When artist Andrew Myers makes a painting, the subjects of his portraits get screwed -- literally.
A British man makes works of art by drilling screws into pieces of wood.
Andrew Myers, 31, creates portraits using 10,000 screws, spending six months a time to make his three-dimensional pieces of work.
Myers didn't start out being a screwy sculptor, but, you know the drill, once he saw the concept in his mind's eye, he decided to see if if he could nail it for real.
First he drills holes into the wood before painstakingly inserting the screws one at a time.
He explained:"This kind of art is unique enough that I have to keep going with it, but it costs so much to create each piece it's not as financially rewarding as you may think. They are more a labour of love."
The initial inspiration came while he was working in a church.
"I was doing bronze reliefs depicting the life of Saint Catherine and decided to work with screws," he said.
It also appeals to people for whom appreciating art is difficult, such as guys who'd rather hang out at a hardware store more than an art gallery and people who are unable to enjoy traditional paintings.
Reaching an untraditional audience is one reason San Diego gallery owner Alexander Salazar chose to exhibit Myers' work.
"People literally stopped in their tracks while we unloading it," Salazar told once.
Of course, being able to touch people is one reason Myers became an artist, and he admits that, in some cases, people have to touch it in order to grasp the concept.
"One of my highlights is when a blind guy touched the art and knew immediately what it was," Myers said. "I don't want everyone touching it, but, in some cases, you have to."
The final Curious © phrase:
“Friends are like fiddle strings; they must not be screwed too tight”
(H. G. Bohn)
