There aren't many things Terry Border is afraid to photograph. The Indiana artist has captured a Cheeto and a chip getting hot and heavy, a circus peanut taming a lion, and peanut butter proposing to jelly. Of course, these are all scenes that he's built -- from wire.
Having published one book of his creations and another due out in September, Border's creative work is in high demand (even allowing him to quit his day job as a baker) and has made its way to After Hours Gallery in an exhibition through July 29.
Border, an alum of Ball State University, graduated with a photography degree, dabbled in commercial photography but found he hated the field. So, he went into sculpting.
"I was doing large sculptures for years and having so-so luck in selling them," he says. "And the more I made, the more I had to store. I was the biggest collector of my own work."
He says he got involved with the quirky mini-sculptures after being invited to do a show and deciding to make something a little smaller. Border says he received a good amount of positive feedback -- enough to keep him going.
He started experimenting with his low-cost materials and launched a blog to get noticed.
"The whole purpose of this is me staying true to why I began: I found when I amuse myself, there will be other people who are amused too," he says. "I just try to have fun with it."
Coming up with ideas for new objects is is a puzzle, and he says if the ideas make him chuckle or think twice, he creates it.
"You know, we all get crazy ideas, and my brain has been trained for mortifying everything. Some people follow through with their ideas and some people don't. And I've chosen to follow through and it's paid off," he says.
Border's his latest book ("Bent Object of my Affection") that comes out in September will focus on relationships, and not just the mushy and corny stuff, either. He describes some of the upcoming art as "twisted."
Check out Border's work at After Hours Gallery 116 W. McDowell Rd from 6 to 9 p.m.. For more information, see Border's or the After Hours Gallery websites.
