I work with steel in the traditional forging manor of a blacksmith. I explore and push the plasticity of steel in its hot state to achieve a variety of layered textures and patterns. My working method is to forge many pieces from which I then assemble to complete the finished vision. Then, intuitively, the pieces are arranged until there is a composition that I find captures a semblance of beauty. Once a piece carries this aesthetic quality, I join the work together by means of welding and/or riveting. After building a work, I apply aerosol enamel paint and use a variety of techniques to distress the surface. With pigment, I am able to emphasize the many textures that evolve from forging. The result is an interpretation of a contemporary form that suggests the natural world and is my attempt to capture the entropy of the initial collection of pieces. My work is the result of my desire to use steel as a substrate for texture, form, and as a pallet to explore color.
Squarish
Susan Madacsi
Photo credit: Susan Madacsi
Bio
I create work that embraces bold color, abstract form, and explores texture to reconsider the traditional treatment of material in blacksmithing. I own Madacsi Studios, LLC in Garden City, Idaho, a workshop and creative space, which is part of a community of local artists and businesses, operating on the live, work, create concept.