Distinctly Montana Magazine

W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A . C O M 37 YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK AS "SPLASHING, THROWING AND DRIB- BLING 2400 DEGREE METAL." "HOT PAINT" YOU LIKE TO CALL IT. NOW, THAT'S AN ART FORM WE HAVE NEVER RUN ACROSS. WHATEVER PROMPTED YOU TO TAKE UP HOT METAL AS ART? My gift as an artist has always been my ability to see the world differently than others. I suppose that is why much of my work literally pushes outside of the frame. I have considered myself a texturist for a long time. Feeling how the eye flows and follows the form is almost like cloud-watching to me. My creations elicit fundamental responses from the viewer that would be difficult to achieve in other mediums. I have always gravitated toward the permanence of the metal crafts. Knowing that my work will be enjoyed for thousands of years is a powerful thought. While working in my shop several years ago a client stopped by and noticed a pile of left over slag on the floor from a previous pour. He commented on how interesting the textures and overlapping metal looked and in typical fashion, I cleaned it up and gave it to him. It got me thinking about the organic textures and whether I could somehow create a recognizable image in the chaos. I'm asking the metal to do something it really doesn't want to do, so it has taken several years of experimentation to create the effects I want. TELL US ABOUT THE PROCESS. HOW DO YOU CREATE A SPLASHED BRONZE PIECE? As far back as I can remember, my parents encouraged my art. ere weren't many coloring books in my childhood. I was told to draw the image first and then color it. Everything starts with a spark of an idea, which I draw out very quickly in thumbnail sketches using graphite or wa- tercolor. ink of it as visual brainstorming. After the design and scale are established, I start to sculpt the piece in clay and wax which may take weeks, months, and in a couple of instances, years. is is the point at which most bronze artists take the piece to a foundry; however, I have owned my own shop since 1997, allowing me to complete the entire process myself. After creating up to four different molds using rubber, plaster, sand or ceramic shell, I place the final negative mold in a 12-foot long kiln and heat it to 1,200 degrees. is is where the fun and chaos begins: the mold comes out bright orange and I quickly lay it on the floor close to the melting furnace, where I have organized 8-10 cast iron ladles of different sizes. ere are a lot of variables to consider from moisture content of the mold, temperature of the metal, and the technique of throwing the metal, depending on the effect I want to create. I quickly select different ladles to drip and throw the . . Feeling how the eye flows and follows the form is almost like cloud-watching to me. BigHorn Silent Messenger

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