Eve Corder makes art arc welding with metal
" Welding is always traditionally thought of as mans work...
The bright sparks alumna Eve Corder encountered at Anglia Ruskin University’s School of art in Cambridge ignited a new sculpting career for her from scrap metal.
Eve uses arc welding to make figurative and abstract sculptures from old pieces of metal donated by local farms, friends and scrap yards and creates art works mainly for gardens. A former NHS Computer Systems Analyst, she discovered her talent for sculpture when she enrolled on her art degree.
“ I went to do a second degree at Anglia after originally doing Maths at Exeter. I had wanted to do Art when I was eighteen but I was told it wasn’t a sensible subject: so I went to Anglia and did their Art and Art history degree. The sculpture department was wonderful. Its was filled with all these people doing amazing things, the sort of things I had always wanted to do. We had a module called ‘Figure sculpture’ and my tutor said she would be very pleased if someone would do some welding, so I thought I’d have a go and I’m still doing it.”
Now Eve Collects rusty pieces of farm tools and machinery and uses them as raw material.”I hold the pieces together, sometimes using metal clips, and at some point think “that works” . It is really the relationship between one piece of metal and the next. I can build that up into something that is just abstract or reminds me of a bird or animal.”
Usually Eve sands down the metal to remove the rust and uses an arc welder to join the pieces of metal. After sanding and welding the finished sculptures are painted with a Hammerite product that converts the rust to a dark finish. “The only danger is that arc light can damage the eye and you need a good visor.. I learned all the technical stuff at Anglia Ruskin and the CRC, and also from the firm who sold me my welder.”
Although many of the sculptures look good in the home Eve believes a garden is the best place to see and appreciate them. “ I think they need natural light to show off their detail. I experiment quite a lot and have created well over sixty sculptures since leaving Anglia. People mostly prefer the birds and animals, but pieces I make depend on the scrap metal that I have at hand. When I am doing it, I feel it is something I should be doing. Creativity is extremely satisfying – it adds an extra dimension to my life and I enjoy doing things with my hands.”
Last summer Eve worked at the Emmaus self help homeless community at Landbeach, near Cambridge, and made three sculptures from mother scrap metal. They are currently on display to the public there. “ People can come and see my work anytime . I am planning to do Open Studios this summer and I am on the Cambridge Open Studio’s website. My phone number is there- just ring and make an appointment.
Listen to her on podcasts in Arts Round Up Episodes 1 and 11
