John Lacz sure startled his friends. One day Lacz was working in his auto body
shop and indulging his love of fast cars. The next day it seemed to them, he
was saying he had been accepted as a member of the New Hampshire Association
after having his sculptures successfully juried - on his first attempt, a rare
occurrence. "That I was artsy too was suprising to them", Lacz
says.
 Actually, his move into the art world had
been in the making for a long time. He custom painted cars for years, never
thinking it was art. He had always bought art for his house because he liked
having it around. One day, he wanted something as a focal point for his yard
and "not that woman bending over, either". Sculpture was expensive, if you
could find it, so he decided to make it himself.
He used what he was
familiar with, steel painted with car paint. Most metal artist let metal rust
but Lacz says "it goes against the nature of a body man to let something rust".
The paint he used is chameleon-like, changing colors as the light changes. It's
pricey too - $400 a pint.
He used what he was familiar with, steel
painted with car paint. Most metal artist let metal rust but Lacz says "it goes
against the nature of a body man to let something rust". The paint he used is
chameleon-like, changing colors as the light changes. It's pricey too - $400 a
pint.
Today, Lacz still works in his Manchester auto body shop, but he
also has sold quite a few of his abstract sculptures - in steel, wood and
fiberglass - at prices ranging from $700 to $2000 and up. He exhibits at shows
and galleries around the state and behond. Art 3 Gallery in Manchester has a
selection of his work.
Lacz says that now that he's "pushing 60", he'd
like to retire so he can focus on his art and supplement his retirement income.
"That would be very nice, yes" he says.
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