Canary in a Coal Mine

Shawn Morin recently retired after 34 years as head of the sculpture department at Bowling Green State University. His work has been widely exhibited and collected across the U.S.

Much of Morin’s earlier work features mixed stones, which he arranges like a painter using color. He’s drawn to massive, simplified shapes and elegant lines that suggest flight and spirit. Many of his tall structures take on birdlike qualities—soaring, expressive, and full of motion.

Eventually, due to the health hazards associated with stone carving, Morin transitioned back to welding steel forms. He has since created 20 to 40 steel sculptures, often exploring similar shapes using just four or five recurring forms.

“I love the strong colors and the permanence of steel,” he says. “Although it takes more time to create than the stone pieces, it’s worth the time!”

Canary in a Coal Mine was the first steel sculpture Morin made after returning to the medium. The work draws on the 19th-century practice of miners bringing canaries into coal mines. If the birds flew out suddenly or stopped singing, it was a danger sign of toxic gas and a warning to get out.

Today, the phrase “canary in a coal mine” has become a broader metaphor, especially in the context of environmental awareness and the destruction of the modern world. For Morin, the sculpture carries a clear message: DANGER—wake up, be aware, make changes now. Saugatuck’s natural surroundings are under threat from erosion, overdevelopment, and disregard for this fragile environment. In essence, this community is a canary in the coal mine.