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Social - November 2002 |
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Denver artist crafts copper creations By DIANE TURBYFILL, LTN Staff Writer November 8, 2002 - DENVER — Neal Taylor considers his craft more than a hobby — it’s a passion. The 58-year-old Denver man discovered his hidden talent one day on his home from work. “I found a piece of copper on the way home. I started playing with it, and this is what happened,” Taylor says as he points to the full shelves of his shop. Taylor and his wife Terri have been shaping his new-found talent into a possible career. The couple has worked for Ace Vending Service for 30 years. With retirement on the horizon, they hope to make a go in the arts and crafts industry. Taylor spends several hours a week making functional and visually pleasing items — ships, fountains, dragons, lighthouses, yard art, candle holders, candle snuffers, wind chimes, fish and the like. “I enjoy doing it,” he says. “Sometimes I’ll go out there Saturday morning and she won’t see me until lunch.” Learning his new craft has taken patience, Neal says. He often incorporates items like sea shells and marbles into his pieces. He tells of shattering shells and exploding marbles and how he conquered them. “I finally got it right,” he says. And he’s not sharing his secrets. Taylor crafts his pieces in a shop he is building in their yard. While construction is not yet complete, the shelves are in place and Taylor is hard at work. Using torches, anvils and assorted tools, he molds copper sheets and wires into scenes from books and nature. He is currently working on a fountain topped off with a copper bird perched on top. “He wants every one of them to be unique and different,” says Terri, who serves as her husband’s manager. Several Copper Creations pieces sold during an exhibit at Iron Works Gallery in Black Mountain. This month, the couple will have their first go at the Metrolina Christmas Expo. “We’re nervous about it,” Terri says. Hearing the public’s reaction to the work is an exciting prospect for them. They hope to make a little money, get some feedback and gain exposure. The couple is also looking toward creating a website for their works. The original creations cost anywhere from $15 to $2,500. The couple says the doors to their shop are always open for customers, and they hope to begin commission work. For more information about Copper Creations call 704-483-9161.
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© 2001 Lincoln Times-News |
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