Local artist transforms bike parts into art

Pat Brown
Contributing Writer

In a basement studio near Radford, Nikki Pynn finally has room to build on her most recent passion: embellishing old bike parts to convert them into works of art.

“I’ve always had my own studio,” she explained, but sometimes it was a shed or a corner of a room. “Working (as an artist) has always been important to me.”

Her studio, approximately 50 by 20 feet, allows her to collect glass shards, bike frames, empty wheels and myriad other things she can re-purpose into art.

For example, one of the pieces she is currently working on uses an automobile brake disk for its base, an old fashioned wagon wheel as its lower support and a bike frame turned sideways to support a mobile bike wheel.

The movable wheel will be embellished with stained glass, and Pynn can already demonstrate how the glass colors and textures installed into the spinning wheel will influence the colors in two scenes mounted on the frame.

Pynn likes art that people have to touch. Most art is simply viewed, Pynn explained. “People have to interact with this art and that’s terrifically important,” she said. She thinks inviting people to touch artwork is a great way to reward folks for taking time to go explore art, she added.

At three recent shows, Pynn’s interactive works took a Best in Show and a second place award. The shows were located in Staunton, Blacksburg and Pearisburg.

She was inspired to use bike parts by her husband David’s love of biking. He clocks about 5,000 miles a year, she explained. She got an assist from a local bike shop, which granted her standing permission to search through their discarded parts.

With a fine arts degree from VCU, Pynn has been working in art for 36 years. She has taught private lessons and has been a public school art teacher.

“I was the art gypsy for Giles County Schools,” she said, recalling her work in five separate elementary schools.

Currently she mentors three students at her studio. She has worked in pastels, painting and printmaking, to name a few. Her ability to express her art in multiple mediums makes her happy.

“I am very lucky to have that,” she said.

And for the past half-dozen years she has been really thankful for her big studio, which has large windows facing the New River.

“Now, when I have an idea, I don’t have limitation of light and space,” she said.

Additionally, the space lets Pynn indulge herself in a secret pleasure. She allows herself some time before she sells some of her pieces.

“I hold them for a little while, because I love them,” she said. “Sometimes it takes a while before I’m ready to let them go,” she confessed.

Recently, Pynn has been branching out to other communities. She is working on her second community art project in Galax, where a wall on Grayson Street has been beautified by residents under her guiding hand and under sponsorship of the Chestnut Creek School of the Arts. The makers used 50 pounds of broken pottery to create their mosaic wall.

“I am the kind of person who can allow people to work with me,” said Pynn. So she was the right pick for the community wall.

The next Galax project will involve three days when the community will be invited to make tiles and another two days when they will help cut glass.

In the meantime, she is involved with working at the former Price’s Fork Elementary School site as it becomes a residence for people over 50. She plans to help develop an outdoor courtyard that blends farming and mining tools with artistic embellishments.

“You’ll be able to see it from the street and from the public space inside,” she said.

Pynn has a new goal for herself, inspired by her desire to tackle more bike part projects. She plans to take up welding.

Now that their two grown boys are out on their own, the Pynns are enjoying the house they found that has the big studio basement and a view of the New River.

“This is a good place,” she said.

To find out more about her work, go to Facebook and search “Nikki Pynn