John Waltner is a retired educator (secondary and college levels) and local government official (mayor and county administrator). Years ago, in an undergraduate college course in Art History, he first encountered images of mobile sculptures created by Alexander Calder and was completely captivated. The interplay of simple, colored abstract shapes connected by steel rods, all balanced in a coherent whole, was riveting. 

 

Whether mobiles are large or small, the goal is the same: Invite the viewer’s eye to explore and move around and through a three-dimensional object in unexpected, often playful, ways.

 

For Waltner, this early interest led to the development of mobile-making as a casual hobby. A growing and busy family along with demanding jobs, however, left little time to seriously pursue the hobby. Finally, in retirement, he has been able to make time to create these objects.

Waltner lives in Hesston with his wife, Mary Jane, who is a retired middle-school teacher. They have two adult daughters and four grandchildren. He can be contacted at johndwaltner@gmail.com.