The Village Gallery’s featured artist for the month of April is award-winning metal artist Tom Williams. Along with his regular inventory, Williams will bring two large Raven sculptures and giant bells to the Friday, April 5, reception.
When Williams is creating artwork in his studio, sparks fly. He works with fire hot enough to melt metal and electricity with enough volts to burn eyes. Sweat pours on his forehead, hot embers singe his skin and he loves it. He said, “I am a better welder than most blacksmiths and a better blacksmith than most welders.”
Williams is a multimedia artist not just in material, but considering the senses. His forged metalwork is meant to be seen, touched and heard. He captures organic forms in metal, such as petroglyphs, pinecones, ravens and delicate roses. He also creates bells, wind chimes and musical drums made from discarded tanks.
Williams’ true passion comes out in his large sculptures. Making one of his intricate raven pieces involves many hours of research. Each raven is made of 2,000 feathers. The primary flight and secondary feathers come from life size drawings. He works in assembly line fashion, slicing feathers with his plasma cutter, adding texture and detail by hand and shaping bird bodies.
At the Recycled Art Exhibition in Flagstaff, Williams won the Elegance Award in 2011 and, the next year, his soaring saguaro made from mule shoes from the Grand Canyon entitled Shoeguaro took Best in Show. In 2014, his work took Best in Show at It’s Elemental, a juried show put on by Flagstaff Arts Council. In 2014, Williams collaborated with Mike Frankel and John Rogers to create The Mars Kaleidisphere, which is on permanent display at the Lowell Observatory. In 2015, he was commissioned to create the awards for the 2016 Flagstaff Viola Awards.
Williams’ journey into metal artwork began in 2006 when he and his wife traded the bustle of southern California for the leisurely pace of Williams. He laughs at the novelty of sharing a name with the town.
The public is invited to meet Williams and experience his metal work at a reception on April 5 from 5 to 8 p.m. Refreshments will be served and other member artists will be in attendance.
The Village Gallery of Local Artists is located at 6512 SR 179 in the Village of Oak Creek at the roundabout on State Route 179 and Cortez. Call 284-1416 or visit sedonalocalartists.com for more information.
