Michael Kalish has never been afraid to cross the bounds of conventional art mediums. His work is shaped from old and rusted car parts: license plates, car doors, side panels, tail gates—you name it. While many junkyard passersby see nothing more than a sea of cars, Kalish sees shades and textures—he sees an art store.

Though you can find his art pieces in a growing number of major stadiums, restaurants, hotels and other public places throughout the world, Kalish, like many other artists, has a humble beginning. As an Atlanta native, he grew up with dual passions for both baseball and art. In fact, his natural athletic ability once landed him at an Atlanta Braves tryout. An unfortunate back injury eventually ended his major league pursuit, but he consequently turned to his long-time passion for art.

Kalish's first artistic claim to fame was a portrait series of American icons—US Presidents, Marilyn Monroe, The Beatles, and others—crafted from cut, bent, and twisted license plates. As an admirer of all things Americana, Kalish traveled cross-country four times, collecting license plates from every state to begin his first signature body of work. As the press, corporations, and various celebrity collectors took notice of his unique style, Michael Kalish's new artistic revolution took flight.

When I asked Kalish where the inspiration for this series came from, he replied, "I like the appeal of taking something from our normal, everyday lives into a completely different context and making it into art. Each car door and truck tailgate carries a piece of history with it."

Since his license plate icon days, Kalish has graduated to more ambitious signature pieces. His latest series was recently exhibited at the Riverside Art Museum under the title “Rust and Renaissance.” It is a stunning collection of delicately molded roses, made completely from old and rusted car parts. "What can I create from a metal palette that many would think is the last thing it should be turned into?" he asked himself. His answer: "A delicate rose."

Kalish told me he is far from alone during his process. As a man who long ago swore to himself he would serve as a mentor to budding art students, Kalish begins each project by taking a small group of art grad students to help collect the most fitting color shades at the junkyard. This is particularly helpful since Kalish is colorblind. As a family man, Kalish's wife and two young children are his favorite consultants, particularly his wife; they filter and critique every masterpiece before art dealers and collectors see them. Kalish loves it when his little girl "likes daddy's sculptures."

Creating an entirely new artistic medium is never an easy task, especially for Kalish. In addition to garnering an unconventional artistic wisdom, Kalish was forced to learn how to cut, mold, shape, and weld heavy pieces of steel. Many with careers in metal trades spend years perfecting this. Nonetheless, Michael Kalish's talent has truly blossomed into something legendary.

Kalish’s next major project begins this year. It is a half-million dollar collaborative assignment with the Southern California Institute of Architecture: a 50-foot cube sculpture of Muhammad Ali (2010 marks the 50th anniversary of Ali's gold-winning Olympic performance). This will be the first of many monumental projects, as more museums and collectors are requesting Kalish’s talent. Armed with his unparalleled style, a generous work ethic, and an artistic passion that knows no boundaries, Michael Kalish himself is taking his artwork heavyweight.