Arriving at Tim Gunter’s house, first you’re overwhelmed with the variety of blooming plants outside. Next you notice that amongst almost all the plants sit objects that draw your attention. Is it a piece of junk? Is it supposed to be there? It looks like an elephant!
Everywhere there’s a space, there sits some animal or art design made of trash. Tim’s yard is a literal wonderland…and it’s made of recycled items that many people would toss in the rubbish.
The inside of his house is much the same, an artist’s gallery of discarded materials that have been given new life.
The message of Tim Gunter’s artwork is all about repurposing. “To me, everything looks like art if you get the right angle, or close one eye, or draw a face on it,” Tim explains. From an early age, he always liked turning something that someone didn’t want into something different.
“Think twice or three times before you throw it away,” he says. He feels better when he does have trash because he always knows he’s looked at it long enough to decide if it’s not usable to him.
He is making artwork all the time, partly so that he doesn’t end up with so much stuff. “It is also fun to see people shake their head when looking at some of the art,” he says. Right now he’s working on a full size person made out of broken auto glass, a project that is three years in the making. He’s hoping to finish that one by next year.
He creates works in other mediums too. “I also like to use wood and rocks, mostly for my own enjoyment.”
Gunter often shows his pieces in the Art of Trash annual exhibit, winning juried awards and delighting viewers with his fun take on reinventing.
Look for more interesting artwork by Tim Gunter in upcoming Art of Trash shows, and remember to think about your own inspirations as you’re sorting through your junk pile. There might just be something different waiting to be transformed.
The Art of Trash is an annual exhibition of repurposed materials transformed into art by Maui County artists. This year’s show runs from April 7th through the 28th at 1980 Main Street in Wailuku. Don’t miss Opening Night and the Maui Trashion Show on Wailuku First Friday, April 6th at 6pm. For more info visit Art of Trash on Facebook.