Career path for a metal sculptor

Zig Bigfoot · Jan 10, 2013

One of my MCs is a young (~26) African-American woman who is trying to build a career as a metal sculptor. There doesn't seem to be a "typical" path for this career, so all I can ask is, does this seem plausible:

Undergraduate Fine Arts degree in sculpture, where she learned metal working.

Now she is freelance.

Since she isn't a big name yet, she works two jobs (art supply store clerk and waitress) to support herself and is just breaking even on the sculpture.

She specializes in large abstract metal sculptures.

Most of her clients are businesses and office parks, and a few large churches, occasionally individuals.

She gets her commissions from gallery showings and art fairs and word of mouth. At the shows, she displays foamcore mockups, artists' renderings and photos of completed works, plus a few smaller pieces for sale.

She goes to the scrapyards to pick out her own supplies, which she carts home in her pickup truck.

Her workshop is in a loft (half is workshop, half is her apartment). She uses winches and chain tracks left over from the loft's use as a warehouse to move around her pieces.

She is responsible for installation of her pieces: hires someone to pour the concrete pads, hires a flatbed delivery truck to transport them, does her own installation on-site.

Thanks for any help!

veinglory · Jan 10, 2013

If she is getting business commissions such as for large lobby sculptures, these pay pretty well. But you should fill in the gaps as to how she got on the corporate art radar. This does not generally happen at a grass roots level like an art fair, but a few good media appearances or friendly major gallery could do it.

My next question would be how she is making 5-figure plus sales and still working two jobs and yet still having the flexibility to go off to art shows. It is possible but you would need to show where the balance is for her to cobble this all together in this way (e.g. salaried jobs are good for health insurance).

benluby · Jan 10, 2013

As a metal sculpture, realistically the art degree would only be beneficial in terms of studying and networking. I can see nearly no value outside of that, as your MC is basically going to need tech school more.
Learning welding isn't as easy as some think, and when you're welding different metals together it gets REALLY difficult.
I'd wager she would do better as a subcontractor, taking welding jobs on the side, with her equipment being able to be carried in her truck/hauled on a trailer, and would require less hours than both her other jobs, and pay better.
An independent welder will usually drag down about $40.00 an hour before expenses on the low end.
How much does a waitress drag down? Plus it would free up a lot of hours.

dirtsider · Jan 10, 2013

Try reaching out to a place called The Grounds for Sculpture. Haven't been on site personally but I've seen some things associated with it. I'm pretty sure it has a website for you to look at.

Also, she might be able to start making a name for herself through the Steampunk subculture. Part of the Steampunk s/c started out as a DIY culture so she'd fit right in there. And she could do some small work using gears and bits. Great for networking her larger workds as well.

Sarita · Jan 10, 2013

veinglory said:
If she is getting business commissions such as for large lobby sculptures, these pay pretty well. But you should fill in the gaps as to how she got on the corporate art radar. This does not generally happen at a grass roots level like an art fair, but a few good media appearances or friendly major gallery could do it.

My next question would be how she is making 5-figure plus sales and still working two jobs and yet still having the flexibility to go off to art shows. It is possible but you would need to show where the balance is for her to cobble this all together in this way (e.g. salaried jobs are good for health insurance).

Yes, this! I have two friends in the metal-art world. One is continuing the VERY lucrative business her father started as a corporate sculpturist. She literally has no time to do anything other than openings, contracts, and marketing (for pieces he created but hadn't sold yet). The other friend has a small farm converted into an outdoor gallery. He does pieces slowly and uses art shows to market. He is also a welder on the side.

Zig Bigfoot · Jan 10, 2013

Hmmm... Much to digest. I forgot to mention that she's been out of college for five years. Some of that time could have been taken up with technical school, to learn the craft, so maybe she's only really been working at it for 2 -3 years. But it sounds like, by this point, she would be almost too successful for my story arc.

cornflake · Jan 10, 2013

Agree if she's getting commissions from businesses, office parks, etc., she doesn't need any other jobs.

Moderate lobby/reception stuff for corporations can be tens of thousands per piece; law, advertising firms and the like can drop serious money on art.

blacbird · Jan 10, 2013

Mechanic in an auto body shop.

caw

frimble3 · Jan 11, 2013

From the OP, it sounds like a background in construction would do her more good than art school. A welding/fabrication ticket, and some idea of how to find/hire subcontractors for the bases, transportation, etc.
What does your story arc need? Maybe it would be easier to work backwards, to get her where you need her to be.

Alessandra Kelley · Jan 11, 2013

At my art school there was foundry, somewhat removed from the rest of the school owing to insane heat and molten metal. The foundry students, who seemed to be mostly female, wore huge leather aprons and seemed to keep to themselves.

So yes, one can certainly learn bronze casting and welding at art school.

I can't imagine anyone at an art show using a foam core mockup. A terra cotta maquette, sure -- that's a mini version of the proposed sculpture in fired clay. But foam core looks cheesy at a serious art show.

If she's only three years out of school and she's working galleries and art fairs and word of mouth, she must have been the sort of art school star who gets written up in the art magazines as someone to watch. Otherwise, even if she's awesome, three years out of school is likely to be only the beginning of her groundswell of work.

Zig Bigfoot · Jan 11, 2013

Alessandra Kelley said:
If she's only three years out of school and she's working galleries and art fairs and word of mouth, she must have been the sort of art school star who gets written up in the art magazines as someone to watch. Otherwise, even if she's awesome, three years out of school is likely to be only the beginning of her groundswell of work.

Well, that would be OK. In the story, she's struggling. The story isn't about her career, but it forms a backdrop to her interactions with an old boyfriend. I guess what I'm wondering at this point, to avoid major re-writing, is not, is her career path typical, but is it plausible.

Career path for a metal sculptor

Zig Bigfoot

veinglory

volitare nequeo

benluby

practical experience, FTW

dirtsider

Not so new, really

Sarita

carpe noctem

Zig Bigfoot

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

blacbird

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

Alessandra Kelley

Sophipygian

Zig Bigfoot