re in the middle of America’s trashcan, the heart of the rust belt, and that lends itself to sculptures and other projects created out of recycled materials. It’s the perfect fit.”
Buckohr, a graduate of The University of Akron, began his formal career as a graphic designer, though he fell in love with Jackson Pollock when he was only six years old. He was working on a mural when Steven Slesnick asked if he could build a dragon out of scrap metal, which he and fellow Canton artist Joseph Close ultimately completed together. The concept helped launch the downtown critters, and Buckohr’s passion for sculpture.
Buckohr doesn’t like to be limited by choice of artistic medium. In fact, he even began an apprenticeship at Hammers’ Tattoo last October. Ultimately, Buckohr wishes to expand his studio and offer artists a new kind of opportunity: a post-baccalaureate program aimed at teaching artists how to make money in their chosen craft.
“We don’t have an apprenticeship for the arts. We teach students in other trades how to work, how to make a living in plumbing, masonry and electrical work,” said Buckohr. “Why not teach our artists how to make a living?”
Buckohr believes that in order to market Canton as a prime community for the arts and for artists, we need to bring new excitement to the arts district, give visitors a reason to return downtown to see what’s happening, to see what’s NEW in art. He calls on his fellow artists to help grow the standard for art in Canton in order to ensure the long-term survival of the art community in Stark County and to appeal to new artists.
What’s next on Buckohr’s ever – expanding arts lineup?
The rhino unveiling is scheduled for the March First Friday. Buckohr hopes to sell the concept to Terry’s Tire Town for rotating display at store locations. Beyond the recycled tire sculptures, there’s another school on the horizon – a school of fish, that is.
“We’ve been talking about creating hundreds of fish, a whole school, from recycled materials!” said Buckohr.
For more information on Buckohr, and to view a portfolio, visit www.buckohr.com or myspace.com/PatrickBuckohr.
