Public Sculptures

Large abstract steel sculptures designed and hand forged by New Mexico artist and blacksmith, Christopher Thomson. His technique references the magic and mystery of steel and the forging process. From strong angles to whimsical and wispy designs, he flawlessly blends emotion and the natural elements. Sculptures are hand painted or powdercoated.

The Gathering

Composed of 3 very different hot-forged wrought iron vertical elements, supported on a conical base, "The Gathering" symbolizes all that is alive and moving forward and upward. It is a prayer for the coming together of diverse peoples, ideas, concepts, beliefs and cultures. My subconscious concerns flow into shape at the anvil.

 

Spiral Blooms

 

"Spiral Blooms" are a series of sculptures that have been evolving for several years. I pull long pieces of dripping hot steel from the fire and hammer them to shape under large power hammers in the moments before they cool or before the next piece overheats. The immediacy, physicality, primal force, rhythm and repetition often induce the mindless totally aware state from which I like to create. In magic moments all I know and care about flow through me untranslated to conscious thought. The inspiration flows from and is inextricably linked to the forging process - the way hot metal moves -- but ideas explored in flute improvisations, nature observations, kayak meditations, or happy accidents from the previous piece enter the mix. The forgings are executed without the constraints of preconceived ideas on how they will fit into the final composition.

 

 

Aspire Series

I am a blacksmith sculptor and classically trained musician who kayaks hikes the canyons of the Southwest improvising flute in magical places for days at a time until I, the music, and the rock formations are one.
In my forge/studio, I hammer yellow-hot steel to shape at the anvil, employing the same improvisational techniques to create sculpture in the heat of the moment.
For the last five years, I have been combining lyrical forged elements into garden sculpture for the Pajos and Blooms series.
Gradually transitioning to public sculpture like Aspire #1-5, I learned to translate exuberant expression into far more massive creations, using steam hammers and industrial presses.
My sculptures are all created in my studio with the help of 1 or 2 assistants.

 

 

Visioning Series

This new series, “Visioning” emphasizes a traditional blacksmitherly technique in the central forged element. Hot chisel-slit and drifted holes have been part of the blacksmiths’ repertoire since early times. In this unrefined state, this technique references the magic and mystery of steel and the forging process. The other elements are either feathers, wisps or chunky primal forged verticals. The colors enhance the dynamism of these forged elements as they move slightly with the wind and reach skyward.

 

 

Chinlone Orbs

In 1954 my political scientist father returned from a year in Burma with three wicker chinlone balls.  I was six years old. They fascinated me.  I enjoyed looking at them almost as much as kicking them.

These orbs are spherical projections of an icosiedodecahedron, the Archimedean Solid composed of 20 equilateral triangles and 12 regular pentagons.  I am not alone with my fascination.  Though Archimedes's original treatise was lost, all 12 of his solids were rediscovered by renaissance mathematicians and artists.  More recently Buckminster Fuller studied these 6 great circles each divided by the others into ten equal arcs.

 


Please contact us for more information on these sculptures and for purchasing.
email: info@christopherthomsonironworks.com
phone: (505) 470-3140

All sculptures are made out of powder coated forged steel. 
Custom colors are available upon request. 

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