Soul Purpose

Another friend of mine in the chasing department was a man named Jim Love. Jim was a truly gifted metal worker. He was really laid back and cool. I could always ask him about welding or chasing bronze and he would help me with advice or by showing me stuff. One time he showed me a very cool technique for heating and twisting metal rods that resulted in very organic spiral shapes. He himself used the method to produce some really interesting objects. One of these was a heavy round stainless bar twisted up that culminated in a mushroom cloud shaped mass on top that was composed of a hundred or so smalll skulls welded together. It was beautiful and disturbing at the same time.

Jim was funny and smart, he loved drinking beer and he was a ladies man. I admired him for his abilities and his spirit. A few years after I left the Atelier, Jim Love passed away from cancer. He was in his late thirties. He had had childhood cancer and beat it but sadly it returned in his adulthood. Everyone who knew or worked with him was devastated by his passing. I still think of him often. And I’ve been using the technique he showed me for working metal to produce a series of walking sticks that are very striking. In a small way its how I choose to honor Jim’s memory.

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