After spending 19 years roofing and siding houses, Heller had the know-how, the tough hands, and the sheer quantity of scrap material to create a whole garage’s worth of metal sculptures. Which is exactly what he did.

Heller creates artistic interpretations of chopper motorcycles out of scrap metal. Having built real choppers as a young man, Heller says he has the “hands-on identification” that this kind of artistry demands. Never soldering or welding the pieces together, he instead twists, cuts, bends, and hammers them into shape. The whimsical yet mechanically accurate sculptures contain seven different types of metal, from copper to stainless steel. “People like to get real close and test themselves, trying to guess which metals are which,” he says.

Though Heller created his first motorcycle sculptures in 1991, he abandoned the art in favor of steadier income. A series of unfortunate accidents, however, led him back to the long-dormant boxes of scrap metal – and imagination. First, Heller injured his back in karate class. Then he suffered a bout of heatstroke. In 2007, he gave up home improvement and reacquainted himself with art.

“I just went bananas!” Heller says. In one years’ time, he created 300 one-of-a-kind junk-art sculptures.

As I wandered his garage-turned studio, it was the detail that startled me. A few make use of tiny light bulbs for headlamps, while others incorporate antique glass doorknobs. There are motorcycles with metal riders, wire hair in perpetual flow behind them. On another, a copper cobra emerges from the back tire.

Though each model is different, Heller never approaches his work table with a blueprint. “I don’t envision the final product. A plan would be too much of a distraction for me; it would make it feel too much like a job.”

    Despite this, Heller works rigorously, sometimes building up to five bikes in one day. His speed and deftness in the craft is a testament to years of manipulating pliers and cutting siding.

Heller’s artistic renaissance led him to other projects, too. After reading about a man in Missouri who creates one-of-a-kind birdhouses, Heller knew he could do the same, and realized he had hit upon quite a market. “If you don’t like birds, there’s something wrong with you,” he joked. “The ladies just go nuts over ‘em.”

True to form, Heller seeks abandoned material for his birdhouses. For a small fee, he willingly tears down old barns, saving the red-tinged cedar. “It’s hard work, but what a way to get material!” he says. Whenever possible, he takes advantage of natural holes in the wood, which saves him the trouble of drilling. Sometimes he adorns the houses with wire motorcycles, merging the two crafts.

All this creating has led to a few shows across the state, including Warren’s Cranberry Festival and a current exhibition at Old Elbow School Shop. Soon he will have some bikes for sale at a new shop called “Junk and Treasures” in Rock Falls.

Heller, the father of a 22 year-old daughter and a 16 year-old son, is excited about the exposure and is already looking beyond artistic success. “I’m going to travel the country and give lectures to auditoriums, talking to kids about art and encouraging them to make it,” he says.

    Figures, Bikes and Mud, featuring the works of Bob Heller, runs through April 2 at Harmony Corner Café, 2855 Mall Dr., Eau Claire.