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(American, b. 1971)
“When I create work that is beautiful and arresting to the viewer and inspire them to simply pause and contemplate or perhaps to create or collect art or even just ask a simple question, I feel I’ve done something worthwhile.”
When contemporary-sculptor Miguel Edwards moved to Bend, Oregon from Seattle, he knew his art could be realized in more powerful ways especially since he now had a full-time home studio dedicated solely to his craftsmanship. Miguel’s work is building momentum across the country at serious speed and with his most recent steel sculptures, he has expanded his representation throughout the U.S. Recently, he has signed with Coda Gallery in Palm Desert, California, which has been named a top 25 for galleries in the U.S. and best gallery in California by American Art Awards, Havoc Gallery in Burlington, Vermont, and D Gallery in Carmel, California.
“Perhaps it’s my relationship to cold, dirty metal that keeps me going,” laughs Miguel. “I used to crank out work in limited time with limited space. Back then [in Seattle] I had a huge photo studio and tiny workshop up a steep flight of stairs. When the larger projects like Perseus II came, I struggled to find bigger locations in working warehouses that I could use after hours.” He adds, “But with my new studio, I’m able to take more time without the complications of shared spaces. I can now spend greater quality time developing my work, rather than juggling tools and workspace with others. I finally have the true studio practice that I have been chasing for years and it feels as good as I expected.”
Edwards’ series of penumbra sculptures, the pieces of rolled flat bar, are pretty straightforward to build on the base level, it’s the nuances that take the time and experience. The steel is rolled cold, not heated in a forge, in either a plate or ring roller. Those pieces are then cut to desired lengths and welded together. The welds are then ground, sanded, and filed. This process continues to some level of diminishing returns. For years, much or this work required at least two people depending on the scale. As of late, Miguel has figured out how to do it alone in his new shop with his ever-expanding tool collection, which is a breakthrough on many levels, though he still loves working with others.
Thanks to this new freedom and seismic creative flow, Havoc Gallery founder, Bruce R. MacDonald, invited Miguel to show at Havoc Gallery at Context Art fair in December. Context, which is part of Art Miami, celebrates its 30th anniversary. Art Miami maintains a preeminent position in America’s modern and contemporary art fair market and is globally recognized as a primary destination for the acquisition of the most important works from the 20th and 21st centuries.
In addition to the upcoming Palm Desert and Miami shows, Miguel’s work is part of the Colorado Academy’s permanent collection for the Ponzio Arts Center, a visual arts education center. Without question, Miguel’s growing legacy is in demand, with pieces on display more of his public works are on display in the cities of Redmond, Oregon and Ketchum, Idaho. Miguel also was awarded a commission for a new large sphere sculpture with glass and LEDs by the Seattle Ballet, which he will be working with GGLO (a major Architecture firm in Seattle, LA and Boise)for the Center Steps Project.
Last year Miguel was approached by Special Olympics and proceeded to build Hope Rising, the cauldron for their Opening Ceremony in Seattle.
To his credit, Edwards can make hardened steel dance. “I’m finding new places in my process,” he explains as he contemplates how physics applies to his work. “The first law of thermodynamics, also known as Law of Conservation of Energy, states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; energy can only be transferred or changed from one form to another. This, in the context of the human experience and how we make choices in life, is intriguing to me. It’s highlighted in my newest body of work,” says Miguel. “It’s a gritty, industrial process to transform cold-hard steel into fluid and seductive contours. Metal is heavy, sharp, and it’s loud and cold, but how the forces of light and gravity interact with these materials allow me to bring to it a sense of calm and levity.
“When I create work that is beautiful and arresting to the viewer and inspire them simply pause and contemplate or perhaps to create or collect art or even just ask a simple question, I feel I’ve done something worthwhile.”
Miguel has certain introspections to his works, “I use beautiful and simple shapes, and I’m evolving as a craftsman. I want to leave behind occasional artifacts that were created by an authentic and industrial process, especially with how society is evolving to such a virtual world and things like 3D printing and virtual realisty are becoming so prevalent. To me, everything about steel is exuberant: from its mineral smell to its varied texture, the way it behaves, and what it enables me to do. With the physical considerations of time, chaos, and intuition—these are my collaborators.”
To simply say Miguel Edwards is “evolving” as an artist is an understatement. We have so much to look forward to as he discovers designing with more complicated tools and greater sophistication in his techniques thanks to his new creative studio that allows him to produce finer sculptures.
I am constantly amazed by nature and inspired by people and humanity, which adds to my fascination for materials especially steel and glass. The forces of light and gravity as they interact with these materials are a constant source of fuel for my creative energy. I love how light falls on objects. It either reflects towards you, away from you, or refracts through glass. The penumbras and gradations, which are found and created as light falls across an arc or surface, never tires. As a primal force, gravity affects our lives in many ways from the tides to aging. With steel, I am able to take a stand against the tyranny of gravity, and change our perceptions of it. Everything about steel is exuberant to me. From its smell to the way it feels, behaves, and what it enables me to do. To channel these forces through these materials into art, requires moving a step beyond—the physical considerations of time, chaos and intuition—these are my collaborators.