I am inspired by the emotional output of people, myth, history and culture. I depict this energy as metaphors that hint at a universal psyche.

JOHN HABELA

John Habela, an artist from Northwest Indiana, manifests his experiences in art. His sculptures and drawings adopt new phrases and expressions encouraging the observer to see new perspectives leaving lasting impressions.

Habels’s travels around the world and exposure to different cultures,combined with his upbringing as the son of immigrant parents from war-torn countries, influenced his work in diverse mediums, including drawing and sculpture. Through his artistic endeavors, Habela has established a reputation in the local and regional art scene. He offers art lovers an experience that encourages them to reflect on the meaning of his creations.

Habela was born in 1950 in Hamburg, Germany, and moved to the United States at the age of four. Both of his parents were survivors of World War II; his father, who was originally from Poland, endured several years in a concentration camp during his adolescence before emigrating.

“At the age of four, we came across on an ocean liner and lived with people in Long Island, New York, from there to Chicago and from there to Gary, Indiana, said Habela. “We stayed in a basement apartment in Tolleston for four years. During this time, as an only child, I was left alone while my parents tried to survive in this new world.”

Habela finally settled in Portage, Indiana, where he graduated from high school and later attended Indiana University Northwest. He worked as a trim carpenter in Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan for 25 years, until his retirement in 2011. It was during his World War II; his father, who was originally from Poland, endured several years in a concentration camp during his adolescence before emigrating.

“At the age of four, we came across on an ocean liner and lived with people in Long Island, New York, from there to Chicago and from there to Gary, Indiana, said Habela. “We stayed in a basement apartment in Tolleston for four years. During this time, as an only child, I was left alone while my parents tried to survive in this new world.”

Habela finally settled in Portage, Indiana, where he graduated from high school and later attended Indiana University Northwest. He worked as a trim carpenter in Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan for 25 years, until his retirement in 2011. It was during his time at Indiana University Northwest that he discovered his artistic talent.

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“I took one course as an elective at Indiana University my senior year (drawing and painting) and it turned out that I was quite good at it,” Habela said. “My very first entry in an art show won the 'Best of Show' award in a prestigious North West Indiana art show, and that really spurred me on. That was my first medium.”

Habela eventually decided to transition from drawing to creating sculptures from wood. One of his most memorable pieces was an eight-foot-long mermaid, crafted from a piece of driftwood he found while spending time at Ogden Beach. According to Habela, a resident discovered the statue after he completed it and became so intrigued that they decided to purchase it. The funds from the sale of the statue helped Habela finance a trip to Peru, where he hiked the Inca Trail and visited the famous ruins of Machu Picchu.

“It was a very spiritual journey – one that melded cultural elements into my work,” Habela added.

In 1998, he chose to broaden his artistic repertoire and enhance his skills by working with bronze. He believed that this medium provided a sense of permanence in his artwork. The bronze casting process had such a profound effect on him that he enrolled in a six-week course at Ivy Tech to learn casting and welding techniques.

As a result of this experience, he created a series called “Family of Man,” which consisted of small sculptures made from staircase newel posts that he later cast in bronze. He also made a piece titled “Bird on a Hashtag,” which is currently on display at Ivy Tech Valparaiso. The sculpture, “Bird in a Tree,” was purchased and placed on the grounds of Purdue Northwest, where it has been designated as a “Legacy Project” by the Indiana Bicentennial Commission.

Habela stated that he has sold between 100 and 150 pieces made from both wood and bronze, with most of these items being purchased by individuals and public institutions.

Habela describes an inflection point in his creative career as: “Casting was a complicated procedure and expensive, but welding gave an immediate satisfaction, and material was available everywhere. My wife took a temporary position in Columbus, Ohio, and we lived there for three and a half years, 2012-2015. There I made many contacts in the art community. My space was very limited, so I concentrated on my black and white drawings, antler carvings, and walking sticks. I was fortunate to connect with Alan Cottrill, an American bronze sculptor. I worked as a finisher at Cottrill’s Zanesville, Ohio, foundry.”

Due to his ongoing education and experimentation with various forms, Habela was often able to maintain his skills, find other jobs, and keep his artistic talents sharp.

“I’ve always had a work life separate from my artistic life,” he said, “which allowed me to create freely and not be a slave to the vagaries or trends of the moment.”

He drew inspiration from various artistic influences, including Brancusi, Henry Moore, and David Smith. He was influenced by ethnographic and folk art from Germany and Poland, which he collected during a four-month hitchhiking journey across Europe. He also took another trip across California when he was twenty years old.

“I was not doing artwork at that time, but the experiences and memories collected during those four months stuck with me. Everything about the 1970s era, the vast human landscape impacted my psyche,” he said.

My style of work is aggressive and differs by medium. My wood sculptures are intricate but composed; the metal pieces take on a threatening, poetic posture. My drawings possess a complicated freedom of expression. In any media I use, I seek the mystery behind the form. I invite the audience to unravel the mystery and glimpse their own underpinnings.

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Habela noted that African and Oceanic sculptures also influenced his work, which he collected while developing his craft. When describing his artistic style, he categorized it as expressionism, stating that his artwork blends emotion with form. He emphasized the importance of creating pieces that suggest themes rather than provide a complete narrative, as he believes the mystery and open-endedness of art engage viewers more dynamically, “feeding the mind.”

His work gained recognition in various media outlets and museums. In 2018, his piece titled "Bird on a Hash Tag" was featured in the Post Tribune. Later, he was interviewed for a segment on Lakeshore PBS’s "Art on the Air," which aired in July 2020. In 2024, one of his wood carvings was displayed at the Porter County Museum.

Habela’s artistry is the culmination of decades of study and a willingness to embrace new experiences. His desire to create unique experiences for each viewer - rather than convey a concrete message - gives his artwork a distinct twist among sculptors. With every piece he creates and every project he undertakes, Habela brings the world to art lovers, allowing them to experience it without having to travel far.

To see more of Habela’s work, both statues and print work, visit habela.com or his Instagram page @johnjhabela.

John Habela - I am inspired by the emotional output of people featured artist fall 2025

I am inspired by the emotional output of people, myth, history and culture. I depict this energy as metaphors that hint at a universal psyche.

JOHN HABELA