The optimism and gratitude message Ike Wynter Weins conveys through his work was reflected back at him when we welcomed him at our September 26, 2023 meeting. Ike favors mental health awareness and nostalgia for his subject matter with the intent to just make your day better.
A nostalgic piece, Ike brought in a Polaroid camera he had just completed with separate interchangeable pictures images to swap out for the photo being developed. Ike likes his pieces to appear 3 dimensional. Pointing out select areas of wood, he described why he chose them and the random places they had come from.
Surprisingly, Ike did not grow up with an art background nor loved the class through school. He actually started a very successful house cleanout service with his brother that grew to nearly 100 employees over 5 years! Because of this job, Ike claims he was able to see value in things others chose to leave behind. Wood was the number one thing typically discarded – lots of wood pallets! Recognizing some wood was worth collecting, Ike would think “This is just cool wood.” He started utilizing the wood in simple framing or remodeling projects.
COVID slowed down the business’s workload and Ike found himself with a lot of free time. He began exploring working with all the wood he had collected as an art form and posting his journey on social media and gathering encouraging followers.
The majority of the wood used in Ike’s eco-conscious wall art has come from people’s houses, though he also makes many finds along the sides of the road. He chooses to use the wood as he found it – never staining, painting or vanishing it. The decision to create his pieces as wall art allows the integral rough textures of the wood also to remain. Using mainly a scroll saw, he cuts wood pieces to fit like a puzzle.
You can find a gallery of Ike’s work online via TikTok or Instagram.
