Publisher's Synopsis
Charlee Swanson Artist My work is about the materials. I use broken glass and steel; discarded materials from glass shops, metal fabricators, and scrap-yards. I refuse to use traditional methods of art making. I prefer industrial discards and supplies. Recycling and reusing these materials, I assign them a new meaning. I see this as a form of alchemy. Viewers have been conditioned to respond to glass and steel as objects of support, protection, and construction. By re-contextualizing these materials, I confront and engage the viewer. I use torches, grinders, and hammers to scar, mar, and manipulate the surface of steel. I cultivate rust using time, elements, and weather to make images appear. I draw in glass by breaking it with tools and techniques I developed. I use light and shadows to project images. A recent body of work comes from my concept of accidental energy: a force of misfortune that transforms the guard rails of our highways into twisted, bent, and tangled shapes. I select, manipulate, and combine these forms to create sculptures. Currently I focus on grids, cubes, movements, and suspension. I'm working with industrial steel shelving baskets that I salvaged from a factory that was being demolished.
