John Schwarz’s journey as a recycled metal sculptor began in his youth, heavily influenced by his father—a NASA engineer with a passion for robotics and science fiction. Growing up, Schwarz learned how mechanical systems worked, especially those used on spacecraft and the lunar module. His father, who holds two patents in robotics components and still attended physics and astronomy classes at the University of Michigan, taught him how to disassemble and reassemble machines, sparking a lifelong interest in building with reclaimed materials.

By middle school, John was already skilled in using hand and power tools, often creating functional or artistic pieces from scrap metal and wood. This early exposure shaped his love for assemblage sculpture, where he transformed recycled gadgets, nuts, rivets, and bolts into creatures like dinosaurs and fish.

“Working with found objects—bolting together unrelated parts—is more satisfying to me than using traditional materials like clay,” Schwarz says. “Because of my upbringing, I’m completely at home building with tools, machines, and discarded materials. It’s where creativity and mechanics meet.”