Twisted Metal - Justin Leliever
It all began when a neighbour, Sean, asked if he could store his wire fed welder in my shop. He noticed I had a 220 Volt power required to run it and in return I could play around with it in my spare time. I had never welded let alone worked with a wire fed rig before and actually dropped out of welding in High School so I was stoked to see what I could do with it. I knew very little about welding but figured it was an adult version of cutting and pasting, just slightly more dangerous. The idea of heating metal to the point of melting and then fusing it with something else seemed endless in possibilities. The only limit was my imagination.
When Sean moved I bought the welder from him and started making small functional stuff for the house, like coat hooks and towel bars. The options in the stores were either too fancy or low quality, so I went with the performance not fashion approach when making my own. I began to realize metal was everywhere, in every shape and size, and that I could create some cool stuff with old scraps lying around my garage. My first piece was a metal mask. I started with an old sprocket from my dirt bike, some saw blades that had been dulled, and various other chains and gears that were otherwise in line for the next dump run.
I cranked out a few more pieces and to began receiving positive responses from friends on what I was creating. I really liked the look of 3-dimensional art on walls. It was something a bit different than what people were used to seeing. I was running out of material to work with around my house so I started asking friends to go through their own junk metal and bring their scraps to me. Also, I talked to a local mechanic and asked if I could rummage through their scrap bin from time to time. With a confused expression he agreed.
The amount of parts people have donated has been amazing. I often come home to find old metal scraps left on my doorstep and when people see what their otherwise useless scraps turn into, they are amazed. I try to use as many unique scrap pieces as possible when creating a piece, there is a lot of it out there and it’s free. I also like knowing that there was a purpose to each piece and a story behind the life it had before it became part of one of my creations.
I never considered myself an artist. I’ve never taken an art class or thought much about it really. I just started playing around and people started to notice. My hobby has turned into something more than I ever thought possible, something I enjoy doing that allows me to make some money on the side. I am still getting used to being called an artist and the stress that comes when a piece leaves its shelter in my shop and is put out on display. The support and encouragement from friends and the community has been amazing to say the least. My most recent accomplishment was having my metal work noticed, purchased, and put on display by Todd and Aileen Shipley at Picnic Restaurant & Social. I am greatly indebted to them for this huge boost of confidence and am grateful for their faith in my abilities.
I have no idea what lies ahead, having only created pieces for the last year. At this point, there seems to be no end to my imagination and no shortage of material. I will continue to use what would have been useless metal and waste and create something that can be hung on walls or used in homes. I have found something I enjoy doing and will hopefully continue to create and evolve as a metal artist over time.
Visit www.twistedmetalworks.ca to learn more about Justin Leliever and his artwork.
