Tom Fruin

Broken plexiglass, lost playing cards and discarded drug baggies may seem like trash to most people…but not to Tom Fruin. These are just some of the materials that this New York-based artist uses to form his large-scale sculptures. His 2006 series of “quilts” are surprisingly appealing pieces sewn together from drug paraphernalia that he found on city streets. Tom’s recent piece, ‘Kolonihavehus’, is a an outdoor sculpture built with thousands of found plexiglasss in Copenhagen, Denmark. The eye-catching installation forms a simple house built of what looks like stained glass because of the varied colors and sizes of the found materials. See how one man’s trash can become a talented artist’s treasure in Tom’s 10 ANSWERS below.

1. How would you describe your work in three words?
Labored urban exploration.

2. Who is your creative role model?
The mailman.

3. If you had an extra hour each day what would you do with it?
Exercise.

4. What place in the world most inspires you and why?
The Alhambra… no, the ocean. so massive and peaceful and violent.

5. If you could do a different job for a day what would it be and why?
A mailman – fun to put my hands in those miniature boxes as stand-ins for people’s homes.

6. What is your favorite homemade gift to give?
A house-warming gift of a small house sewn from linen and filled with soil and seeds. Meant to be left on the sill to absorb rainwater.

7. What is your favorite object in your home?
The sewing machine.

8. What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Look both ways.

9. What websites do you use for inspiration?
designboom.

10. When do you consider a piece of your work complete?
When all the tape is removed.