We are on the move! It's a Steel Thing now has a trailer - Watch for our POP-UP sales here and there and everywhere.

We are on the move! It's a Steel Thing now has a trailer - Watch for our POP-UP sales here and there and everywhere.

Metal art being made in our home, for your home.

It’s a Steel Thing: Our Origin Story.

I spent 10 years training to become a paediatric dentist. Dentistry is measured in millimetres and we are always striving for perfection. What I enjoy most, when it comes to working with metal is that perfection is not a requirement. The pieces convey a certain emotion and in truth, I feel that the imperfections help to create our emotional response to the pieces.

Acquiring a CNC plasma cutter last year has opened up my ability to create more pieces, some of which can be quite intricate. Bram, my son, has embraced the creative elements of the process and has come up with some amazing designs. Inspiration is truly all around us - you just have to take the time to look around and find it. The collaboration of father and son has been an absolute pleasure and together we know that the sky is the limit.

Metal can be left to “do its thing” in nature. The rust patina is my favourite end result. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. Metal can be polished and it can be painted. Applying polyurethane (or something like it) can stop, or at least slow down, the oxidation of the steel. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and you really can do anything you want to dress-up the steel. We have always envisioned that the pieces we create would remain outdoors but quickly realized that this too is simply a matter of opinion - we have a few pieces scattered throughout our home and they look fantastic.

We hope that you will enjoy the metal art as much as we have enjoyed the process of creating it.

Jeffrey

 

Art In Motion.

The beauty of steel art is that it is constantly changing. It starts off bold and dark but it doesn’t have to stay that way. Leaving your steel art outside through our distinct seasons will encourage it to develop a warm, rustic patina over time.

We started the journey but you get to finish it. You are limited only by your imagination.

You can:

  • paint the steel any colour you want

  • add a design

  • treat the steel to slow the rusting process

  • bottom line, you can do anything you can imagine

Disclaimer: Steel is going to eventually rust if exposed to the elements; it will even rust if left in a humid environment.

To minimize the oxidation of steel, you must either keep it indoors, paint it, or seal it.  If you choose to paint or protect the steel, we would recommend doing both sides of the piece - remember to give it a good cleaning first.  You might even consider touching it up from time-to-time to ensure that it remains well protected.

We have found that RUST-OLEUM spray paints work well and comes in a wide variety of fantastic colours.  Clear RUST-OLEUM is also a good choice if you prefer the “natural look” of the steel itself.  There are likely many more products that would work just as well - we are not experts on painting or protecting steel products.

Whatever you choose to do with the art, have fun and enjoy.