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New but cant wait to get aquainted.

DesignerMetal - Saturday, July 25, 2009 - 12:41am
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Hello all,

My name is David Hebert. I've been doing fabricated metal sculpture for about 7 years now, after previously doing structural aluminum fabrication. I mainly do abstract contemporary wall art in steel, and aluminum as well as ornamental iron. I'm looking forward to learning some of the other techniques others of yall are doing. Also could anyone help me get into doing commercial and public art? I'm not sure how to get started in all that and would love to learn.

Thanks,
David Hebert
Designer Metal Works


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Fred Zweig's picture

Welcome to the

Fred Zweig - Saturday, July 25, 2009 - 10:07am

Welcome to the group!

Fred

Fred Zweig
Metalsmith


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andy kat's picture

Hi David, Good luck with

andy kat - Sunday, August 9, 2009 - 1:03pm

Hi David,

Good luck with your future.

Having being involved in commercial domestic and public art for 18 years (albeit in a fairly modest way) I recently made the first non commissioned piece in many years. It was fantastic fun(andrewkaysculpture exterior sculpture stag)

Although commercial work pays the bills, it is a real luxury to do your own thing and for me has a great deal more integrity. I have become jaded when ignorant parasites are whetting their beaks on the back of your skill and labour.
Again good luck and keep it real.

Kind regards

Andy

andrewkaysculpture.com


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Stephen Fitz-Gerald's picture

No rules

Stephen Fitz-Gerald - Wednesday, August 12, 2009 - 12:35pm

Stephen Fitz-Gerald

Hey David,
Welcome,I'm sort of new here too.
I've been doing a mix of commissioned,public and private metal sculpture and site specific decorative metal art for 25 years. In my experience there are no set formats that allow you to wriggle your way into the market. I suggest that there are no "rules" . I have more often than not ,listened to my intuition on how to proceed. Word of mouth and creating a large DOCUMENTED body of work has been the way in which potential clients have found me. Fully half my work has been on "speculation",that is,without a buyer. Andy mentioned some of the pitfalls and traps that exist. Artists are the easiest people in the world to take advantage of financially it seems,(I'm no exception).
The public sector is very competitive and very frustrating most of the time because you are usually having to satisfy a COMMITTEE which is infinitly harder than dealing with one individual,like a private commission. Sometimes to satisfy the varied aesthetic orientations of a public art committee it requires a "dumbing down" of your original vital idea,so as to not ruffle any feathers and accomplish a consensus.This is one of the downsides,but of course if you can actually secure a commission for a public work it is great publicity...
Needless to say the first step would be a professional portfolio (documentation of past work),website,references etc. And using the net to look for "call for artists" in the public domain is relatively easy.
It is by no means easy to make a living as a metal artist,but,all things being equal,if it the creative experience you are addicted to,the PROCESS,not the OUTCOME,then it can be a very rewarding life...


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