INDIO METAL ARTS

artful objects for inside and out

Category Archives: client review


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5 Recent Commissions Plus a Client’s Review

I really enjoy working with clients to bring joy to their lives through metal art. Sometimes people know exactly what they want while other times, through a consultation, a sculpture is arrived upon. Here are some recent pieces brought to life through this process.

Bamboo Forest – 95″H x 32″W.

The client wanted a piece that would be visible when the pocket door was closed. It had to be thin yet pop visually. Through a consultation I suggested this concept. It brought the outside landscape to the interior.

 

Reed Trellis- Steel rod of various diameter, 6.5’W x 6’H.

This was designed to be an elegant way to hide the neighbors garage. The evergreen clematis will be trained onto it.

 

Spiral Gate, 36″Wx42″H.

This homeowner has an affinity for the spiral design. I plasma cut this based on a pair of earrings. It was then custom fit to mount into the side yard gate.

 

Eiffal Tower – 8’H x 42″W

My client honeymooned in Paris with her sweetie. For their 1st anniversary she surprised her with this gift, an Eiffel Tower trellis for the garden.

 

Eternal Om – powder coated red with bell – 48″H.

During a tour through my studio the idea for this piece came to life. They found exactly what they were looking for.

CLIENT REVIEW: I met Shelly at The Home and Garden Show in 2016. I was attracted to her display of hearts that she had welded because I collected hearts for my husband after his stent surgery in 2013. Shelly had unusual and beautifully formatted hearts made of different metals, including barbed wired and I thought that was a serendipitous material to shape into a heart. I liked that Shelly used recovered and recycled material for her art and I also heard the passion she felt for her chosen art form. Even with our years apart in age and world experiences, I felt a camaraderie with Shelly and saw and felt her warmth and joy for the sculptures she created and for those with whom she worked. I knew I wanted a Shelly Durica-Laiche sculpture in our front yard.

She listened to my musings and almost intuitively understood my desires and made a beautiful gong that brings joy to me everyday as it reminds me of my upbringing in Japan.

Shelly brings talent and heart to her art!


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Commissions, client photos, new work & shows

COMISSIONS:

This sign is for a home business in Camas, WA. Elida is a professional artist and painting teacher.

The 40H x 40W sign sits on a 2′ concrete wall at the base of the driveway and along the sidewalk. The 20″ red center piece is her laser cut initial, powder coated. The four corners hold 8″ x 8″ x 1″ slabs of Blenko glass. The box tube frame is filled with a variety of textures; perforated steel, expanded mesh and woven mesh. It’s bolted down with tabs along the base as well as a vertical T bracket.

CLIENT REVIEW: “I am a professional artist who owns my own art studio/gallery. I needed an Art Sign for my studio and gallery that wasn’t your typical sign, but rather an art installation. I loved Shelly’s work and knew that she would be the perfect person to create something specific and unique for my space. I had a special area on on retaining wall where the piece needed to go. She worked with me over the next several months, helping me to come up with the design, the right materials and even how to install the piece. In the end, we were able to put my initial in the middle, in a vibrant red square, stain glass along the sides, and a mix of metals throughout. It is so beautiful and is a show stopper for anyone who visits my studio. I’ve received countless compliments and I am extremely happy with the end result! Now I’m looking for more spaces to have her create other things! She is an amazing artist and person and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with her and have one of her pieces here with me now forever. Elida

sign for a home business, Camas, WA 8"x8"x1" Blenko glass slabs are mounted in the four corners. The mounting bracket on the right is for installation. 3 brackets with 5 bolt holes.

sign for a home business, Camas, WA Center is her laser cut powder coated initial. Box tube corner is filled with a variety of textures; perforated steel, expanded mesh and woven mesh.

 

This is Debbie and Ron’s new ‘Bubble Screen’ set into their landscape. The tube stock frame contains a variety of disc sizes. They run from 1/16″ thick  to 1″ thick and 3/4″ wide – 13″ wide. The hand bent strap rings are 1/2″ – 1″ thick. This variety allows for lots of movement and depth as you move around the piece. 6’H x 3′ W -client photo

 

Olivia and Clint commissioned this pair of red sprites for a corner of their beautiful backyard garden.

The rock used here was also used in the Lan Su Chinese Garden. -client photo

 

 

CLIENT PHOTOS OF WORK:

C&Dstackers

 

onTARGET

My piece ‘Target’ is on the far right next to Brian Keith Scott’s totem. 7’H x 16″W

 

 

NEW WORK:

Here is my latest piece, Crescent. 10’H x 2′ 6″ W.

crescent

crescent

CRESCENT DETAIL

Bull’s Eye: Reflectors, copper, laser cut remnants, fire poker base and drops.

Flower Wreath: Aluminum, beads, steel and copper. 18″W

 

FINAL SHOWS OF THE YEAR:

MAKER FAIRE PDX at OMSI with Dave Gonzo, September 10th & 11th.

LOCAL 14 at the Left Bank Annex, September 29th – 30th.

ART IN THE BURBS at Tigard High School, October 14th – 16th.

ARTS COUNCIL OF LAKE OSWEGO HOLIDAY GALLERY at 510 Museum & ARTspace, November 22nd – December 23rd.

 

 

 


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Thanks for the photos!

These are some recently received client photos of custom and show pieces I’ve built.

I love to see how they look after I let them go out into the world. Thanks to all that sent them in!

 

Rose trellis

Golden Mean Rose trellis, 10′ H x 6.5′ W x 3′ D

 

IMG_1204

planetary, 4′ H x 24″ W

 

lantern and stand

mesh panel lantern and stand, 

 

lantern and stand

mesh panel lantern and stand

 

lantern and stand

lantern and stand

 

red monolith

red monolith, 4′ H

 

unnamed-2

custom holiday stocking tree

 

jane1

6’H sunflower

 

rickJENNIE

red monolith, 4’H

 

IMG_3520 IMG_3521

a natural spiral captured in a web inside the spiral of this mist trellis

 

 

display stand for fabric artist

display stand for fabric artist, 20″ H x 15″ W

 

 

Custom Parisian Inspired Raspberry Trellis

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Raspberry Trellis detail – 9′ W x 5′ H
Raspberry Trellis brackets- 9’W x 5’H
Raspberry Trellis- 9’W x 5’H
The jig used to create the sections.
Quality control for consistency.
Layout process.

 

I was approached to build a wrought iron trellis that was inspired by a trip to Paris. Keith had a productive yet gangly raspberry patch along the driveway that’s visible from the kitchen window. The goal was to build something functional as well as creating an attractive focal point in the art nouveau style.

Using his sketch of Parisian metalwork I built this custom trellis. Each wave section was forced through a jig, hand shaped in a vice, then a forged cuff was wrapped around each connection point. There are two 20″ L brackets that secure it to the fence posts with stainless steel hardware. The trellis sits upon two vertical rebar stakes.

6′ H x 9′ W x 20″ D

Customer Review: “I met Shelly at a garden event in spring 2015. She was interested in my project idea, a trellis to support my raspberry plants. My wife and I wanted something practical and aesthetic that would be interesting to view from the windows during the winter months. Working together, we came up with a beautiful solution to several challenges that arose as we discussed design and material options. Her artistic and practical knowledge combined to fulfill the dream of a useful and aesthetic result. Also, I liked the added touches that, though subtle, really finished the project.”


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Golden Ratio Trellis for climbing roses

Golden Mean Trellis back

Golden Mean Trellis front

Golden Mean Trellis inside

I worked with Leigh and Dan to build this trellis for their climbing roses. The landscape was just completed by Rachel’s Landscape Design. In it was a semi-circular bench which needed just the right trellis to create a cozy private space to partially block a view from the street. They requested a modern look with a golden ratio theme. This was accomplished by making the numerical pattern horizontal, in alternating sections. It’s Fibonacci’s sequence (1,1, 2, 3, 5, 8,13 and 21) on a half inch scale.The trellis sits 10′ W x 6.5′ H x 32″ D

Here’s a link to Rachel’s Houzz page. This is called project ‘Caldew Street’ on her page. http://www.houzz.com/pro/rachel-monteiro/rachels-landscape-design

Client Review: “Shelly created a beautiful trellis for our front yard that acts as a screen but is really an all season focal point. The trellis provides privacy from the street and support for my favorite climbing rose. Shelly spent time with us in the yard to really understand the site and our needs, and she collaborated with us through sketches and photos to come up with this fabulous modern work of art. She also helped us install the finished product. People walking on our street stop and comment frequently! Thank you, Shelly,  for this wonderful addition to our landscape.

Leigh Otting and Dan Sloop”

 

Memorial Monolith Commission

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SIDEview

FRONTview

landscapeVIEW

CLOSEface

CLOSEfin

This monolith has been installed in Jerry and Richard’s private landscaped garden as a memorial to a loved one who has passed. The laser cut piece is 3/8ths inch steel with a fin bisecting at 30 degrees. At its base is crushed white granite which matches their nearby raked rock garden. Its been bolted to a concrete footing. 62″ H x 16″ W.

Client Review: “I met Shelly at the annual garden sale by the Hardy Plant Society of Oregon, where she was selling her attractive metal garden sculptures.  Subsequently, I saw more of her work at the Cracked Pots Art Show in Troutdale, OR.  I talked with her about fabricating a memorial sculpture for my home garden to honor my recently deceased Nisei parents, John and Frances Ota.  Shelly’s metal work seemed particularly appropriate for this. I had a calligraphy that John had made of his name, Ota, written in kanji.  After talking with Shelly about options, we decided on a vertical slab of steel in a vibrant red powder coat with the kanji script excised from the metal.   Shelly was a delight to deal with:  enthusiastic, flexible, engaging.  The final endproduct was exactly what we wanted:  elegant, refined, handsome, reflective of Japanese aesthetics.  It now has shined in our garden for 2 years.  It’s a delight to look from our home at the memorial in the garden, even in the depths of winter.  It always brings smiles to faces and great memories to mind.  Shelly made it happen.”