John Puccio

A native of NYC, John Puccio experimented in painting, plaster, clay, stone and marble until he came to Buffalo in 1985 and worked at Higgins. There he got involved with welders and millwrights and picked up his skills to transform steel into both large and small art objects. His early work involved large scale geometric and figurative pieces which developed into smaller works, expandable to a larger scale for commissions.

Besides his individual pieces of sculpture, he has worked as consultant and restorer for the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and has fabricated designer railings and patios for local restaurants.

He works on primitive images of animals which he calls spirit dancers which, in essence, take on a humanistic impression. Like the Gecko, the source for these is in Kokopelli art of the Southwest. Kokopelli was a legendary hump-backed flute player of rock-art origin that was etched in cave walls. He served as a symbol of music, courtship, fertility and assured success in hunting, planting and growing crops to the Navajo, Hopi, Zuni and Anasazi Indians dating back to the third century.

Today he still represents a positive life force, his message can be anything that brings you happiness and harmony by keeping his likeness near you.

Above is a ten foot female dancer.  Her title is "Please Stop Messin’ Around," the title taken from an old blues song. (btw ... John also used to be a Blues singer in NYC)