Reclaimed Metal Fish Sculpture

I was first introduced to artistic welding shortly after college. After seeing a flyer at the local grocery store, I signed up for a ten-session class taught by a grizzled old metal artist in the hills of Wheelock, VT. Halfway through the first class, I was hooked. Maybe it was some archaic, testosterone-fueled, male power trip thing, but holding the power in my hands to liquefy metal and change it’s form to my own design was (and still is) a complete rush. ​My sculptures start out as discarded, previously-deemed scrap metal. I see interest, beauty and most of all, potential in the rusted remains of a piece of old farm equipment deserted in a field. I love the process of dismantling a “useless”, seized motor and harvesting the parts to then give them a new life as part of a sculpture. I feel that the true underlying core of my work; whether it is a sculpture of a fish or a functional bistro table is rebirth and renewal. ​People often ask me what my affinity for fish is, as that is the subject of many of my sculptures. My simple response is that is what I see in the metal as I work. I rarely set out to begin a sculpture with a definitive picture of what I want to create in my mind. Instead, I often find inspiration in a single piece of metal and use that as a jumping-off point for a sculpture. A section of saw blade may appear to me as the perfect fin, or a cog as an eye; whatever the case, the metal tells me what it wants to be. Staying true to the creative process that has guided my artwork to date, I wish to continue allowing my work to reflect my current disposition. Be it a stressful day at work or an observation made in passing, I have relied on these simple and yet intricate moments to elicit inspiration in the mangled metal I lay before myself. The implementation of a particular direction in my artwork not only would limit my creative potential, but be disingenuous to the process that inspired me to create in the first place. I always have, and always will strive for my artwork to be an accurate reflection of myself in the moment of its creation. ​I owe a debt of gratitude to all of the art teachers who provided inspiration and guidance throughout my academic career. These wonderful people include; Pat Stuntz, Janet Rae, and Peter Lange in graded and high school, and the truly amazing Dorian McGowan during my extended stay at Lyndon State College.