New sculpture made of recycled bicycles makes a splash along rail trail in Kane
- by Britt Madera
- October 7, 2024
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A new sculpture made out of recycled bicycles is making quiet a splash after its installation along the rail trail in Kane!
The large, eye-catching metal sculpture was installed in mid-September along the trailhead of the Knox and Kane Rail Trail near where Route 6 intersects with Route 321.
Jody Aiello of Aiello Metal Works, a local artisan known for his intricate metal fish sculptures, said it took around 300 hours to complete the piece. It’s made from 15 different bicycles, parts of which you can clearly identify within the sculpture. Jody currently lives in Warren County but grew up in McKean County, making this art project more personal.
“I had the vision for this sculpture long before I was asked to create it. So I had already begun collecting and disassembling used bicycles and parts,” said Jody.
“Then I began drawing up ideas on paper. I built the head first, which mainly consisted of sheet metal scrap from old farming equipment. I knew I also wanted to use that for the fins and tail later. This is the only material that isn’t made from bicycle parts. The body was built with bike frames, forks and handle bars and filled in with strategically fit pieces.”
The bicycles fit perfectly with the theme of the rail trail, said Jody. “I wanted to create a sculpture that people felt connected to and easily recognize something familiar to them but in an unfamiliar way. A sculpture made of bicycle parts placed along a bicycle trail just made sense.”
In addition to the clear connection of bicycles being used in artwork near a rail trail that is a popular bike route, Jody said it was also important to him that he gave these bikes new life.
“As I got my first hand me down bike as a kid, I instantly fell in love with riding and learning how they worked, even more so into my adulthood,” he said. “There is so much work and people involved into the love of making a bicycle for it to just end up in a junkyard eventaully. My sculpture isn’t going to void the world of bicycle scrap, but maybe I was able to give those few bikes a new purpose.”
Kate Kennedy, the executive director of the Kane Area Development Center, contacted Jody Aiello after seeing one of his latest steel fish sculptures located in Logyard Brewing. She asked him if he would be interested in creating a sculpture for the (TAMED Trail Association of the McKean and Elk County Divide) trailhead through a grant provided by the PA Council on the Arts.
“We wanted to have a big art piece made by someone local, and we knew Jody could do that well,” said Kate. “He did a fabulous job and we are so grateful to have his talent on display for everyone to enjoy!”
The theme of this sculpture, a fish, also has particular meaning for Jody. He has done multiple other metal fish sculptures in the past. “The fish is a tie to Kane’s local outdoor recreation,” he said. “Kane and surrounding areas like the Kinzua Dam and all the various drainages provide some of the best fishing in the state in my opinion as a fisherman. As a kids, I used to put my fishing pole on my back and ride my bike to the nearest stream to escape for a while.”
Kate agrees that the sculpture’s theme is a good fit. “We tossed around several ideas, but Jody has made several fish art pieces in the past, including the one hanging in Logyard Brewing made from logging equipment, so we decided to commission him to make a fish sculpture,” she said. “Fishing is a very popular sport with Kane residents, visitors, and campers, so bringing together fishing and bike parts seems like a great representation of outdoor rec in our area.”
Half of the funds for the sculpture were through a PA Council on the Arts mini-grant. The matching half came from generous donors:
- Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau
- Steve, Kerri, and Sydney Dyne (In memory of Wallace Dyne)
- Generations Forestry Inc.
- Gentilman Peterson Donor Advised Funds held by the McKean County
- Community Foundation
- Kane Borough
- Kane Area Revitalization Enterprise (KARE)
- Kane Fish and Game Club
- Ken and Ann Kane Family
- Rotary Club of Kane, PA
“We are grateful that Kane is so supportive of public art,” said Kate. “We are a rural community, and sometimes I think people who are not familiar with rural places have their preconceived notions about what that means. Projects like this continue to help us shape the narrative about who we are. Art helps us tell our own stories in meaningful ways.”
This fish sculpture made of bicycles is not the only piece of public art you can see in Kane, said Kate. “Kane has always had an active art community, so there is a lot to see. A few very visible pieces are the wolf statue near the Kane Historic Preservation Society commissioned for by Depot near the intersection of Routes 6 and 66. There are other wolves tucked around Kane, including the high school and the cemetery, to name a few. There’s a mural by Sara Aiello that is a beautiful welcome into Kane.”
Kate also noted that there are plenty of stores and events featuring local artists. “ArtWorks on the Summit is located at 54 Fraley Street and sells local makers,” said said. “Also, the fourth weekend of every June a group of volunteers hosts a juried art show, Art in the Wilds in Evergreen Park. These are just a few of the many ways the arts are viably active in Kane.”
Since the metal sculpture’s installation along the rail trail in Kane, residents and visitors have stopped by to take pictures and admire it. “One of the best things about the sculpture was the reaction from residents when it was installed,” said Kate.
“We heard an overwhelming amount of appreciation for this piece of public art and for Jody’s talent as an artist. The Kane Chamber is grateful to be part of it, to organize bringing together all that is involved to make something like this happen and to showcase the artistic talent we have in the area.”
Jody, meanwhile, hopes that people simply take a moment to take a closer look at it as they’re walking or biking by on the trail. “I hope people simply think, ‘Oh wow, that’s cool, it’s made of bicycles.’ As people are riding by making memories on their own bicycles, maybe they’ll stop, look closer, and feel connected to the memories locked into the sculpture.”
Kane metal sculpture dedication on October 17, 2024
A sculpture dedication will be held at the TAMED Trailhead of Knox and Kane Rail Trail (298 Biddle Street, Kane, PA 16735) on Thursday, October 17, 2024, starting at 4 p.m.
A community party will follow immediately after at Thomas L. Kane Memorial Chapel (30 Chestnut Street, Kane, PA 16735) to celebrate the newest piece of public art in Kane. The public is invited to help celebrate!
