Nana Schowalter
Blachardville, WI

"Waterfall" implies motion of descending water.

Mild steel arrives on a semitruck in twenty foot lengths of square, round, flat, pipe and square tubing. This is my three dimensional palette. To cut, mix, heat, hammer, bend, shape, weld, grind, sandblast, and paint objects ranging from functional to sculptural.

Working from the initial mental image of the piece and a quick sketch, the design process happens live on a layout table using finished dimensions as a sizing framework. The pieces are composed with steel elements and an intuitive eye for composition to complete the idea.

Using a personal lexicon of hot forged and fabricated steel elements, spirals, circles, scrolls, water symbols, and botanical references, the pieces record a continuing relationship with technical skill and design.

Inspired by nature and the images of ancient cultures from around the world, each new series is inspired by previous works, over decades of design evolution.