RUNDE, Thomas

A creation of the artist. Photo in 2011.

Runde, Thomas. (Dubuque, IA, Apr. 26, 1943-- ) Runde is considered one of the first "environmental artists" in the Midwest. Boasting that everything he built was made from something headed for the landfill, he crafted clocks, furniture and picture frames. Among his prized creations was a 250-pound chandelier six feet in diameter made of smoothed floorboards and a giant wagon wheel, glass from an old jail's window, mirrors and scrap carpeting to match the carpet in the home of the people for whom it had been purchased. In his store, Heritage Old Wood Arts, in Galena, Runde displayed a 1,000 pound grandfather clock with a wagon wheel face and hands made from old fruit boxes. Moldings came from local taverns and houses in Dubuque and Platteville, Wisconsin. The clock was displayed at the Chicago Merchandise Mart.

Work on the grandfather clock. Photo courtesy: Bob Reding

Over forty years, Runde has amassed a collection of items which he planned to assemble into a thirty-foot grandfather clock. Wooden items for the clock include remains from the CLARKE COLLEGE library fire, parts of the Desoto House Hotel in Galena, and assorted bits of the GRAND OPERA HOUSE. Square nails were collected from century-old houses deconstructed through the Restoration Trust. The shellac for the base of the clock was made from recycled Styrofoam.

Each item sold contained a sealed time capsule. Within the capsule was the date the item was completed, a brief history of the materials used, and a statement of his philosophy of recycling.

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Sources:

Bahnks, Jean. "Junk is Beautiful to Galena Craftsman." Freeport (IL) Journal Standard, May 19, 1979

Chiaverina, Irma. " 'Waste Not' is Motto of Recycler." Telegraph Herald, 1977

Davies, Joel. "One Man's Junk Might be Used to Make This Man's Treasurers." Telegraph Herald, 1979