April 27, 2006

Make mine Metal






When it comes to artist materials one of my favorites by far is metal.
Here is a photo I snapped of a gate to an artist's workshop in Vienna. Kunstschmiede. Decorative artistic metal in gates, building details and most everything you could make from metal are found in that beautiful city. Formed with love and care weathered to a patina of such richness that it brings a tear to your eye. The second photo is equally lovely to me. This is a found metal sculpture in Barrington, NH by Adam Pearson. Its patina is rust and red from harsh winters and driving spring rain. Rust is good. The curved forms draw me in. The colors of the patina are rich and varied. The two sculptural pieces are very different and very similar. The gates are not for sale - just what is inside. The sculpture is.
What sort of metal excites you? Show me and tell me !

The word for the day is ... observe ... as in the world around you, take a second look and think in terms of that one sense only - seeing.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beautiful ! I love the gate especially ! We have an artist here in New Brunswick, Don Pell, he does amazing metal sculptures ! I purchased a piece of his works last year, a metal and blown glass fish.This link shows another that is similar, http://www.handworksnb.com/new_site/index.php?id=26

andrea said...

Beautifully organic forms. I love that something as hard and strong as metal can express such "soft ideas". The Art Nouveau movement really went to town with this. (And I love Vienna ~ I've been three times and it's probably my husband's favourite city in the world.)

LadyLinoleum said...

I like metal too. Actually I know how to weld. Just haven't done it in a queen's age. After I extricate myself from my current job misery, I'd love to relearn the skill.

I'm with you. Rust is good.

Anonymous said...

Metal Art has always been a bit like Alchamy to me. To create a gorgeous gate out of minerals from the earth, and with fire and strengh... Lovely examples Susan.

Tongue in Cheek Antiques said...

zinc
and old signs
cow bell metal
buckets
rust on all of these
old keys
forged iron lace.

Susan Schwake said...

ooh yes, corey... forged iron lace. and sheri, thank you for the lovely link.
lady li, i wanna get out the torch too. very soon, it has been almost 20 years for me. and i just am itchin to start again!

Anonymous said...

I'm drawn to anything metal...what is this mystery....If it's made of metal, it usually comes home with me.....