INDIO METAL ARTS

artful objects for inside and out

Author Archives: indiometalarts

Columbia Basalt Column on Display

by Leave a comment

It’s an honor to have Columbia Basalt Column included in Auburn Washington’s Downtown Sculpture Gallery. This is on display and on sale for 1 year at 10 East Main Street. Help me win the People’s Choice award by voting for #7 online. Run it up!

This is a tribute to the Columbia River Gorge in the PNW where I call home. I created this to honor the rocky cliffs I’ve admired in the area. Lava flows spilled for hundreds of miles toward the Pacific Ocean from eastern Oregon, Washington and Idaho. It took over 1.1 million years with over 300 flows to build up over 6000 feet thick! The mighty Columbia River carved its way west through this basalt on its way to the same ocean. As lava cools into rock it creates columnar jointing patterns based on its mineral composition. This sculpture is an abstract representation of this distinct Columbia River Basalt. In basalt there are strong angles, planes and facets. Through reclaimed steel I simplified these characteristics into a striking statement. 

Working with glass artist, James Scott Stephenson, we created a glass accent for the front of the column. We focused on warm colors that best express the heat of lava. The fiery glass sits like a porthole or a lens that looks inside and tells the story of the origin of the rock. Imagine the heat of the lava flows that created the basalt of the Columbia River Gorge! 

The Vitrigraph process results in a multicolor collection of circles. I play off this spotted appearance by also incorporating perforated steel throughout the sculpture which lets in light through the openings. 

New Retail Space Within Plural Collective

by Leave a comment

Our sign is up! I couldn’t be more excited about this community venture. Our three businesses make up the outside corridor of Plural Collective in Sellwood, 8012 SE 13th Avenue. Matt and Angel own Bloomsday Natives. They are partnered with SymbiOp that specialize in native plants and landscaping. Weina Dinata of Poppy & Finch is a botanical artist. She runs workshops to create plant and animal friendly home and garden delights. I am showcasing 200 square feet of outdoor freestanding sculpture, trellises, decorative and functional landscape elements, furniture and planters. Our Opening Soiree in May was so much fun that we are planning one for the summer and fall too. Sign up for my newsletter for up to date announcements.

Make Make Make Release Party

by Leave a comment

When I first met Connie Zhou @studio___888 I was impressed with her vision to create a zine highlighting six local artists in Portland. In this digital era it’s refreshing to return to an analog format, to shoot with film and produce a paper publication. She interviewed, styled and photographed the artists herself while Linda Wong created makeup looks that were inspired by each artist’s work. It’s an honor to be included in this project with these talented ladies! Join us to celebrate the release of this first issue!

Get your copy at the release party.
January 24th, 5-7pm, @chessclub.art 435 NW SIXTH AVENUE.
Music and libations: DJ @batom.doodles , wine @marignywines and cider @sonofman.co

Featured artists:
@indio.metal.arts / Shelly Durica-Laiche
@lindawongmuah / Linda Wong
@m_u_u_g / Mary Caddick
@margaretalba / Margaret Alva
@maria_made_a_thing / Maria Enomoto
@kirsten.m.bauer / Kirsten Bauer

Portrait Photo Credit:

Creative Direction by @studio___888
Photography by @studio___888
Design by @studio___888
Makeup @lindawongmuah

Winter Updates

by Leave a comment

Rain Spark Gallery opening at the Lakewood Center for the Arts, Lake Oswego.
Hi friends! 

It’s the holiday season and time to relax, enjoy friends and family, and share gifts with others.

Thanks for checking out my third newsletter of 2024. I’m grateful to be able to connect with you! I appreciate the support whether I’ve known you for years or we just met. Below I share how to connect with me and see my work in person. 

This weekend I’ll be at the Wild Arts Festival December 7th & 8th! I’m looking forward to giving a presentation during the “Lightning Talks” on Saturday the 7th at 3:30pm. Come for the music and art while supporting the Bird Alliance of Oregon. Psst, I’m offering two free tickets to this festival today in Lake Oswego at the Rain Spark Gallery.

The seasonal holiday Rain Spark Gallery is back! It runs November 26th – December 23rd. Read more below about our special events, the community treasure hunt, raffle and more. Come visit the work of these 30 local artists at the Dee Denton Gallery at the Lakewood Center for the Arts.

It’s an honor to display my work publicly. This year two sculptures were installed, one in Auburn Washington’s Downtown Sculpture Gallery and Lake Oswego’s Gallery Without Walls. Thank you so much to these communities! Vote for my sculpture to win People’s Choice 🙂

My best to you and yours!
Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Read the full newsletter here…

December 2024 Newsletter

Trellis Sale at Hoffman Center for the Arts

by Leave a comment

If you’re headed to the coast this weekend stop by Manzanita! The Hoffman Center for the Arts is having their annual plant sale at the Wonder Garden this Saturday the 28th, 10-12:30pm. Don’t miss their collection of drought tolerant and coastal favorites. I’ll have trellises and sculpture on site. 595 Laneda Avenue.

Wreath Making Demo in Cannon Beach

by Leave a comment

This weekend is the Earth and Ocean Festival in Cannon Beach. Check the link for activities at participating art galleries and the location of the labyrinth on the beach.

I’m looking forward to presenting a wreath making demo and giving an artist talk at Dragonfire Gallery on Sunday, September 22nd, 11-2pm. The gallery is celebrating the festival from the 20th-22nd with raffles benefiting environmental causes, a 3D sculpture show, artist talks and more.

Dragonfire Gallery, 123 S. Hemlock Street, Cannon Beach, Oregon, 503-436-1533.

Crescent Moon with Cherry Blossoms. Steel.
Oak Leaf and Holly Berry. Copper and steel.
Evergreen Clematis with Steel Flowers. Beads, copper and steel.
Willow with Wild Iris. Steel.
Willow with Aluminum Flowers. Steel and aluminum.

Gallery Without Walls

by Leave a comment

Knowing Descendant and the artist Shelly Durica-Laiche of Indio Metal Arts.
The wonderful installation crew, sponsor and facilitator!

Please join me today Saturday 21st 12:30-3:30pm at Lake Oswego City Hall parking lot and Artspace. The city is celebrating the new sculptures in their rotating downtown sculpture collection, Gallery Without Walls. These are all on a two year loan while also for sale. I’m honored to have Knowing Descendant included. The free docent led tour begins at 2:45pm where me and others artists will on hand to speak about their work.

12:30-2pm – free art and activities, community booths, Lakeridge Jazz Combo

2-2:30pm – People’s Choice Awards ( for last year’s sculptures)

2:45-3:30pm – free docent led tour of this year’s sculptures

Summer 2024 Newsletter

by Leave a comment

Check out the latest goings on at Indio Metal Arts in this newsletter. Sign up for my email if you’d like to have them delivered straight to you first!

An exerpt from the Newsletter below…

“Hi friends! 

Thanks for checking out my second newsletter of 2024. I’m grateful to be able to connect with you! I appreciate the support whether I’ve known you for years or we just met. Below I share how to connect with me and see the work in person. I also reveal my remaining shows of the year, information on a live demonstration and two new galleries that represent me.

I hope you’re having a great summer where you are. Perhaps the longer days are allowing you to get outside? My wish is that you’re spending the time doing what you love to do. I hope the warm days are allowing for more movement in all areas of your lives.

Things are humming along in my studio. I’m a maker, that’s how I process my life and find meaning. I explore lots of concepts, feelings and design through steel. In the summer, it’s definitely easier to work late if I look out the window and it’s still light outside. See below where I share many images of some of my newest sculptures.

This weekend I’ll be at the Chehalem Art Affair! Clink the link to watch a video of last year’s event. It’s a sweet little show in a forested setting with live music, wood fired pizza and wine. The weather looks like it will be perfect! This is the 20th anniversary of the event for Larry and Debi who host it on at their property. They are both potters and this is also the location of their studios!

Later in the fall and winter I’m excited to have been juried into two shows: The Salem Arts Festival September 13th-15th in Bush’s Pasture Park as well as the Wild Arts Festival December 6th-8th. I’m also looking forward to giving a live demonstration on metal shaping and an artist talk at the Dragonfire Gallery for the Earth & Ocean Festival.

The first of two new galleries for me is the wonderful artist run Gallery 408 that just opened in May in Camas, Washington! The second space I talk about is accompanied by a video. In it I describe my first delivery to Green Space Design which represents me now in Salem. 

Looking forward to seeing you soon!”

Full newsletter here.


by Leave a comment

First newsletter of the year!

Greetings friends!

Spring is here! As the days are getting longer, are you feeling more active like I am? 

April brings two large events for which I have been creating a new body of work. 

If you are preparing to get in the garden, come out to Hortlandia April 5th-6th. This event, sponsored by the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon, combines art and garden supply makers together with 39 specialty plant vendors. I will be bringing all new trellises, plant stands, free standing sculptures and other landscape elements. 

Join me at the Gathering of the Guilds, April 19th-21st. See the incredible work from the other members of the Creative Metal Arts Guild as well as the other five guilds.

Below I share my involvement with a university and an elementary school. I juried the student open call art show at Linfield University. I was also in the curriculum of the TTSD Art Literacy Program to inspire metal sculpture for K-5 at Byron Elementary.

Check out my latest commissions in the newsletter below. I’m always grateful for the opportunity to create custom metal work for clients. Please contact me if you would like help bringing your vision to life!

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

See March 2024 Newsletter here!
Screenshot