Sculptor Unveils

The Art Of

Welding

By Nancy K. Crevier

Through the month of February, a display of metal “origami” sculpture will greet visitors to the main floor of C.H. Booth Library. The creations of Brian Walters II of Bethel, who lived in Newtown until the age of 11 and who continues to be a regular patron of the local library here, the six steel pieces exhibited are the result of the past five years’ experimentation with welding recycled metal sections “folded” into graceful combinations of positive and negative space.

 “I have no art background, but I’ve always been creative,” said Mr Walters, as he finalized placement of the tabletop sculptures in and around the young adult section of the library on Friday, February 5.

Currently a welding instructor at Naugatuck Valley Community College, where he has also developed a sculpture program for the spring semester, the Kaynor Tech graduate attended a motor sports welding program at Lincoln Electric in Cleveland, Ohio, subsequent to completing the Kaynor welding program. He put his knowledge to practical use at the Skip Barber Racing School in Lakeville for a time, and for further welding experience, made restaurant kitchen hoods for Betlan Corp in Newtown.

The evolution from practical welder to artist came when a friend brought him to visit Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, N.Y., “one hundred acres of all kinds of sculptures,” said Mr Walters. “I thought that I could do something like that. So I started making small folk art and garden art from metal. It was a good side line, but I wanted to take it to the next level,” said Mr Walters.

The turning point came through classes at Silvermine in New Canaan, he said, and he set aside “garden art” for a more esoteric pursuit.

“I started making this ‘origami’ art, mainly table top size, although I have made one that stands about four feet high,” Mr Walters said.

The pieces at C.H. Booth Library began as scrap metal. At his Bethel shop, Mr Walters cut the metal with a torch into triangles, then heated and bent the pieces, utilizing any imperfections in the scrap metal as a focal point of the finished piece.

“The big thing is the fit and finish,” he said. “I try to have really nice lines.”

After forming and assembling the pieces, the rough sculpture is ground down to bare metal and every piece is hand sanded.

“Then I add a patina by using a chemical solution that oxidizes the material. It ‘rusts’ right before your eyes,” he said. Because it is a chemical application, it must be done outdoors, so every piece takes on an original look, as the weather has a great influence on how the patina dries.

“Patina color that is the result of an application when it is two degrees outside, like it was in January, is different from that applied in 90 degree weather,” explained Mr Walters. In January, the patina froze immediately upon application. But that, he said, is part of the charm and individuality of each work of art. Finally, he applies an oil finish to protect the metal and to add a certain sheen.

“I don’t try to read too much into the ‘art’ thing,” said Mr Walters, “I just create.”

None of the pieces of the origami series is named, and that is intentional. “I don’t want the names to influence the viewers’ interpretations,” he said.

Ideally, a good sculpture is a balance of negative and positive space, said Mr Walters, and is viewable from any side.

“It is rare to create a strong piece that is truly 360 degrees viewable, though. I think most end up having one side that seems more the ‘front,’ and a side that is the ‘back.’ When I look at these pieces, though, I see that the negative space works well. I’ve taken metal pieces and worked them so your eye is drawn to the negative space.”

As much fun as it was creating the origami series, his art is always evolving, said Mr Walters.

“Right now, I’m working on a new series, ‘Salvaged.’ They are abstract pieces made from vintage care parts, like old gears, and industrial pieces I have collected over the years, welded together,” he said. He is also aiming to make larger scale pieces for the outdoors, as well as a line of high-end architectural furniture incorporating metal and wood.

Previous art exhibitions by Mr Walters have included the Silvermine Guild Student Show in New Canaan, the New Haven Paint and Clay Club in 2008, the 2008 Sculpture Mile in Madison, and the members’ show this past December and January at the New Britain Museum of American Art. Others in his origami series are currently on show at Behnke Doherty Gallery in Washington Depot.

“Ten years ago, if I had looked ahead and seen that I was going to be a sculptor, I’d have laughed,” said Mr Walters. “It is so tough being an artist. I can’t say enough about the support of my friends and family. But I really enjoy it. It’s a great way to network with people. It’s therapeutic — you can’t rush good art, so that has slowed me down. I can’t imagine not doing art now,” he said.

The six “origami” sculptures will be on exhibit on the second floor of the C.H. Booth Library, in the young adult/audio section of the main floor, through the month of February. All of the pieces are available for purchase, with 25 percent of each sale benefiting the library.

“It’s my way of giving back,” said Mr Walters. “I’ve been coming to the Booth Library since I was a little kid.”

Contact Mr Walters for information on purchasing a piece at bcwz.com.