In 2012, I took a train to North Dakota, where I was hired as a welder’s helper for a natural gas pipeline company. I helped and watched the welders welding the pipe together and was very intrigued by the process. When we had a bit of downtime, I asked the foreman if I could use a spare welding hood and give welding a try for my first time ever.
The days were long but I practiced welding a lot, on breaks and after hours, to prove I was as good as the guys. Mostly, it was because I fell in love with the way I was able to move that molten puddle around.
One day, my artist’s eye saw rose petals hiding in the curve of the pipe and I was awed by the bluing color of heated steel. I was able to get a scrap piece of pipe to play with. I used an oxygen/acetylene torch to cut out rose pedals and welded it all together with 6010 electrodes. It was messy, but a lot of fun.
Connecting steel to steel with 6010 electrodes creates sparks. Sparks create a magical environment, even in a North Dakota winter. After welding for various companies, I decided I wanted to find a place to call home — and save up to buy my own welding art studio somewhere in Western Montana. I prayed about my decision, called all the fabrication shops, and found a welding job in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana.
Montana is where I began my experimentation in crafting with steel as a medium, mostly nuts and bolts and a hoarder-size collection of rusting metal. It was cheap and abundant. Plus, there are a lot of horseshoes in Montana.
A struggling artist needs encouragement and money, so after selling a number of scorpion sculptures — crafted mainly from sparkplugs — I gained confidence that my visions had value. Perhaps I had some talent?
After winning a local contest for my woman-size, scrap-metal sculpture Rust Chick, I recognized her significance — not only for the inspiration of winning, but also her symbolism. I had created a projection of my life story.
As I was able, I acquired different tools, machines and materials to explore and teach myself new metal-art techniques. In 2017, I decided to open my very first business, named Laura Jean Welding, LLC. I put together a welding trailer with all the tools I needed, plus welding rods and a generator welding machine, so I could weld anything out in the field.
The other part of my business was creating custom metal art. My hand-held plasma cutter is my absolute favorite thing in the shop. It allows me to cut anything I draw. My MIG welding machine is the most practical welder in the shop because I can use one hand to hold what I’m welding and the other hand to weld, allowing me to be very precise with my welds, which is very important when creating fine metal art sculptures.
A few years ago, one of my dreams came true; I was finally able to purchase a beautiful property with a home, and an oversized garage that my husband and I turned into a welding art studio. Having our own space to build things is such a blessing.
Throughout my welding journey, I have always found myself building the next metal-art creation in my head, sometimes over and over until I like the vision I have of it. I enjoy experimenting with different metals and glass, as well as treasures found at antiques shops and scrap yards.
Having my own shop has allowed me to create my first life-size horse sculpture, named Spirit of the Bitterroot. It’s constructed of thousands of metal flowers, ferns, vines and leaves that I freehand cut with my plasma cutter, shaped by my hands and welded together.
One of my most recent and favorite creations is my butterfly-inspired fairy wings crafted from steel, stainless steel, copper, scrap washers, stained glass and mirrors. Because of the number of materials involved, I ended up having to experiment with a few things to figure out how to create the wings.
Welding and combining those different materials can be tedious and challenging, but having the passion to create will keep you moving forward.
I first drew it out on steel and plasma cut it out by hand. I kept adding layers of different materials, leaving the side holes empty for the stained-glass pieces. I didn’t want the wings to end up being too heavy, so I was careful with the amount of material being added. I used my grinder to polish the steel to a shiny silver. Then I welded around the front in a swirl-like pattern to give it a whimsical texture. Carefully adding the fragile pieces of stained glass and mirror pieces made it even more magical than I ever dreamed it would turn out.
Several months prior to making these wings I had experimented with plaster and created a mold of my torso. I welded scrap washers together using that mold as a template for the body part of the wings. When standing behind it, it’s like I’m actually wearing the wings!
My husband is not only my best friend, but he also is always inspiring me and helping me in the shop.
I find my inspiration as we hike through the lush forests, over mountain peaks and through creeks. I love the way the moss grows along the jagged tree limbs, how mushrooms scatter their way around leaves mixing in with wildflowers and pinecones. Elk let out bugles and deer prance around, while a red fox plays peekaboo from his den. Eagles soar above and butterflies flutter below. Bears frolic in huckleberry patches and moose splash through the swamp. I like to capture the way I feel in these moments by recreating what I’ve experienced with different metals in my sculptures.
Aside from sculpting, I share my welding skills in private small workshops in my art studio, as well as at Trapper Creek Job Corps in Darby, Montana. Teaching is more than a job, it’s a way to spark creativity in others. While teaching the trade of weld- ing and fabrication, I am sharing something that helped to bring my life together.
On Friday Fun days, I have my students create specific metal-art and fabrication projects using various techniques, tools and machines. I can tell if a student has a passion for welding usually pretty quickly.
To create one of my glass and metal art flowers, I begin by drawing the flower shape that I want to create out of fused glass. I’m going for my version of the bluebell flower.
I have drawn this flower for over 20 years; and for the last six years, I have plasma cut this flower in my metal art, including my VW Bug.
Next, I cut the steel with a plasma cutter. This will go inside of the gear base for the glass flower to attach to.
I use a grinder to clean up the slag and mill scale off the steel, then gather the pieces of the metal that will be assembled with a welding machine.
Next, I carefully weld all of the pieces together. In a process filled with suspense, sparks and smoke, this is where the magic seems to happen!
Throughout these 12 years of my welding journey, I have found my purpose: to co-create with my heavenly Father, bringing a new purpose to steel and glass, being inspired by the things He has already created and to teach others what I have learned. I can’t be any more grateful to the people who have continuously shown their love and support.
My dream is to be a full-time metal sculptor and glass artist, working with my husband — and collaborating with landscape architects, individuals, companies, corporations and institutions — creating site-specific sculptures. While doing that, I want to continue to teach private welding workshops in my welding art studio.
My Mr. Waylon boy has been the perfect shop dog and best friend, keeping me on my toes for almost eight years now. He travels with me to various hardware stores and to the bank, where everyone always greets him with a smile, a handshake and lots of love.
In between my sculpting, I like to play and dance with him. He likes chasing balls, pinecones, and any kind of squeaky toy. He does this thing I like to call his “prancy dance.” As he waits for me to grab the toy, he leaps back and forth, waiting eagerly for me to throw it. If there’s water, he’s in it! Cheese is his favorite treat and helps him stay focused from distractions when learning new tricks. He has mastered many things, including breakdancing, and has recently learned to retrieve the Cheeze-It box. He is the perfect studio companion!
In 2012, I took a train to North Dakota, where I was hired as a welder’s helper for a natural gas pipeline company. I helped and watched the welders welding the pipe together and was very intrigued by the process. When we had a bit of downtime, I asked the foreman if I could use a spare welding hood and give welding a try for my first time ever.
The days were long but I practiced welding a lot, on breaks and after hours, to prove I was as good as the guys. Mostly, it was because I fell in love with the way I was able to move that molten puddle around.
One day, my artist’s eye saw rose petals hiding in the curve of the pipe and I was awed by the bluing color of heated steel. I was able to get a scrap piece of pipe to play with. I used an oxygen/acetylene torch to cut out rose pedals and welded it all together with 6010 electrodes. It was messy, but a lot of fun.
Connecting steel to steel with 6010 electrodes creates sparks. Sparks create a magical environment, even in a North Dakota winter. After welding for various companies, I decided I wanted to find a place to call home — and save up to buy my own welding art studio somewhere in Western Montana. I prayed about my decision, called all the fabrication shops, and found a welding job in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana.
Montana is where I began my experimentation in crafting with steel as a medium, mostly nuts and bolts and a hoarder-size collection of rusting metal. It was cheap and abundant. Plus, there are a lot of horseshoes in Montana.
A struggling artist needs encouragement and money, so after selling a number of scorpion sculptures — crafted mainly from sparkplugs — I gained confidence that my visions had value. Perhaps I had some talent?
After winning a local contest for my woman-size, scrap-metal sculpture Rust Chick, I recognized her significance — not only for the inspiration of winning, but also her symbolism. I had created a projection of my life story.
As I was able, I acquired different tools, machines and materials to explore and teach myself new metal-art techniques. In 2017, I decided to open my very first business, named Laura Jean Welding, LLC. I put together a welding trailer with all the tools I needed, plus welding rods and a generator welding machine, so I could weld anything out in the field.
The other part of my business was creating custom metal art. My hand-held plasma cutter is my absolute favorite thing in the shop. It allows me to cut anything I draw. My MIG welding machine is the most practical welder in the shop because I can use one hand to hold what I’m welding and the other hand to weld, allowing me to be very precise with my welds, which is very important when creating fine metal art sculptures.
A few years ago, one of my dreams came true; I was finally able to purchase a beautiful property with a home, and an oversized garage that my husband and I turned into a welding art studio. Having our own space to build things is such a blessing.
Throughout my welding journey, I have always found myself building the next metal-art creation in my head, sometimes over and over until I like the vision I have of it. I enjoy experimenting with different metals and glass, as well as treasures found at antiques shops and scrap yards.
Having my own shop has allowed me to create my first life-size horse sculpture, named Spirit of the Bitterroot. It’s constructed of thousands of metal flowers, ferns, vines and leaves that I freehand cut with my plasma cutter, shaped by my hands and welded together.
One of my most recent and favorite creations is my butterfly-inspired fairy wings crafted from steel, stainless steel, copper, scrap washers, stained glass and mirrors. Because of the number of materials involved, I ended up having to experiment with a few things to figure out how to create the wings.
Welding and combining those different materials can be tedious and challenging, but having the passion to create will keep you moving forward.
I first drew it out on steel and plasma cut it out by hand. I kept adding layers of different materials, leaving the side holes empty for the stained-glass pieces. I didn’t want the wings to end up being too heavy, so I was careful with the amount of material being added. I used my grinder to polish the steel to a shiny silver. Then I welded around the front in a swirl-like pattern to give it a whimsical texture. Carefully adding the fragile pieces of stained glass and mirror pieces made it even more magical than I ever dreamed it would turn out.
Several months prior to making these wings I had experimented with plaster and created a mold of my torso. I welded scrap washers together using that mold as a template for the body part of the wings. When standing behind it, it’s like I’m actually wearing the wings!
My husband is not only my best friend, but he also is always inspiring me and helping me in the shop.
I find my inspiration as we hike through the lush forests, over mountain peaks and through creeks. I love the way the moss grows along the jagged tree limbs, how mushrooms scatter their way around leaves mixing in with wildflowers and pinecones. Elk let out bugles and deer prance around, while a red fox plays peekaboo from his den. Eagles soar above and butterflies flutter below. Bears frolic in huckleberry patches and moose splash through the swamp. I like to capture the way I feel in these moments by recreating what I’ve experienced with different metals in my sculptures.
Aside from sculpting, I share my welding skills in private small workshops in my art studio, as well as at Trapper Creek Job Corps in Darby, Montana. Teaching is more than a job, it’s a way to spark creativity in others. While teaching the trade of weld- ing and fabrication, I am sharing something that helped to bring my life together.
On Friday Fun days, I have my students create specific metal-art and fabrication projects using various techniques, tools and machines. I can tell if a student has a passion for welding usually pretty quickly.
To create one of my glass and metal art flowers, I begin by drawing the flower shape that I want to create out of fused glass. I’m going for my version of the bluebell flower.
I have drawn this flower for over 20 years; and for the last six years, I have plasma cut this flower in my metal art, including my VW Bug.
Next, I cut the steel with a plasma cutter. This will go inside of the gear base for the glass flower to attach to.
I use a grinder to clean up the slag and mill scale off the steel, then gather the pieces of the metal that will be assembled with a welding machine.
Next, I carefully weld all of the pieces together. In a process filled with suspense, sparks and smoke, this is where the magic seems to happen!
Throughout these 12 years of my welding journey, I have found my purpose: to co-create with my heavenly Father, bringing a new purpose to steel and glass, being inspired by the things He has already created and to teach others what I have learned. I can’t be any more grateful to the people who have continuously shown their love and support.
My dream is to be a full-time metal sculptor and glass artist, working with my husband — and collaborating with landscape architects, individuals, companies, corporations and institutions — creating site-specific sculptures. While doing that, I want to continue to teach private welding workshops in my welding art studio.
My Mr. Waylon boy has been the perfect shop dog and best friend, keeping me on my toes for almost eight years now. He travels with me to various hardware stores and to the bank, where everyone always greets him with a smile, a handshake and lots of love.
In between my sculpting, I like to play and dance with him. He likes chasing balls, pinecones, and any kind of squeaky toy. He does this thing I like to call his “prancy dance.” As he waits for me to grab the toy, he leaps back and forth, waiting eagerly for me to throw it. If there’s water, he’s in it! Cheese is his favorite treat and helps him stay focused from distractions when learning new tricks. He has mastered many things, including breakdancing, and has recently learned to retrieve the Cheeze-It box. He is the perfect studio companion!
