Artist Spotlight
I work in two mediums: blacksmithing and photography. I say blacksmithing, but over my 40-year career it has evolved considerably... the first ten years to learn the craft; the middle twenty creating architectural scale ironwork up and down the East Coast of the United States; and, the last ten creating forged sculpture. Concurrently with the last phase and partly from necessity, I have taken up photography.
Fro the ironwork I use a two pound Swedish forging hammer and a 300 pound Kohlswa Anvil as well as innumerable other tools; for photography a Nikon 7000 rooted into a Mac platform and a large format Canon printer using archival inks and photo paper.
I backed into my life as an artist. I was raised around well-known artists and when I was old enough to realize their talents, quickly concluded I needed to find another profession. After serving in the Army, after completing college, I taught senior high school for 14 years, largely in the field of history. I loved it; and, I was exhausted. I finally realized I could not escape my upbringing - art it was. It was a scary jump. But jump I did and forty years later I am so glad I did. I gave me back my life.
"Using the four sacred elements of earth(iron), fire, air and water daily, I am not sure how much closer I could get to the essence of life. I walk from my house with my faithful Tye, around the pond, past the salt lick for deer, over the first of two small bridges, past the daffodils in the spring, past the old wall that reproaches me daily for not making it whole again, and up to the forge. On a good day I throw open the doors and let the sunshine flood the space."
-Nol Putnam
Need more of Nol's sculptures? Purchase online at Galleryflux.com!
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