John Van Alstine
John Van Alstine is an American sculptor known for large, abstract works in granite and steel. Born on August 14, 1952, in Gloversville, New York, he grew up in the Adirondacks and built a career focused on sculpture and teaching.
Education and early career
- Studied at St. Lawrence University, Kent State University (BFA, 1974), and Cornell University (MFA, 1976).
- In 1973 he attended the Blossom Festival School in Cleveland/Kent to study sculpture with Richard Stankiewicz and Richard Hunt.
- He began teaching art in 1976, first at the University of Wyoming (1980s) and then at the University of Maryland (1980–1986). He left teaching in 1986 to work on his studio full-time.
Move to the Adirondacks
- Van Alstine moved to the New York City area to focus on sculpture and bought a 19th-century industrial complex on the Sacandaga River.
- He returned to the Adirondacks in 1991 and works there in a restored historic building. He continues to give lectures and create new work.
- As of 2013, he lived in Wells, New York, by the Sacandaga River.
What his work is like
- Creates large-scale abstract sculptures primarily from granite and steel, with a sense of balance and multi-layered form.
- Works often reference the figure, classical motifs, nautical themes, celestial ideas, and western myth.
- His process uses stone in an assemblage-like way (built up, as a welder would with metal) rather than subtractive carving.
Major projects and themes
- Celestial works started in 1986, combining sculpture with the idea of calendars and astronomy. Notable pieces include Solstice Calendar (1986) on the Austin College campus, which uses shadow and light to mark the seasons.
- Public and institutional works include Rings of Unity – Circles of Inclusion (2008) created for the Beijing Olympic Games; Passage (2011) at Tsinghua University in Beijing; Tempered by Memory (2012), a 35-foot memorial in Saratoga Springs made with World Trade Center steel, created with Noah Savett; Funambulist (2010), a 30-foot sculpture at Michigan State University; and Cardinalis (40 feet) at the Indianapolis International Airport.
- Other large installations include Artery Sunwork (1993) and Via Solaris (2005–06).
Gallery representation and exhibitions
- Has had prominent solo exhibitions at Gerald Peters (Santa Fe), Nohra Haime (New York), and C. Grimaldis Gallery (Baltimore).
- In 2008 he was represented by David Floria Gallery in Aspen.
Drawings and photography
- Van Alstine also works in drawing and photography. His drawings are immediate, tactile studies that mirror his sculpture and often serve as blueprints or two-dimensional interpretations of his three-dimensional work.
- His Easel Landscape photographs from the late 1970s and early 1980s questioned the frame as a signal in art and were shown in major exhibitions, including a 1981 show at Marlborough Gallery.
Awards and recognition
- Van Alstine has received fellowships and grants from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation, the Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, Yaddo, The Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation, and the New Jersey Council of the Arts, among others. He also earned a merit award in Beijing for his Olympic project.
John Van Alstine remains a prominent figure in contemporary sculpture, known for monumental, architecturally charged works that blend ancient symbolisms with modern construction.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 12:20 (CET).