Kevin Wilson believes in recycling, or more accurately, upcycling. His business, Surreal Metal Art, was born out of a combined desire to repurpose discarded objects while at the same time channeling sculpture as a form of therapy and self-expression.
Wilson’s works are on display at Gallery 14 in a joint summer exhibit with fiber artist Grace Cormier titled Reaching Beyond. The show will continue in the downtown Vero Beach gallery through Sept. 6.
Wilson morphs various metal materials, such as upcycled stainless steel, brass, copper and aluminum, into multi-faceted objects of intrigue, including fish, motorcycles, airplanes and other diverse subjects.
“The real fun begins when I grab that first piece of metal and start cutting, forming, welding, sanding and polishing until my vision comes to life and into my sculpture,” says Wilson.
Born in Connecticut, Wilson moved to Florida in his junior year of high school in 1986 and has considered himself a Floridian ever since, currently residing in Port St. Lucie.
Now semi-retired following a decades long career in welding, Wilson began employment as a general welder and worked his way up to engineering. He eventually became interested in aerospace, which features prominently in his art.
“I started my metal art about two years ago with a bunch of old tools. I just started playing, had fun, and it grew organically into different projects. My art provides me a lot of enjoyment and relaxation,” says Wilson.
He shares that he derives inspiration from many sources, including an artist who recently moved to Florida and dubs herself Barbie the Welder. He cites one of her books, “How to Weld Silverware Animals,” as a particular inspiration for some of his projects.
“My smallest project so far is a turtle made from spoons. He stands about 2 inches tall,” Wilson explains, referencing the sculpture he has titled Under the Sea.
But perhaps Wilson’s greatest inspiration comes from the metal material itself. From his garage, now fully converted into an artist’s studio, Wilson welds his metal art mainly from castoff objects, occasionally purchasing pieces of metal to fill in the gaps.
“I love giving new life to things that would otherwise be thrown away. If I find a piece of metal and it looks like it can become something, I put it away and save it for a project someday,” says Wilson.
“If my friends find a piece of metal, they just give it to me now and know I’ll turn it into something,” he adds with a laugh.
Although Wilson comes from a family of artists – his mother is a ceramic artist and his sister, Susan Klaine, is a painter and graphic designer – he never expected to become an artist himself.
“If you had told me a few years ago I’d be spending 80 to 100 hours on a project, like my motorcycle piece, I wouldn’t have believed you. But the time flies when I’m working on my art,” he explains.
“Because I’m newer at it, I spend a lot of time just trying to find the perfect materials.”
Besides being new to the art world, Wilson faces other challenges with his creations, issues that are unique to working with metals and welding.
“You’re adding heat, the piece is shrinking and moving. You have to repair certain things that get distorted, but it’s all part of the learning curve.”
Wilson employs many tricks of the trade with his equipment, which includes a gas function arc welder (used to join metals using the intense heat of a flame), English wheels (a tool used to form double curvature curves), plasma cutters (used to cut steel and aluminum), sanding belts and grinding apparatuses.
“The shop is filled!” Wilson exclaims. “Hammers are my best friends.”
His other best friend, a Rottweiler named Asherah, often joins him in his studio. Wilson explains that the dog’s name has various origins in ancient mythology and is sometimes attributed to the tree of life. The symbol is significant to Wilson, who admires the work of Kevin Stone, a Nevada-based metal sculptor.
“Kevin Stone is currently working on a large-scale metal tree of life for the Children’s Hospital in Miami. I’d like to get involved with larger works too.”
While most of his pieces have so far been quite small, Wilson is currently working on his largest project to date, a piece he calls Mermaid, that will eventually stand about 42 inches tall.
“This is my first time working with the human form and it’s challenging,” says Wilson, who actually chopped his work in half to start fresh and preserve the integrity of the human shape.
“It can’t look trashy,” he notes.
To give back to the community, Wilson has donated numerous pieces to the Port St. Lucie Cultural Alliance, including a sculpture titled Under the Sea. He has also given the Alliance a dragonfly sculpture titled True Colors, made from upcycled brass wire, brass fittings and handmade glass marbles.
“The Cultural Alliance is important. People come to the galleries, then they do other things downtown. They eat at restaurants and they support the local businesses,” says Wilson.
“I’m grateful for all the opportunities I’ve had as a new artist.”
Photos by Joshua Kodis
