Erika Koenig Workman

At Action Welding I am closer to the metal, I marvel at the curls and shards on the floor. A distinct odour comes from cutting and welding and when heat rises off a newly fabricated piece where the beautiful near perfect pearly aluminum welds shine, I admire the welder who must relax into working with the metal, waiting for the puddle, judging the time when to push it forward dipping the rod into the necessary seam that becomes a flawless join.

You could say making yourself is a little like fabricating, which is to: create, manufacture, produce; construct, build, assemble, put together, form, and fashion.

To do it well is a humbling experience. I become slowly equipped with the necessary tools for being an artist or a ‘maker of things’. Determination to overcome obstacles is required and the ability to handle rejection and recover from it quickly. When one has a mentor to follow and learn from it can take you miles beyond your imagining. I become giddy with excitement because I have an opportunity to satisfy a curiosity and learn something new. Use caution, I tell myself, it is easy to become overly optimistic about one’s ability, a heady experience is sure to follow the digestion of new found knowledge like having 2 glasses of wine it puts the shine on just about anything.