Artist Spotlight: Kelly Glaser

Kelly Glaser has dabbled in many different artforms, but his favorite one is also the most unique.

For the past two years, Glaser has been creating sculptures from scrap metal and other discarded materials. Due to the nature of his medium, every piece ends up being one of a kind.

“I look at my junk pieces and figure it out from there,” Glaser said. “It’s more fun to decide on the way. I always want to try something different.”

Glaser, who is a driver for Spee-Dee Delivery, finds a lot of his inspiration along his routes. He’s always on the lookout for new materials that can be used to make a new sculpture.

“I ask to go through scrap bins,” he said. “Sometimes people give me things, and then I’ll make something for them.”

Most of the time, the materials that Glaser has on hand determine what kind of artwork he makes. He said that people occasionally ask him to make something specific, but pieces usually come together organically on their own.

“Finding stuff that fits well into the sculpture is the best part,” he said. “I like to take something that’s been used up and has served its purpose and give it some new life.”

His sculptures range in size, from small lawn decorations to larger statues. The biggest piece that he has made is a 6-foot tall robot. He’ll usually alternate between larger and smaller pieces, just to keep some variety.

The time required to make each piece depends on the size and how intricate of a paint job it requires, but Glaser said that a small piece takes around three hours to make. Some of his projects have taken over fifteen hours to complete. Since most of his sculptures are weekend projects, it can take several weeks to finish one up.

Since he has started welding, Glaser’s yard has gradually become a museum for his work. He has made lawn decorations in addition to sculptures. Many pieces have ended up being gifts for his wife, and he’s started selling his work too.

Glaser said that he took some welding classes back when he was in high school, and it had been something that he wanted to pick up again.

“I saw a cheap welder on the Facebook marketplace,” he said. “The first thing I made was a tiny snake, and I built up from there. When I got a better welder, I could make bigger things. Although I’m not really a welder. I just make stuff stick together.”

Before he started making sculptures, Glaser studied commercial art at Northern State University. He was also a tattoo artist for about five years.

“Unlike tattooing, I don’t have to be as precise now,” he said with a laugh.

Glaser decided to make a small business for his art, and has been working on building up an inventory. This year, he will be selling his art at Arts in the Park, and he plans on exploring other venues and craft fairs to participate in. //

More of Glaser’s work can be seen on his Facebook page, Made n Iron. Photos courtesy of Kelly Glaser.