Volkswagen transmissions, vacuum sweepers and even a B-52 air tank will be pieces of art tonight on Commerce Street.
Go Away Garage, a gallery known for its edgy shows, will showcase mechanical creations by Billy and Ariana Powell. The husband and wife team want to show people the automated side of the art world. They also want kids to see that art can be fun.
"We like to keep things mechani
cal. There are many dimensions to art and lots of ways to appreciate it. We actually encourage you to touch the art at our shows," Billy Powell said.
Ariana Powell pointed out that interface is a key element in their shows.
"People like our work because they can interact with it. This is a great show to take your kids to. They love that a piece has a handle they can turn or a lever they can pull. This is the one show where you won't get in trouble for touching the art," she said.
Billy said that a lot of kids are losing touch with the fundamentals of mechanics. High-tech devices like cellphones and video game consoles tend to fascinate younger minds more than car engines or airplanes.
"A lot of kids have never seen this stuff. I feel like our shows are a way to help connect them," he said. "Usually with art, it's parents dragging their kids into art galleries. This is an art show where the kids tell the parents to go."
Viewers of the "bits" on display will see familiar objects repurposed and transformed. Mechanical objects like sockets, bolts and wrenches that are deemed perfunctory by most become artistically alluring. Bowling balls transform into ornate orbs. Hurst and Muncie shifters become spider legs. A B-52 air tank serves as a plump body for a jolly-looking boy sporting a smile fashioned from the rim of a martini shaker.
Ariana said that Go Away Garage lends itself well to their style of art because of its industrial feel and aesthetics. "The open space, the colors and the metal beams on the ceiling compliment the works well," she said. 
The Powells have been collecting parts and assembling creations for many years. It's been more recent that they've taken their hobby up as art. Both have a mechanical background. Billy, 36, has been building since he was a teenager. He's worked on motorcycles, dune buggies and cars. He is also a machinist by trade. Ariana, 30, is an occupati
onal therapist, but she grew up surrounded by auto parts.
"I've been building since I was a kid," Ariana said. "My dad had a body shop and he'd have me play with bolts when I was at work with him. I started making little people, and it escalated into this," she said as she marveled at the dozens of complex pieces that surrounded her in the gallery.
The couple said they spend a considerable amount of time just hunting for materials. "The hunt is a lot of fun. It's a great way for us to spend time together. We actually spent Billy's last birthday scavenging," Ariana said.
Their material comes from garage sales, auctions, salvage yards and discarded parts from auto shops owned by friends. Sometimes the parts just show up at their door. "People know we make this stuff and they leave us boxes on our
porch," Billy said.
Though they've shown at smaller venues and as part of groups in the past, this will be the pair's first large-scale show. Thirty pieces varying in size will be on display. When asked what their core motivation was for doing this type of art, Billy's answer was simple. "We really do this for fun."
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