ARTIST STATEMENT:
The sculptures are usually representational and are made from steel, stainless steel, copper and brass.
The principal methods utilized are Oxy-acetylene welding, brazing, and cutting; electric arc welding with
stick electrodes; and hydraulic shearing. Almost all of the raw material is recycled from businesses,
scrap yards, and farming activities. The use of thick or non-corrosive material ensures that the works will last
when exposed to the outdoor environment.
While using metal as a raw material, the challenge is to create sculptures that seem alive. This is achieved by implying motion. The creatures will have open mouths, asymmetrical positions, or cocked heads. When completed, the creations seem to develop individual personalities and become much more than the sum of their parts.
The character of the raw materials is retained in the finished work, so that from a distance one sees the form of a creature in the landscape, but as one gets closer the parts become recognizable as more or less familiar objects from our industrial culture. This seems to stimulate people's sense of wonder and imagination. The work has been very popular with the public. Both those with art backgrounds and ordinary people get great enjoyment in seeing the installations in public places. Children especially are captivated by the large beasts. Almost everyone who encounters my work has a smile on their face, which is exactly my goal: to make people smile.