94 » OpenRoad Driver
B L A K E M c FA R L A N D
If there’s one person who really appreciates
old car tires, it’s Blake McFarland, an artist
who uses recycled rubber tires to create
amazing life-like sculptures. The tires are
shredded, woven and secured, and by using
tires with different treads and widths,
McFarland is able to create detailed,
muscle-like definition in his animal
sculptures. The San Jose, California local
has used some 1,000 tires over the last two
years while honing his craft. When he’s not
making art, McFarland pursues his other
passions: surfing and baseball. A talented
athlete, he is a professional baseball player
who has pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays
club and its affiliated teams.
What’s your source of inspiration
for art?
My inspiration for my art is the actual
animals and nature that the sculptures
represent. I come up with ideas on future
projects by looking around at the natural
environment and considering what would
look really cool being depicted in tires. I
like to use the animals’ muscle structure
as a reference for each of my sculptures.
My favourite sculptures to date are the
two sculptures that I did for the Goodyear
Cotton Bowl. They are the largest and most
difficult pieces I have done to date.
What do you love about your
medium?
I love that it is 100% recycled. What that
means is that it’s great for the environment,
and I also gather the tires for free! Tires are
a great use for this art because the different
kinds of treads really depict the different
muscle groups or shapes that I’m trying
to portray in the animals’ structure. I first
thought of using tires in 2013 when I drove
by a children’s playground and saw old tires
stacked up in a serpent design. That really
sparked my first thought of using tires.
What’s your philosophy on
recycling?
I believe the more we do to help keep
materials that cannot be decomposed out
of our dumps, the better our planet will be.
I’m extremely satisfied with my artwork
when I know that all the tires would be