Barbed Wire Gives Life To Amazing Sculptures
When Jeff Best helped string barbed wire growing up, he never imagined he’d end up using it to create art as an adult. But thanks to a roll of old rusted barbed wire he discovered on a 40-acre homestead he and his wife purchased in Clare, Mich., his full-size prancing horses, bugling elk, and tabletop sculptures can be found all over the U.S.
“I thought it would be cool to make a deer head, so I put it in the barn,” Best says about the barbed wire. He’d always had a talent for drawing, but life and work as a feed and farm store salesman delayed his plan. He finally got around to making the deer head the winter of 2003. Someone saw it, wanted one and he made another. Then a sporting goods store owner asked him to make a full-body elk to go over the entrance of a new store he was building.
“That was my first big piece about eight years ago, and it steamrolled from there,” Best says. He entered art shows, earned recognition and sold pieces.
For longevity and value on his large sculptures, Best purchases new 12 1/2-ga. wire with two barbs that are just on one wire. That allows him to unbraid the bare wire and use it to tie the sculpture together. For most public art, the barbless wire is on the outside of the sculpture.
He starts with a frame of 1/2-in. black metal pipe and adds layers of barbed wire to create the curves and proportion he needs.
“My main criteria is that it be in motion,” Best says. Raising a leg and twisting the body and head are nuances that add difficulty - and life - to his sculptures.
Though he is naturally good with proportions, he typically projects the image he wants on the wall of his workshop. An 8-in. needle nose plier, thin leather gloves, safety glasses, old clothes and a leather apron are his main “tools” for sculpting.
“Barbed wire has a way of reminding you that you are working with it,” he says with a laugh, noting he’s been slapped with the end of the wire more than a few times.
All of Best’s sculptures are custom-made, from tabletop sculptures (18 to 24-in.) of chickens and bison to full-size wildlife and his most popular item - horses. Costs range from $2,000 for tabletop sculptures to $5,000 for deer to $10,000 to $15,000 for elk and moose to $14,000 to $18,000 for horses.
Some customers want rusted wire which Best coats with a protective polyurethane. Most pieces are powder-coated to preserve them for years. While about 75 percent are private sales, Best is also commissioned by municipalities and corporations. He has more than 20 sculptures on permanent display in 10 states.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Jeff Best, 10776 S. Brand Ave., Clare, Mich. 48617 (ph 989-429-9804; bestoutdoors7395@gmail.com; www.devilsropestudio.com; Facebook – Devils Rope Studio).
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Barbed Wire Gives Life To Amazing Sculptures FARM HOME Novelty Items When Jeff Best helped string barbed wire growing up he never imagined he’d end up using it to create art as an adult But thanks to a roll of old rusted barbed wire he discovered on a 40-acre homestead he and his wife purchased in Clare Mich his full-size prancing horses bugling elk and tabletop sculptures can be found all over the U S “I thought it would be cool to make a deer head so I put it in the barn ” Best says about the barbed wire He’d always had a talent for drawing but life and work as a feed and farm store salesman delayed his plan He finally got around to making the deer head the winter of 2003 Someone saw it wanted one and he made another Then a sporting goods store owner asked him to make a full-body elk to go over the entrance of a new store he was building “That was my first big piece about eight years ago and it steamrolled from there ” Best says He entered art shows earned recognition and sold pieces For longevity and value on his large sculptures Best purchases new 12 1/2-ga wire with two barbs that are just on one wire That allows him to unbraid the bare wire and use it to tie the sculpture together For most public art the barbless wire is on the outside of the sculpture He starts with a frame of 1/2-in black metal pipe and adds layers of barbed wire to create the curves and proportion he needs “My main criteria is that it be in motion ” Best says Raising a leg and twisting the body and head are nuances that add difficulty - and life - to his sculptures Though he is naturally good with proportions he typically projects the image he wants on the wall of his workshop An 8-in needle nose plier thin leather gloves safety glasses old clothes and a leather apron are his main “tools” for sculpting “Barbed wire has a way of reminding you that you are working with it ” he says with a laugh noting he’s been slapped with the end of the wire more than a few times All of Best’s sculptures are custom-made from tabletop sculptures 18 to 24-in of chickens and bison to full-size wildlife and his most popular item - horses Costs range from $2 000 for tabletop sculptures to $5 000 for deer to $10 000 to $15 000 for elk and moose to $14 000 to $18 000 for horses Some customers want rusted wire which Best coats with a protective polyurethane Most pieces are powder-coated to preserve them for years While about 75 percent are private sales Best is also commissioned by municipalities and corporations He has more than 20 sculptures on permanent display in 10 states Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Jeff Best 10776 S Brand Ave Clare Mich 48617 ph 989-429-9804; bestoutdoors7395@gmail com; www devilsropestudio com; Facebook – Devils Rope Studio
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