Spoons and forks welded into birds, found-object art
Matt Wilson is an American sculptor who grew up in Greenville, South Carolina.
Matt Wilson at a glance
- Nationality: American
- Grew up in: Greenville, South Carolina
- Based in: Charleston, South Carolina
- Known for: Animal sculptures made from old spoons, forks and knives
- Medium: Welded metal and found objects
- Education: Drawing and painting at Winthrop University
- Career note: Learned to weld as artist in residence at Detyens Shipyards
“It’s taken me years to collect all my materials, and I’m continuously developing my skills to work with these materials.”
He showed an innate creative talent from a young age and attended the Fine Arts Center of Greenville in high school. He studied drawing and painting at Winthrop University from 2002 to 2005, leaving a year before he finished his degree. In 2006, he moved to Charleston and became interested in metal sculpture, learning how to weld at Detyens Shipyards. He works as the resident artist, building metal models of ships as gifts for port engineers. When he’s not building ships, he works on comissioned pieces or creates new art from found objects.
His found-object sculpture can be viewed alongside the imaginative animal forms of James Doran Webb, another sculptor who transforms natural or discarded materials into expressive creatures.
- Grew up in Greenville, South Carolina.
- Attended Fine Arts Center of Greenville in high school.
- Studied at Winthrop University from 2002 to 2005.
- Moved to Charleston in 2006.
- Works as resident artist at Detyens Shipyards.
His workshop is filled with clutter and chaos, with piles of old spoons, forks, and knives. He is always on the lookout for “found objects,” rummaging junk shops and hardware stores to add to his vast collection. Where one person sees a jumble of junk, he sees the beak of a Red-Tailed Hawk or the leg of a lobster. He spent most of his life as a 2-D artist, drawing and painting, but eight years ago he wanted to try a different medium, metal sculpure, and learned how to weld.
Welding is loud, hot, and physically demanding work. He wears a mask to protect his face from the flames that transform utensils into delicate birds, or dental tools into crawfish. His sculptures are playful and unique, often small enough to hold in your hands, and all reflect the natural environment. He believes artists can bring awareness to the way people think and feel about the environment, in hopes of bringing forth proactive discussion and change. His appraoch to art is both creative and environmentally conscious, as he gives new life to discarded objects.
His work is a testament to his ability to see beauty in everyday objects. He continues to develop his skills and create pieces that are both playful and thought-provoking. His sculptures have gained recognition for their unique style and their reflection of the natural world. He remains comitted to his craft and to the idea that art can inspire change and bring awareness to environmental issues.