The ferris wheel itself is made out of an old film reel. Artist Walter Leben transformed the metal casing of the film reel into a fun carnival experience. One of the passenger cars on the ferris wheel has a family of birds watching a caterpillar on the edge. The windmill and other items are made out of reclaimed materials. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications
Farmer makes art with reclaimed materials
One of the most interesting displays at the Phillips County Museum, located at 109 S. Campbell Ave. in Holyoke, might be hard to spot. Displayed in the car room on the far right wall is an exhibit dedicated to works made by artist Walter Leben.
Leben was a farmer near Amherst. It is suspected that he worked on these items when he had the free time from harvesting his crops, which most of that time would have been in the winter.
Inside the museum, various other works from Leben are inside the display such as a carousel, windmill, lumber wagon and team, threshing machine and more. These dioramas were made during Leben’s retirement and were loaned to the museum by his family.
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