Today we’d like to introduce you to Thomas Ramey
Hi Thomas, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am metal artist/designer/fabricator who builds everything from large than life sculpture, to furniture, and high-end architectural projects. I have been working with metals for over 25 years. Starting as an apprentice for an Indy car racing machine shop in high school. I first started building odd sculptures with the leftover pieces of steel around the machine shop. After high school I briefly attended The Herron School of Art in Indianapolis for one year before leaving to dedicate full time to his first passion, music. After walking away from art to become a touring musician for a decade, I began turning the sketches I had been doodling with on the road into reality. In 2001 I opened a sculpture studio in the historic Stutz car factory turned arts and business center, in Indianapolis. Working there, I attracted the attention of local interior designers and architects that wanted me to do large scale projects. I got a few jobs working in the upscale neighborhoods of Indianapolis and Chicago. After working with various metals, from aluminum, stainless steel, brass, copper, bronze, Corten steel and mild steel, I started to focused my sculpture work to stainless and Corten steel. Working in the corporate and public arts, these two materials are of superior quality not only because of durability and maintenance, but also long term appearance.
In 2003, some of my sculpture and furniture work with recycles materials, got the attention of a group of friends in Los Angeles that were doing a TV show about art and building high-end furniture out of recycled aircraft parts. I was hired as a supporting cast member/ metal artist, for Discovery Channels original series, “Wingnuts”. The series ran for the fall season of 2004, with 10 episodes. In Jan. of 2005, Discovery Channel called on me to do another TV show, “Monster House”. In April of 2005, I found himself again on television, showing the world what I do best, awesome metal work. The episode, “Monster Club” was filmed while remodeling the famous Sunset Strip nightclub, The Cat Club, owned by Stray Cats drummer, Slim Jim Phantom.
By this time I was living and working full time in Los Angeles while continuing to do projects in the mid-west. Working with galleries and architects from Los Angeles to Chicago. Spending the next few years nicknamed, “The metal man of Malibu”. Where I worked with architects and custom home builders on beach houses along the Malibu Coastline. Some of my private art and architectural clients have included TV stars, Hollywood producers, Rock stars and professional athletes.
Soon after the Discovery Channel work was finished, I opened a studio in Los Angeles which had an art gallery space in the front of the building in Culver City.
I curated art openings with area artists who were not showing in the bigger galleries in town. This Do-It-Yourself style of artists doing their own shows, is a direct reflection of the music era of my life as a performer.
2010 I was awarded my first major art commission for the Dehaan Sculpture Park of Indianapolis Indiana. My sculpture, “The Gathering” is a 7-piece installation. All 7 pieces stand 16 feet tall, each weighting over 2000 pounds. Fabricated from Corten steel. The project took over 8 months to complete. With a budget of $200,000.00
In 2012 I decided to move my studio to downtown Sacramento CA. to escape the rat race of Los Angeles and focus more on my sculpture work. In 2014 I found myself again on television with the FYI Network and a show called, “Red Hot Design”. This time, I was not only a cast member, but the lead fabricator/art director and project manager for the series which ran 7 episodes airing in the fall line up of 2014. One of the main focal points of the show, was to highlight the growing art of Northern California which centered around Sacramento.
I has been actively showing sculpture around the United States through galleries and major art fairs from, Art Chicago, SculptMiami, Art Miami, and Art Hamptons in New York since 2002.
2020 marked my 20th year as a full-time artist. It was also my first time doing a residency program. My 14’ tall by 10’ wide stainless-steel sculpture, “Drunkin Kung Fu” was commissioned by the Buffalo Creek Art Center in Gardnerville Nv as a permanent addition to their sculpture garden.
With a love for geometric design, mixed with my interest in abstract figurative sculpture, most of my work is rooted in balanced perspectives. Meaning, “To find a natural flow that is derived from the organized chaos that is geometric form”. With an ingrained attention to detail imbedded into my craft from my years as an apprentice with some of Indy Car racing’s best fabricators. I would consider my work that of an artist who is always trying to improve my craft and is always searching for the next idea to bring to life.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Doing what you want in life is never a smooth road. Lol Getting started is always a tough battle. Money has always been an issue. I’m not from a family with money. Nor have I ever really make much. I think the biggest struggle really is within. There are so many times you just want to give up. Most artists suffer from things like depression, or self doubt. For myself and most artists I know, one of the biggest struggles is understanding you are a self employed small business owner. I never took any classes on finance, or really any advise about running a business. Art Schools really drop the ball on that one in my opinion. My biggest struggles have been the business side of it. I have become a bit of a tutor for a lot of younger artists I know now. Just explaining how credit actually works to some artists can be overwhelming. lol
In the end, I feel that for me, another big struggle can be keeping a regular schedule. As artists and creatives, it seems like we all bounce around. Keeping things organized and that paper work together is as tough as believing in yourself.
I see a lot of artists struggle as I do, simply because we don’t have help. I love art couples, but in the end, it goes back to running a small business. Not everyone working at the company can be the artists. lol Someone has to be the PR department. If your not absolutely great at everything, that’s ok. But you need to find help. It takes a team. Don’t shy away from asking for help.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m more of an industrial designer than probably anything else. Other than a sculptor of course. My specialty is really in architectural design and fabrication. Something I never even thought about doing. I got a few offers to do some architectural work early on, and I really enjoyed it. It seemed to make since to me. I started do a lot once I got going. This is a prime example of what I don’t see a lot of artists and creatives do. Keeping your mind open to using your talents in a variety of ways. I knew I could build and design things. Once I had a couple projects done I realized there was a need for that. When I was working in Los Angeles, architects were really into “Blackened steel”. Which was really just steel patinaed or dyed to a black color. Sounds easy. Was not lol But I got good at it, and I still do that work from time to time. Patina work as well. Which I do on my sculpture work also. I’m probably more known for the architectural work at this point than anything else.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I did everything wrong lol But I have seen people do things the right way. I would say if your interested in anything. Find people doing it. Then be cool to them and ask if you can help. For free. Yes, for free. Most artists cant really afford to hire help but they would gladly take it. There are some that can. But you gotta prove yourself before they will break off some of the minor amount of cash they are making lol Mentors are great. Again, you gotta go out and find them. If your in art school its a little easier to find situations. But again, you gotta prove yourself. Artists that get stuff done and actually make a living don’t mess around. If your trying to learn from someone whos just goofing off and in the party mode, you need to move on. Look for someone else.
Networking is everything. Don’t burn any bridges. You might not like what someone has to say, but it may serve you very well to just listen anyway. Everyone journey is different. Don’t compare yourself to anyone.
I carried a 4 x 6 photo book with me everywhere in my early days. I told everyone what I did. And I had that little photo album to show them. Now everyone has a cell phone. But I think having something different gets more attention then just photos on your cell phone. Stand out. Be weird. Be adventurous. Never be afraid to be you. That’s what makes your work different. And valuable.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thomasrameyart.com
- Instagram: dreadedartist
Image Credits
All photos by me, Thomas Ramey