BIG Red Sculpture

I work with steel in the traditional forging manor of a blacksmith. When steel is heated to forging temperatures approximately 2200 degrees it can be manipulated in the same ways as clay. I explore and push the plasticity of the material in this hot state achieving a variety of layered textures and patterns. I begin a piece by making a multitude of elements to work with. I then intuitively arrange the pieces until I have a composition that I find interesting and captures an element of beauty. Once a piece carries these aesthetic qualities I begin to join the work together by means of welding and riveting. I then apply aerosol enamel paint and use a variety of techniques to distress the surface. By using pigment I have found that I am able to emphasize the many textures that evolve from forging. The result is an interpretation of a contemporary form that hints towards nature and is an attempt to capture entropy. Although steel is usually first thought of as an industrial material, I like to draw attention to our connection with it on a human level, by creating objects that reveal organic forms. My work is the result of my desire to use steel as a substrate for texture, form and as a pallet for exploring color.