Biography
Ryan Kallmeyer, born 1985, Metal sculpture artist, living in NY. With a background in automotive and foundry work, Mediums consisting of mild steel, stainless steel, bronze, and aluminum. Most pieces are water birds and figures. Upon high school graduation, Ryan pursued and automotive career. He attended the Wyoming Technical Institute in western P.A. to study automotive technology; here he learned various types of metalworking skills as a bonus class. When Ryan finished school he began his work at various automotive repair locations back in NY. He quickly realized that the automotive field was better to be kept as a hobby then working in competition with your co workers.
He said it was the high priced tools and the never ending cycle of auto repair that was enough to drive anyone crazy. He then pursued a position as a welder at the TALLIX ART FOUNDRY in Beacon NY. Here he learned how to weld different materials such as stainless steel, bronze, and aluminum. When he was younger he said he would recall driving past the large blue warehouse and would see large metal sculpture outside, and he would say “I want to do that” after a short time of working there the location ended up closing do to financial reasons. For a time after Ryan began working various random jobs, such as auto glass repair and automotive fabrication. Soon after he began to find openings for assembly line work as a welder. For the next 2 years he worked in manufacturing welding computer servers for IBM to fabricating stainless steel starting platforms for competitive swimming. After years of making random small abstract sculptures during lunch brakes, one day he had an argument with his supervisor and realized once again, the field was not for him. His first day unemployed Ryan cut up an old bed frame and welded and bunch of automotive parts to it in the shape of a person and for the first time with nobody looking over his shoulder he finally found something that he could feel accomplished. After finding out that there was a market for his skill he quickly gathered scrap metal every time it was in sight, he then made a name for him self by launching his website for the RK Design Studio his work can be seen inside and outside businesses from restaurants to yoga studios. His most well known piece is titled “thinking outside the box” it is an adaptation of THE THINKER. The flat black steel figure is offset by a gloss bright red cube. He is now a full time artist and devotes most of his time to metal sculpture work.
Artist statement
When I work with Metal, I am reminded that everything has the ability to come to life.
I begin a piece by staring at a bunch of long straight boring never ending lengths of metal.
I know a piece is done when I point my welding torch at an area of the piece and I hesitate for a second and realize that my work here is finished
When my work is going well, I am filled with a sense of accomplishment.
When people see my work, Id like them to stand back and appreciate what is in front of them, and not dig deeper into what may be behind it.
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Since: 4/10/08
Viewed: 278
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