Biography
Artist Biography
Justin Squier is a mixed-media artist and native of Colorado whose work is deeply rooted in the rugged beauty of the western high desert. Growing up surrounded by expansive landscapes and a family lineage of craftspeople and laborers, Squier developed an early appreciation for making, building, and working with his hands.
His interest in vintage cars and motorcycles led him to welding and metal fabrication, skills that have become an integral part of his artistic practice. Drawing from both traditional craftsmanship and hands-on experimentation, Squier combines materials, processes, and found elements to create distinctive works that are as much about the act of making, as they are about the finished piece.
While his work varies widely in form and material, each piece reflects his individual aesthetic and an educated approach to construction and composition. Through the combination of metalwork, mixed media, and unconventional materials, Squier creates one-of-a-kind works that celebrate craftsmanship, material, and the character found in the handmade.
Statement
I am creating with the time of former people. Honoring their history by transforming the objects they discarded or left behind. Through a visual tension of differing materials and the re-utilization of aged items, I am celebrating an overlooked legacy. The patinas, damages, and character of the found objects, tell the stories of precious time given from a limited life; The giving of this time is sacred. The moments spent viewing my artwork is giving the same gift of time and therefore bonding the present to the past. Through my work, I want the viewer to contemplate their own time, labor, use, and value.
