IIW welded art exhibition, 2021

KENDALL POLSTER (USA)

Kendall Polster started welding for fun when he was a research biologist after finishing at University of Georgia in 1990 where he had majored in zoology and microbiology. His brother, a certified welder, had a fabrication shop and taught him how to weld. In 1994, whilst in medical school, he took leave of absence to pursue his art full time and start his company WELD GUY. His hobby thus became his job and for the last 27 years he has made all sorts of sculpture and furniture pieces for a living. During the making of furniture and architectural elements, many small scrap pieces from sawing and shearing are created at the shop. Periodically Kendall makes various sculptures out of what many shops would just send to the scrap yard for recycling. His steel fish, sculptures and furniture sell in various galleries throughout the United States. Exhibit “SHOAL OF FISH” Kendall’s approach is to take a photograph of the fish, blow it up using a projector and trace it on paper. He then uses the paper template to draw / trace onto steel. For the six fish shown in the shoal, Nelson Kies, one of the young employees at the workshop, cut out the fins using a plasma cutter and welded all of the lines on the fins while Kendall metal inert gas (MIG) welded the bodies together. The fish range from 0.4 to 1.2 metres long. The fish include a yellow fin tuna, largemouth bass, blue gill, grouper, muskellunge and one generic fish. Kendall’s message to people is to use your creativity and have fun fabricating and welding! Dimensions 0.4m to 1.2m long Contact info Website: www.weldguy.com • E-mail: weldguy@weldguy.com

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