A giant bull's head is just one of the many cartoon-like creatures welcoming tourists to the Porter Sculpture Park in Montrose, S.D.
Wayne Porter (61), the sculptor behind Porter Sculpture Park, has created several interesting sculptures to fill the outdoor gallery off of Interstate 90 in South Dakota. Cartoonlike buzzards wielding a knife and fork, anvil and oversized mallet might seem like an odd way to welcome tourists. The vultures representing
reincarnated politicians are just a few of the more than 40 quirky creations originating in the mind of Wayne Porter, who uses his blacksmith know-how and appreciation of history to turn twisted concepts into metallic works of art.
The park's signature piece is a 60-foot-tall Egyptian-style bull's head that stares down Interstate 90 motorists as they head out to South Dakota's Black Hills. Porter spent three years creating the 25-ton monstrosity out of railroad tie plates, dubbing it the "World's Largest Bull's Head" on a nearby billboard.
Porter has been creating metal sculptures since he first learned to weld in his father’s blacksmith shop when he was 12-years-old. He’s been working on his craft on and off over the years and in 2000 he opened Porter Sculpture Park.
The biography on his website reads:
Wayne Porter (61), the sculptor behind Porter Sculpture Park, has created several interesting sculptures to fill the outdoor gallery off of Interstate 90 in South Dakota. Cartoonlike buzzards wielding a knife and fork, anvil and oversized mallet might seem like an odd way to welcome tourists. The vultures representing
reincarnated politicians are just a few of the more than 40 quirky creations originating in the mind of Wayne Porter, who uses his blacksmith know-how and appreciation of history to turn twisted concepts into metallic works of art.The park's signature piece is a 60-foot-tall Egyptian-style bull's head that stares down Interstate 90 motorists as they head out to South Dakota's Black Hills. Porter spent three years creating the 25-ton monstrosity out of railroad tie plates, dubbing it the "World's Largest Bull's Head" on a nearby billboard.
Porter has been creating metal sculptures since he first learned to weld in his father’s blacksmith shop when he was 12-years-old. He’s been working on his craft on and off over the years and in 2000 he opened Porter Sculpture Park.
The biography on his website reads:
“His metal art is large in size and much of it is comprised of junk metal. His largest sculpture is 60 feet tall and weighs more than 25 tons… His pieces are majestic, whimsical and thought provoking and readily display the influence of the South Dakota prairies that he grew up on reflect his quick wit, humor, and diverse interests.”
Not one to rest on his laurels, Porter has already begun construction of another gigantic attraction: A 40-foot-tall metal horse. However, since the artist’s blacksmithing workshop is quite a distance from his sculpture garden, transporting the item to its permanent home may prove difficult.
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