press | INDIO METAL ARTS

Columbia Basalt Column on Display

October 5, 2025 by indiometalarts 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.

Make Make Make Release Party

January 17, 2025 by indiometalarts 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

Trellis Sale at Hoffman Center for the Arts

September 28, 2024 by indiometalarts 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

September 22, 2024 by indiometalarts 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 Aluminum Flowers. Steel and aluminum.

Gallery Without Walls

September 21, 2024 by indiometalarts 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

Please Vote for Crescent <3

September 13, 2024 by indiometalarts Leave a comment

I’m so grateful to have my sculpture Crescent included in Auburn Washington’s Downtown Sculpture Gallery. This city is an incredible supporter of the arts! Crescent is #11 on the map, at this link, and located at Auburn Way S and Main. Please vote here to help me win the People’s Choice Award!

Artist Talk and potluck with Pacific Northwest Sculpture group

March 4, 2024 by indiometalarts Leave a comment

The monthly PNWS studio tour and potluck is with Shelly Durica-Laiche of Indio Metal Arts on Sunday March 24th at 3 p.m. It is open to the public. This Oregon native has been working in metal for over 20 years and running her own business since 2012. Shelly will share how she began her journey as an artist, her process of creating and how a recent experience at Frogwood Collab was a transformative experience.

Shelly received a double major from Portland State University in Sculpture and Graphic Design. “I fell in love with steel when I took my first welding class at PSU. The properties of metal really resonated with me.” In her SE Portland studio she designs and builds both functional and decorative metal sculpture.

“By taking inspiration from the outside world and turning inwards, I synthesize my experiences into three dimensions. I focus on the elegance of form, using a linear and bold graphic aesthetic, to say the most with the least amount of material.”

Salvaged steel is her preferred material for creating her diverse body of work. She also includes non-ferrous metals such as brass, aluminum and copper. She collects it from steelyards, the side of the road, by donation or through her travels.

“I’m inspired by the unique shapes of these found treasures. Scrap metal has an embedded history and character that folds into each design. Sometimes I know right away what I want to build while other times it takes years of contemplation. I’m driven by the design challenge of transforming these recognizable objects into an assemblage with a new voice. I seek for the viewer to be surprised by how a material is used in an unconventional way, far removed from its past life. The process is magic to me.”

You may have seen her work during Portland Open Studios, Modern Home Tour or Association of Landscape Designers Tour. Her work has exhibited publicly at Milwaukie City Hall Sculpture Garden, Oregon Society of Artists and Happy Valley Sculpture Garden. She has a piece in the permanent collection of the Wonder Garden at the Hoffman Center for the Arts. Some of her gallery exhibitions include the Sherwood Center for the Arts and the Alberta Street Gallery. She is currently showing at Dragonfire Gallery, Side Street Arts and the Attic Gallery. She is a current member of the Pacific Northwest Sculptors Group as well as the Creative Metal Arts Guild.

Shelly also teaches art welding and accepts commissions for custom projects.

http://www.indiometalarts.com

http://www.instagram.com/indio.metal.arts

http://www.facebook.com/indiometalarts

Indio Metal Arts Studio Tour: Sunday, March 24th at 3 p.m.

Bring a dish to share, drinks or a desert. Please bring your own plate, cup and silverware.

5040 SE Milwaukie Ave, Portland, OR 97202