Annual Southern Gentleman Issue
Photography by Vityl Media
From sculptures and signs to jewelry and more, there’s no shortage of things that can be crafted with metal. Here, we talked with five skilled artisans in the Chattanooga area to find out what makes metalworking so special. Read on to learn how they began their journey in metalworking, what types of products they make, and any advice they have for aspiring artisans.
Blue Light Studio
In 1997, I signed up for an AutoCAD course at a technical school in Athens, TN. Not enough students registered for the class, so it was canceled. I was asked if there was anything else I would like to sign up for. I looked at the list they gave me and picked welding. I had always have been fascinated with metal sculpture because of the strength and flexibility of the material. It can be both massive or delicate. I picked up the welding process pretty quickly, and once I learned the basics, I started making sculptures out of the scraps in the shop. Everyone else was there to get a certification. I was there to have fun!
Most of my work would be considered whimsical. I like to have fun and be surprised with the final results. I like it when people smile when they see something I made. Cheering people up is not such a bad thing. They already get too much information on the problems in the world. I don’t try to make political or social statements with my work.
I like to make representational animals, insects, people, reptiles, and other original creatures. I am also interested in experimenting with abstract sculptures.
Work every day and get your work out to as many eyeballs as possible.
I think I was born to be an artist. I have tried other things, but they were never really successful. There have been times when I have been very poor, but somehow, I have always been able to make a living selling my work. I try to do the best with what I have. I have made thousands of objects over many years. I have found that eventually the right person will come along and purchase something that I have made. Even though most of what I do serves no practical purpose, I like the thought that there will be things that I have made out there that people will still enjoy when I am gone.
Mixed Metal Works
I attended Chattanooga State’s welding program. Soon after, I received a job at Astec Industries, where I worked for 36 years. While at Astec, a large part of my job was welding and fabrication. One day my wife, Kathy, asked if I could make a metal table if she drew up the plans. The table was a gift for a friend’s retirement party. Everyone loved it and wanted one. As we started making tables, Kathy was always asking, “Can you weld this metal to that metal?” and that’s how we got the name Mixed Metal Works. At first, we had to purchase all the elements to make the tables, but in 2011 we were able to purchase a plasma CNC machine. The machine works with a drafting program similar to CAD. Kathy took classes on how to use the drafting program, and soon we were able to draw, cut, and fabricate custom pieces.
Most of our items focus on Tennessee. We have lived here our entire life and love it. We do a lot of small items that commemorate Tennessee and its cities.
We are at a point in our life where we can travel. Each time we go somewhere, we are both looking at our surroundings for ideas.
Do what satisfies you. I get told, “You don’t get paid enough,” but this is the endeavor that gives me and my wife time together doing what we like.
It’s more than putting two pieces of metal together. You have to know what metal will adhere to another metal as well as the welding technique to use. Artists have some leeway, but don’t be fooled, you have to be precise on your measurements. When we first started, unfortunately, we had a big scrap pile.
Duncan Sculpture & Services
I was introduced to metalworking during my undergraduate years at the University of Notre Dame, as part of my Bachelor of Fine Arts studies. I continued my studies in the craft of welding through night courses at Dowagiac Community College in Michigan and also at Kentucky Technical Community College during my fellowship at the University of Kentucky. Non-formally, I received a lot of my metal education by making works, asking my elders for tips on how to solve certain problems, and working for renowned artists that work in metal (Richard Hunt and John Henry).
My process varies from making small sketch forms to directly creating pieces. It all depends on the intent of the piece: if it is a personal research sculpture or a commission, if I have all the materials needed or not, and if I feel like making a big piece or not.
My style is rooted in freedom, formalism, non-objective abstractions, geometry, movement, rhythm, surrealism, and phenomenology.
There are no “hard” materials to weld. Either you have the experience/training to handle the material or you don’t.
It does not feel like “work.” Sure, it is physically and intellectually intensive but it’s not a work where I am drained from social abuse. The most challenging part for me is not having another me (clone) to assist.
Don’t let perceived expenses keep you from investing in what you would like to have. If you like a piece that is marked out of your range, ask the artist if they have anything in your budget range. It does not hurt to ask.
High Priest Design
My work demonstrates a range of style, but generally speaking I would describe my jewelry as having a clean and modern silver aesthetic. I also strive to create jewelry with a style that can be appreciated and worn across genders.
My flagship product has and likely will always be pendants. When I first started creating jewelry, I made pendants almost exclusively. But these days my available work includes items like pendants, rings, bracelets, earrings, money clips, and tie clips.
I’m always looking to draw inspiration from the world around me for jewelry ideas. I keep a running note in my phone with creative ideas for jewelry designs. Once I have an idea in mind, it’s just a matter of forming the metal and setting the stones to fulfill the vision.
Being a jeweler connects me to a rich and long history. From ancient amulets to modern engagement rings, each piece tells a story and carries significance beyond a purely aesthetic appeal. Working in this industry means that I am a part of a tradition that spans centuries, bridging past and present through creating wearable art. Each era of humankind has been adorned with its own styles of jewelry, and my work is an integral part of this ongoing narrative. But jewelry is about so much more than simply adornment – it’s about identity, legacy, and human expression.
That would be pricing. The market value of metals and gems are often misunderstood by the public.
Embrace the failures and mistakes along the way! No one does anything right the first time. Just start. Don’t accidentally sit on your hands and allow yourself to never start. Even practicing a new skill just 30 minutes per day will show you tangible results quickly!
Mr. Avery’s Art and Jewelry
I am blessed to be able to work in all kinds of disciplines, but have focused on silver and gold jewelry. Rings and pendants have been what people want; coming into my place they can have about any design they want. I sit with the customer, try to hammer out what they want, and make a lot of drawings until we hit on something. People come to me to get things they can’t find other places.
Trying to make mainstream rings and pendants has been challenging, most of which are produced with machine, whereas I’m carving by hand using dentist tools I’ve had for over 30 years. People want me to carve and produce what they see in the stores.
My style is not for everyone, as far as my personal work. I enjoy Celtic work and jewelry that to some might be considered a little over the top. I’ve had a couple of customers refer to some pieces as a bit too sculptural.
A lot of drawing, settling on a design, and then making a big mess in the floor carving the wax, but the hardest part is finding the time to focus and get it completed.
Every piece has a story. There’s the dogwood cross that is made for a group of wonderful ladies that symbolizes their passing from one stage of their lives into a new one. There is the men’s wedding band that had the groom’s father’s ashes inlaid in a band around the center because his father passed away a couple of weeks before the wedding. The special promise ring for a 16-year-old from her father that was also the first diamond she had received. The men’s ring with a hidden Scripture on the inside for a man that provides help to individuals that are in places that jail people for their beliefs. Over the years, there have been so many stories. I could go on and on.
