Metal sculptures by Richard Swenson on display this month at Mesa Public Library Gallery. Courtesy photoLIBRARY News:
Richard Swenson’s imaginative metal sculpture is familiar to many people in Los Alamos and White Rock. He has installed dozens of his favorite works in Mesa Public Library for the next month, with an opening reception 5-7 p.m. Monday, July 10.
A veritable menagerie of domestic and exotic animals awaits you at Richard Swenson’s show in the Upstairs Art Gallery. Majestic horses, good-natured penguins, a graceful cheetah, goofy dogs with lolling tongues, some rams, some pigs, a few warthogs, at least a trio of crickets and a giraffe are included in this show- all made from metal things which have been reincarnated. You may recognize tractor springs and bicycle chains and horseshoes and spoons, but every piece has been upcycled from a previous life and use.
“I just wanted to show how many things you can make from scrap metal,” Swenson said.
He said that he very rarely draws the figures before he constructs them, because the shapes will depend on what pieces of scrap metal he has to work with. Many of the pieces have a personal story behind them, which you can hear directly from Swenson at the opening reception.
Mesa Public Library, the main branch of the Los Alamos County Library System, is located at 2400 Central Ave. in Los Alamos. Both libraries are open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. For more information call 505.662.8253, or visit the Library’s website at www.losalamoslibrary.org.