Bending The Rules - an interview with Terry Border



Terry Border - "arteest"




Meet Terry Border - sculptor, photographer, and wizard with wire. With a pair of pliers and bit of sixteen gauge, Border masterfully reveals scenes from the inner lives of everyday household items and food stuffs you or I might otherwise overlook. From pill bottles to playing cards, pastries to peanuts, he has personified it all with visual puns and unique perspectives.


"Zombies are Nuts about Brains"- photo courtesy of Terry Border


On his blog, Bent Objects, Border has been sharing his (slightly bent) sense of humor ever since 2006. Prior to anthropomorphizing everything from peanuts to cheese doodles, he was a commercial photographer. Clearly the biz didn't meet his creative needs, though, because before long he was sculpting with wires - first as a hobby, but soon as much, much more.



"At The Party" - photo courtesy of Terry Border

Becoming iconic wasn't the plan, Border laughs when I suggest such a thing, but becoming something interesting to myself was.


After just three years of blogging, Border released his first book, Bent Objects: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things.

The book is filled with incredibly detailed, and sometimes twisted, scenes... each offering a glimpse into the mind that created them.




"Where There's Pork, There's Beans" - photo courtesy of Terry Border


Now that's what I call a food artist.


When I see the image in my mind, the final photograph is usually very much like it. Border explains, when I ask him about his process. I have a good idea right away what it's going to look like - I just find the objects, make some wire appendages or whatever, and then 'sculpt' it, for lack of a better term. There's lots of fussing around with the lighting, and many photos before the final.

As an added bonus to working from home, Border says that after setting up a scene he often gets to eat his work. As a food photographer, I can relate!

I still remember when I first discovered Terry's book, surfing the web and hoping to be entertained (little did I know what awaited me!). The name caught my attention first, then the cover was enough to push me over the edge - I was so eager, I believe I paid full shipping from Amazon for it. *Gasp!*

Now, a couple years later, my copy is worn - the dust jacket bent and the pages falling open to all my favorites - because nary is the occasion when this book doesn't find its way to the table, to be shown off to family, friends, and anyone else who cares to take a gander.

Some of you may remember my Leprechaun deviled eggs, or "Drunken" Snowmen awhile back - clearly there is no secret where my inspiration came from.

 Leprechaun Egg

 Drunken Snowman 

Seeing first-hand how difficult it is to make wire arms and legs express a scene, I asked Terry what the most challenging part of his job was. As I should've known, he had the same answer I, or anyone else working for themselves, might give:
The most challenging thing is to motivate myself, sometimes. It can be easy to just 'coast' along and not actually do anything some days.

Falling into the creative slump, so to speak, is yet another thing I'm familiar with. As Border points out, though - his eye for creativity is always on the lookout for blog fodder. The most rewarding thing, he says, is hearing from people who enjoy my work.

Well, fortunately for us (those who enjoy his work, that is), Border has recently published a new book - Bent Objects of My Affection: the twists and turns of love.

Featuring page after page of romance-themed vignettes, this book is something to fall in love with. Plus, it not only makes for a good coffee-table conversation starter, but is a great gift for that special someone.

"Bananas At Bedtime" - photo courtesy of Terry Border

From his home town in Indiana, to traveling abroad; from art museums to cartoons, from restaurants to famous artists... Border says his inspiration comes from most anywhere. And it seems there's hardly anywhere he isn't willing to go.
In addition to his books and blogging, Border has a second website - the aptly titled 'Really Bent Objects' - for his more graphic, or risqué, pieces. I couldn't help but wonder if this garnered any harsh critics from his fans or the media, but Border says fortunately, very few.
I thought about combining the two [sites] last year, but my wife talked me out of it because of kids checking out Bent Objects. She's right.


Whichever aspect of his art you lean towards most, it's hard not to like Terry's keen sense of humor and eye for storytelling. And, with such a range and repertoire, it's no wonder there are rumors of an animation project in the works. It seems there are just no bounds to Border's bendable abilities.



Like pulling out his books to show my friends and dinner guests, I hope not merely to entertain you with all this banter but to convert you to a Bent Objects lover like myself. To read the book and preach its goodness unto others... well, so to speak.
If you like what you've read so far, I do encourage you to check out Terry's blog and books.


And, for your further reading pleasure:

The Blog: http://bentobjects.blogspot.com/
The Dirty Blog (enter at your own discretion): http://reallybent.blogspot.com/
Wired.com interview
Smithsonian interview
Owni interview