Bloomington-based artist Marci Wease reuses, recycles and repurposes scraps to create beauty. As the founder of Junk In This Truck, Wease takes anything she can get her hands on and transforms it into art.
“So many people throw so many things away that can be repurposed or reused,” Wease said. “They just refuse to see it. I just want people to see the world differently. Whatever you’re given, just build.”
As a self-classified “junk artist,” Wease specializes in welding and sculpting, skills she learned from her father. Her creations range from a wheelbarrow artfully cut to resemble a lace doily to a trumpet vine floor lamp made from an old gramophone horn and cabinet.
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Wease started working as a full-time artist just a few years ago. Yet, even when she was not working full time, Wease never stopped creating.
Wease graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in biology and pursued a career as a forensic scientist for the Indiana State Police in Indianapolis. For about 20 years, she drove from Bloomington to Indianapolis in her vintage Volkswagen, occasionally picking up pieces of junk off the side of the road.
“I was always picking up and saving the unwanted, the unloved, things nobody cherished anymore, and trying to repurpose them into something somebody treated as an heirloom,” Wease said. “I take your junk and turn it into another man’s masterpiece.”
After salvaging these discarded gems, she tinkered with them at home, crafting gifts for her friends and family. Eventually, she started selling her work to people outside of her inner circle.
The turning point in Wease's journey came when she sold a meticulously handcrafted metal guitar to the Seasons Lodge hotel in Nashville, Indiana. The demand for her distinctive art surged, all while she continued to maintain her job as a forensic scientist. Her days began at 4:30 a.m. commuting to Indianapolis, only to return home to work on her art until 2:00 a.m.
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After struggling to maintain her job and her passion, Wease made the decision to start her own business to pursue art full-time. In April 2021, Wease quit her forensic job to devote herself entirely to her craft and Junk In This Truck was born.
“The ‘junk art’ was a pull I could no longer ignore, so I stepped out off the ledge knowing I would fly or crash,” she said. “Since crashing really wasn't an option I was interested in, I just decided to build some wings out of junk and fly.”
Her friends and family have supported her endeavors, especially her aunt, Jennifer Mitchner.
“I’m one of her biggest fans,” Mitchner said. “I believe in what she’s doing because it’s her passion, her love.”
Mitchner has bought several pieces from her niece, including a handmade camera that acts as a lamp, and a clock made of old bicycle parts, each welded together by Wease’s own two hands.
Mitchner has her own business dedicated to sending small gifts of encouragement to those in need. These gifts often include Wease’s art, such as a small magnet flower vase repurposed from silverware.
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Another supporter of Wease’s work is Whitney Schlegel, her former IU professor and long-time friend, who has collected many of her pieces. These include a shovel shaped like a butterfly, a saw that is cut to form the silhouette of a farmer corralling horses, and much more.
“The heart of everything that Marci does is to remind not only everybody in her life that they’re loved and care for, but also to bring treasures back to life,” Schlegel said.
On Nov. 15, 2022, HGTV’s “Good Bones Better Yard” featured on of Wease’s pieces. Wease transformed a 4-foot-tall grain bin chute into a free-hand plasma cut work of art with intricate leaves overlying a grid of squares.
Those who are interested in Wease’s work can find her on her website and social media platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. Many of her pieces are also featured in the Historic Brown County Art Gallery, located in Nashville, Indiana.
“I wake up every day and I think I have to go build. I can’t wait to get out there,” Wease said. “When you find what you love, you’re never going to work a day in your life.”
