LUXEMBURG, Wis. (WBAY) \u2014 Jerry Marcelle spent his career in the landscape maintenance industry. Now retired, the 79-year-old fills his days with art projects on his own property along Luxemburg Rd.<\/p>\n
Marcelle\u2019s work spans a wide range of mediums and scales. One piece \u2014 a buffalo sculpted from barbed wire \u2014 took roughly 200 hours to complete.<\/p>\n
From plants to mosaics<\/p>\n
The property holds an array of projects, including bonsai trees, some of which stood as tall as 15 feet when Marcelle first acquired them, as well as mosaic sculptures he said he created as a joke.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I made this guy, just for a joke \u2014 my first mosaic,\u201d Marcelle said, pointing to a creation on his shed wall. \u201cWatching the blueberry patch so no one gets in there.\u201d<\/p>\n
A gallery 15 years in the making<\/p>\n
Inside the barn on the property, Marcelle has assembled a gallery that has been in progress for 15 years.<\/p>\n
He said he still has work to do \u2014 including finishing a wall he hopes to complete this year \u2014 before turning to additional sculptures over the winter.<\/p>\n
When asked if an artist is ever finished, he replied, \u201cNo, I got a lot of projects started.\u201d<\/p>\n
Work made for himself<\/p>\n
Despite requests from others, Marcelle said he does not take commissions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do have people requesting, but I don\u2019t. I have enough,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Still, he welcomes visitors. The Ice Age Trail runs through the property, and hikers have stopped to view the work \u2014 some returning later with other admirers.<\/p>\n
Marcelle said the natural surroundings drive his creative process.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you walk in the woods, you almost always come back with something,\u201d Marcelle said.<\/p>\n
He added that he hopes others will find the same inspiration. \u201cI hope they would try it, do something.\u201d<\/p>\n