At some point this past year, I was driving around on back country roads here in western Washington. And somehow I got on one of the roads that leads up to Mount Rainier. I’d been on that same road a few times when I was riding along as a small child in the back seat of my parents’ car (next to my brother who was over on his side of back seat) … and I’ve driven this same road as an adult in my own car a few times.
But this time I guess I was paying attention and … holy cow, what’s that on my right?! I swear I’d never seen this place before, but numerous online websites say it’s been there for many years. I slammed on the brakes and pulled in!
Ok, maybe my entrance wasn’t quite that dramatic. 🙂
It sure felt like I’d come upon a magical place.
Look closely at the musical instruments above. The guitar on the left uses a metal seat from a farm tractor for the large end of the guitar. The bass violin (cello?) on the right uses what looks to me like some small pipes from a pipe organ.
There’s so much cool stuff here, way more than I’m showing you. The displays of welding art cover several acres of open and wooded land. The public is welcome … at no cost. Drive in and park and just walk around and enjoy the welded metal “art”.
The bicycle below was at least 10 feet tall! Look at the seat … anyone sitting in that seat would not be able to reach those handlebars or the pedals. How goofy is that? And what fun. 🙂
The motorbike below was about regular life-size. I liked how the man who is making these used real engine pistons (four of them) to represent the engine.
And the rocking horse below, with what looks like a farm tractor seat on the saddle, and lots of horse shoes used to create the hind quarters.
The bird below was seven or eight feet tall. With horsehoes for the body.
This welder uses anything and everything to make his statues, his art.
Love the car … low roof line!
Below, another tall bird.
Look at those tail feathers, ha!! 🙂
Fish on! This aquatic creature below was huge, at least 14 feet long, and perfectly balanced on that one pedestal. The body of the fish was made mostly of horseshoes. Since this welder uses so many horseshoes in his pieces, there must be an almost unlimited supply of used horseshoes hereabouts. I bet everyone who owns a horse and everyone who is a farrier around here knows to deliver their used horseshoes to this welder.
I love the horse head below … with a Ford rear brake assembly shoe (without the asbestos brake liner) used for the large curved jaw. And all manner of other bits and pieces of metal from other stuff too.
Another bird below … how cool!
Below … I think this was the largest sculpture in the park. I could walk under the body, almost without ducking, and I’m 5’8″. So this gorgeous, gigantic giraffe was likely 15 feet tall or more.
An eagle. The feathers were spectacular … so light-weight and delicate.
This horse (below) had a real leather saddle on her. I enjoyed the use of engine piston connecting rods for the horse’s legs. Seemed appropriate somehow … since those engine connecting rods deliver the power of an engine, and here they deliver the power of this horse to race away any minute!
Another horse. The feet, the hooves … what are they made from?
Below, a very rambunctious filly and her mom.
Whoa, dudes! Don’t miss the bleached skull on the front fork.
“Recycled Spirits of Iron” … what an appropriate name. Classic.
But … is this “art”? I believe so. It certainly uses imagination and creative skill, and doesn’t art require those?
To visit Dan Klennert’s sculpture park, drive to Elbe (WA), west-southwest of Mount Rainier, then take state route 706 towards Mount Rainier National Park. It’s about 2.7 miles outside of Elbe on route 706 … the sculpture park will be on your right. It’s worth the drive. I’ll be back for another visit. See you there! 🙂
No kidding this is art. This is amazing! What a find. Thank you.
You are welcome, Joe. This was a great find.
Wow, another place down in Washington we need to go see. There’s so much great stuff down there. I loved the eagle and the feathers … Jim liked the horse’s tail “feathers” that were mechanic wrenches, just sayin’. 🙂
Janey
Obviously, I liked those tail feathers too, Janey. The wrenches looked like 9/16″ but maybe one or two were 1/2″, perfect tail feathers. Most were combination wrenches (box and open end), but one was a double open end … you gotta have options when it comes to your tail feathers. 🙂
Oh that eagle was wonderful, wasn’t it?
Thank you, both of you.
Love the horses.
Me too. 🙂
I like spider #16. 🙂 Except that you mention the use of lots of horseshoes, I’m not sure I would have noticed them. They’re just sort of part of the animal. Great stuff.
Spider was probably three feet tall and six feet across … not something I’d like to come across in the real world!
How cool! Some guy who has probably been welding “stuff” all his life is now getting to weld any darned thing he wants. I love it. That bicycle at the beginning of the blog is super, the tail feathers are fun (what size wrenches, Ann?). I liked the horse head #11, even before reading about the curved Ford brake shoe. The eagle of course. Sure wish I lived near there so I could go there. But thank you for sharing what you did. I really liked it. I also liked that the guy called his place “spirits”.
Kinny, check my reply to Jim/Janey above … those tail feather wrenches were great. 🙂
And I thought what you said, too, that this man has probably been welding for work, for pay, for someone else, maybe all his life, and now gets to weld any darned thing he wants … and, also as you mention, he feels a “spirit” in his work. I like that.
Thanks for the great comment.
I liked all of it, but I was struck by the way he created the mane on the horse in photo #20. And the shape of the horse head in #11 was perfect (the one with the brake shoe) … how did he do that? This is art!
Greg, I loved that horse’s mane too. So simple. So perfect. And I think my favorite photo is #11, because of … well, because of everything. 🙂
What fun, and what hard work. What an imagination. I’ve done welding but none as much as this. It’s really impressive. The bicycle and the tail-feather wrenches and the bikers at the end were all stupendous. Makes me think of things I might do. 🙂
Olivia, if you can weld, and you think about doing “art”, then I can’t encourage you enough. Do it! Big things, small things, all things. 🙂 Yes.
Spirits indeed. Heartfelt and fun. Thank you for paying attention and turning right!
Ha! Yes, paying attention sure paid off this day. I will continue to endeavor to continue to pay attention!! 🙂 Life brings such wonderful things to us.
Fantastic. Makes me think about what I could do like this, but with wood. Hmmmm. 🙂
Oh yes, wood would be glorious for this. Let your imagination run. Go for it, Ruth. And talk about “spirit” … wood sure has that. I’m so glad that you (and Olivia) are thinking and dreaming and letting the door open even more. Thank you!