My job is to cook. How I create metal art objects

How I got a welding profession

I didn’t plan to become a sculptor, much less a welder.
I worked as a development director at an artistic forging production and didn’t think about anything like that. But at some point inspiration came and I began to have different artistic ideas. Then I thought about how they could be implemented. I tried painting in oils and quickly realized: it’s not for me. Then she turned to her father: he is an engineer, designer, welder and generally a jack of all trades. I asked him to teach me how to work with metal to make several hanging sculptures from it. Dad was only happy! This is how I first tried myself as a welder. Metal is an ideal material: reliable, durable. With its help you can do anything: both large-scale and small things.

After my first experience, I was drawn to hardware like a magnet. As a result, I decided to enter the Moscow Polytechnic College to study welding production. I was already 26, my fellow students were 16, and, of course, I was the only girl in the group.

Over the past few years, I have created more than 25 art objects made of metal. It is clear that at first everyone was surprised, but then they quickly got used to it. But by and large I didn’t care. I’m not a particularly shy person, and it didn’t bother me at all that I was surrounded by young men. I made a conscious choice, came for knowledge, and it was absolutely mine! So I became a third-class welder.

Types of metal products

Forged sculptures can correspond to the theme of the animal world or have bizarre plant shapes. In addition, combined models are in demand, for example, a forged owl nestled comfortably on a metal tree branch.

For landscape, cottages, gardens

Landscape design can be decorated with both small objects and large-sized products . The sculptures harmoniously complement private property ; they are often located in the garden.

Forged wood. Photos Kovka-Peter

The urban landscape is also suitable for installing metal sculptures. Such a solution brings originality. Owners of dachas or apartments who want to give their interior a bright accent are advised to pay attention to small products. They will not clutter up the space.

Figures for the garden, decorative items, drawings

As mentioned earlier, forged sculptures mean two categories of products:

• figurines of insects, birds, fish, animals and people;
• flora items: trees, flowers and others.

The sculptures of the first group are discussed in more detail below. Site visitors have the opportunity to purchase forged figures for decoration from company employees, which are collected in a separate section.

Human

Forged sculptures in the form of figures of real people, as well as characters from films and literary works, are suitable for decorating various spaces. They demonstrate the individual taste of the owners.

Forged sculpture, girl with an umbrella. Photo Iron Age

Figures and faces of horses, lions and other animals and beasts

Forged figures of animals are an interesting solution for a garden landscape; they charm and look romantic. Products of this type are suitable for the interiors of public places, such as restaurants, as well as offices. They attract the attention of visitors and add unique accents .

Forged figure of a dog. Photo Artferrum

The front entrance gains individuality when placing floor figures or installing wall-mounted animal faces on the façade of the building. The second category of small products will not be an unnecessary accessory when decorating a room. Master blacksmiths produce sculptures of a wide variety of forged animals.

Birds, peacocks

Forged figurines in the form of birds impress with their realism . A real metal masterpiece, created by the hands of an experienced craftsman or produced using modern equipment, looks expensive, stylish and aesthetically pleasing .

Forged figure of a peacock. Gold-Kovka Photos

Forged birds are suitable for both interior decoration and building architecture. Small products are an excellent solution for landscape decoration.

Fish

Forged fish are unusual elements for decorating not only interiors, but also festive tables and themed events. There are a large number of options for using these small products.

Forged fish. Photo Exclusive

Insects

Miniature insect figures serve as a bright accent for any room . They can be placed on the mantelpiece in the living room, among green plants on the balcony, or be a central decoration in the children's room.

Forged butterfly. Photo EuroService

Forged insects in life-size or larger sizes serve as a non-trivial gift and act as an original souvenir.

Small architectural forms

Small architectural forms represent an extensive list of structures, artistic and decorative products and elements : gazebos, arches, benches and grills, barbecues and barbecues, bridges, as well as various compositions for decorating the landscape.

Forged sculptures are often classified as MAF. But combining these categories is not entirely correct. Since the sculptures are suitable for installation not only outdoors, but indoors.

Wrought iron gazebo of square shape. Photo VITO

Forged small architectural forms fit harmoniously into the design of parks, gardens, and courtyards. The products look great in combination with green spaces and tiled paths, artificial reservoirs and ponds created by nature.

Braziers

Often forged products have the shape of animals. Metal barbecues in the shape of a deer, pig, cat and other fauna look attractive and unusual. Such items can be stationary and mobile.

Forged barbecue in the shape of a deer. UfaKovka Photos

Flower stands

Forged flower beds in the form of birds and animals add uniqueness to the space . Such projects most often have a humorous execution.

Forged flower stand in the shape of a cat. Photo Stroykompleks-M

On the roof

Forged sculptures are organically located in various places; they are also suitable for installation on the roof. Bird figures can be placed on the roof which makes the house stand out from a number of similar buildings.

Forged weather vane rooster. Citadel Photos

In addition, when mentioning items for roofs, one should talk about forged weather vanes , shaped like birds or decorated with their figures.

Hot and cold forging, exclusive and simple projects

Sculptures made using hot forging technology have artistic value and exclusive execution. But handmade work by an experienced craftsman is expensive.

Forged insects. Photo Arabesque

Products produced using the cold forging method are distinguished by their simplicity and patterned shapes, as well as reasonable cost.

How the “queen of welding” and the castle came to be

My first big sculpture appeared in 2015: I had to spend my entire salary, take out a loan, find material and an assistant. And within two months, the sculpture “Meditating Cat Tikhvami,” more than two meters high, was ready and stood in the park.

My journey as an artist began with “The Meditating Cat Tikhwami.” That same year I came up with a new name for myself, Weld Queen (“welding queen” - English). And over time, I got my own “castle”: in 2016, I rented a semi-abandoned room on the factory grounds on Ryazansky Prospekt. Now it is a house-studio where I live and work - with two floors and a tower, two bedrooms and work areas where I create sculptures.

In 2016, I rented a semi-abandoned room on the factory grounds, which I turned into my “castle”

“A bag for strong women” My dresses made of fire-resistant canvas and split leather are also born there. These are my “royal” performative outfits that I wear to official events. I design the clothes myself, and they are sewn by professional tailors. I produce some women's accessories for outfits - for example, a string bag made from rebar or a "Bag for Strong Women" - in small series, and you can buy them on my website. Moreover, this will be the purchase of a real art object, which is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the artist.

What kinds of polygonal sculptures are there?

It is worth considering the main types of MAF that our craftsmen can create:

· Light. Such compositions appeared on the market relatively recently. They are special polygonal shapes that have a rainbow effect. LED lighting is placed on the surface of the art objects, and the metal is covered with a dichroic film.

· Mirrored. These products are among the most popular. They are made of decorative stainless steel and aluminum.

· Colored. Such sculptures are considered the most striking and are most often created from carbon steel. The material is coated with paint of various shades, taking into account the necessary decorative design. These products are used as permanent or temporary outdoor decor.

· Park. Such variations are the basis of landscape design in parks and gardens. Sculptures can be made of stainless steel, Corten steel, aluminum of various thicknesses. They are often supplemented with a concrete base.

Features of Corten steel sculptures

Corten metal is a premium alloy steel that is weather resistant. The material contains phosphorus, chromium and copper. Such additives make primary carbon steel more resistant to corrosion, and a characteristic patina appears on the surface of the material over time. It is this that makes it possible to combine Corten steel with various materials.

The steel initially used in the manufacture of polygonal sculptures has a silvery tint. During operation, the surface oxidizes due to the impact of various atmospheric precipitation on the steel, and a patina with a complex and noble shade appears on the material.

Patina is not only a kind of decorative effect on the surface of a sculpture. The oxide film protects the product from destruction and corrosion. That is why sculptures made of Corten steel do not need to be additionally coated with protective mixtures. At the request of the client, varnish can be applied to the material, which will give an additional decorative effect.

Corten steel is easy to machine. It is laser cut and polished in our production workshop. It is worth noting that it is also possible to use plasma/abrasive equipment when cutting such metal. Next, the individual elements are welded together. They conduct heat well, so the material does not deform.

Craftsmen offer accelerated aging of the surface of Corten steel. Oxidation is carried out using special chemical compounds. Initially, the workpieces are polished and degreased. Next, they are immersed in oxidizing acid; the required layer of patina will appear on the surface after 1-2 days.

In the manufacture of sculptures, the drawings of which can be studied on the official website, steel with a thickness of 1-4 millimeters is used. It is oiled and has no rust. Our craftsmen use materials only from well-known European suppliers.

When creating products, both Corten steel sheets and rods can be used. With their help, sculptures and small architectural forms with various geometries are created in a short time. The products are supplied ready for installation.

How to hold an angle grinder in your hands

For some reason, society has a lot of funny fantasies related to my work. So, many people think that metal for work must be obtained from garbage dumps somewhere. No, I don’t make anything from scrap metal, everything is much simpler: the material is available in construction stores.

I don’t go to the gym: I have enough physical activity at work. Many people also pay attention to my biceps and think that I specifically train my arms in the gym.
In fact, I don’t go to the gym. But the work of a welder is really quite hard, so I follow a routine: I get up at 5 o’clock to do exercises and read while there is no work, go to bed at 11 pm, try not to work after 9 pm and make sure to set aside time to communicate with friends and loved ones . When you constantly deal with a welding machine and hold a vibrating grinder for a long time, you are guaranteed biceps

Of course, everyone is interested in how men react to me. So how do they react? Admired and respected. I'm an artist first and foremost, welding is just my technique. And when they find out that I am following my own unique path, which not everyone dares to follow, they perceive it with great respect and interest.

Tools and equipment

The choice of tools and equipment depends on the chosen technique for processing metal workpieces. Popular techniques include cold and hot forging, simple mechanical assembly of crafts using hand and power tools. Equipment, tools for hot forging:

• anvil;
• oven, forge;
• pliers, hammers;
• bending forks;
• vice;
• welding machine;
• blacksmith chisel;
• nail shops;
• steel undercuts;
• ironers;
• tampers, punch;
• Bulgarian;
• drill with accessories.

For cold forging, similar tools are used, but without a furnace, forge, or anvil. You will also need special machines for processing metal blanks. Hand tools for cold forging:

1. Gnutik. A mechanism for bending strips of metal and reinforcement.
2. Wave. A manual machine for creating rings, sinusoids from metal strips, hollow tubes, rods. Finished parts are needed for making large-scale patterns.
3. Snail. Manual mechanisms for bending reinforcement into spirals. The limit on the diameter of processed workpieces is 12 mm. You can make bends of different radii.
4. Flashlight. Manual bending machine, which is designed for the manufacture of decorative elements.
5. Twister. Using this mechanism, strips can be twisted to produce elongated spirals.

You may also need a hydraulic press.

Drill (Photo: Instagram / _instrument_ua_)

How sculptures are born

It can take a month to create a sculpture, or maybe more than six months. For example, “Mother” is made of stainless steel. Last year she was exhibited in Zaryadye Park. I've been creating it for almost a year. This is a large-scale three-meter sculpture made from many small sections. Sanding and polishing alone took us 5 months.

Work on the sculpture “Mother”
*Public art is art in an urban environment, aimed at an unprepared viewer and implying communication with the urban space.

From the very beginning I understood that this would be a big project, and I had a minimum of funds for its implementation. Nevertheless, I started work anyway. And when it was almost coming to an end, I received an offer to temporarily exhibit it in Zaryadye. Now "Mother" is in my possession. I know for sure that it will not be left without buyers in Europe. There, such a direction as public art* has been recognized for a long time. But I hope that this sculpture will remain in Russia, will find its place somewhere in the park and will be available to people.

Iron sculptures

John Lopez is a talented sculptor, author of numerous works. He creates life-size metal animal sculptures that look vaguely reminiscent of steampunk creations.

Artist Mai Sujai uses scrap metal to create sculptures depicting cars and monsters from horror films. Despite the trash origin of the components of the art, finished sculptures are sold for at least $7,500.

Thai artist Yumi Sangthai has created an amazing series of giant Transformers from old, recycled car parts. Thus, in 2002, a true family business was born and today Anchali and his family make custom sculptures from metal parts, ranging from pocket-sized to gigantic, reaching 6 meters in height, for clients around the world.

A huge statue of a woman made of chains, hooks and other metal components will long be remembered by residents of San Francisco and random tourists who have seen her at least once.

Thirty-year-old Italian sculptor Mattia Trotta creates his works from ordinary metal wire and chains.

A talented person, Robin White, a resident of England, Staffordshire, is the creator of amazing works. It gives life to sculptures made of metal: stainless steel and ordinary wire.

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How the round dance of angels grew on the banks of the Don

I make both small objects and large-scale images for performances. At first I took my works to exhibitions and various festivals so that people could see them, and now many of the projects are in private collections and public parks. They buy something already at the idea stage. This was the case with the “Brothers” sculpture, which now stands in a park in the Lipetsk region. I had the idea to make 7 angels holding hands, forming a round dance. But in this round dance there is one empty seat. For it to close, a person must stand there and take the hands of two neighboring angels.

Sculpture “Brothers”, Kudykina Gora park, Lipetsk region I lived with this idea for a whole year, and then people appeared who proposed to implement it in the Lipetsk region.
The location was simply ideal - on a hill, on the banks of the Don, and I immediately agreed! Six months later, the sculpture stood still. Now people specifically go up the hill to hold the hands of angels

How I built an airfield in the desert

For the last two years I have been traveling a lot around the world to attend exhibitions and performances. I constantly apply for various grants and participate in competitions. Last year I was in the USA four times - I took part in the famous Burning Man festival, which takes place in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. This is such a huge 8-day art performance, which attracts several tens of thousands of people. They build art objects, perform music - and all in order to have fun and feel happy. At Burning Man I made a large-scale installation called “An Airfield for Soaring in the Clouds.” This is my largest project - 36 × 15 m, which we have been preparing for almost a year. Now the “airfield” is stored disassembled in a warehouse in Nevada, and this year I will expand it: I will add a tower in the form of an 11-meter airplane taking off.

How to follow your path

When you believe in what you are doing, everything starts to come by itself: both people and projects. I did my first exhibition with Andrey Bartenev ( Russian artist, creator of provocative installations and performances. - Ed.
).
It started with the fact that he liked my work, and I gave him the sculpture “Horse-Agon” for his birthday. And then he invited me to participate in an exhibition at the Taganka gallery. There, in turn, I met Slava Polunin ( Soviet and Russian clown, actor and director - Ed.
), and he invited me to his residence in France - this is an absolutely amazing place, incredibly cool. And I worked there for almost a month on the sculpture “Chair for joint soaring in the clouds”: this is a large seven-seater rocking aircraft, where you can sit in a group and rock “up to the very clouds.”

With Slava Polunin at his residence in France

When you believe in what you are doing, everything begins to come by itself: both people and projects.
I don’t wait, like many other artists, for a customer to come to me and give me an advance payment. If I have a project in mind, I’ll start doing it with my own money. If I don’t have the funds, I’ll take out a loan. It is important for me that the idea that is born is implemented, heard and seen. And interested people will appear sooner or later. Of course, this is a risk, and I take it consciously.

“Mother” was exhibited in Zaryadye Park, but now it is with me. In my works I talk a lot about strength, about energy, about human capabilities. And I never do anything to order based on other people’s projects. I don't waste time on things I don't like. This is the only way to create something truly worthwhile - something that will take your breath away. And this strategy has already shown many times that it is the most correct.