A photographer, bookbinder and fused glass artist, John Sweet is known in the Bend, Oregon art scene for his artistic talents. But the bike shop owners in town know John more for his scavenging abilities than his artistic flare.

Bike-inspired fused art glass by John Sweet

An avid cyclist, John finds inspiration for many of his fused glass pieces in both the landscapes he cycles through and the discarded bike parts he comes across in bike shop recycling bins, garage sales and more. He usually uses found objects, such as bike hubs, to display his fused glass pieces.

Spending most of his career in the construction industry, John has no formal art training. “I try to have fun with it,” he says.

John’s not alone in his lust for used bike parts—the rebike movement is growing strong, especially among artists in bike-friendly cities such as Bend. A town of about 80,000, Bend has created 21 roundabouts and three new pathway bridges; 85 percent of arterials have bike lanes; and the city recently installed a new European-style raised bike lane. It received a Silver rating from the League of American Bicyclists. It’s also home to Commute Options for central, a three-county effort to reduce reliance on the automobile.

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