The Artful Repurposing of Vinyl Records

Michael “Hap” Hapner is a midwest artist whose niche is repurposing everyday artifacts into colorful Spot & Dot art pieces. Our paths crossed recently at a Antique Vintage Artisan Market in Berrien Springs Michigan. Hap had brought along a sampling of his garden flower art pieces.

While most of the vintage wares were muted with tones that only the passage of time can authentically produce, Hap’s pieces were brilliant in color and had intricate patterns. His work immediately caught my eye and drew me in. It was this closer inspection that helped me understand the link these works of art possessed that fit them squarely in the vintage theme. I realized I was looking at bonafide classic Long-Playing records a.k.a LP’s. That’s right vinyl records folks! I’m talk’n the micro-grooved 33⅓ rpm record and the 45 rpm single variety.

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In an instant, in my mind, I was whisked back to yesteryear when my mom would pull the coffee table off to the side to make room for dancing. We’d put a stack of our favorite 45’s on and commence to “cut’n a rug” as she called it.

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We’d dance to the likes of Twisting the Night Away, by Sam Cooke, and Dancing in the Street, by Martha Reeve, and the Vandellas. I relished the memory these colorful works of art momentarily afforded me. As we talked, it was clear that his art pieces that pay homage to the world of music are the ones he’s most fond of.

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While we did not talk his crafting process per-say, its clear that Hap strategically uses the same elements of heat and pressure that went into making the original records. If you want to learn more about the making of vinyl records and their current cultural significance check out some of our previous posts.

Hats of to Michael “Hap” Hapner for transforming this normally 2D flat media into a 3D sculptural canvas bursting with color. His repurposing efforts allows each vintage disc of vinyl to live on. In their new form these works of art both entertain and sooth a whole new generation of folks.

Thanks Hap!