Featured Artist Yolanda Winfield

Artist Yolanda Winfield turned a love of welding into a passion for sculpting with steel. Enjoy this selection from her portfolio which can be seen on her website.

 

 

I am a South African artist and a self-taught sculptor of metal. My first sculpture, titled “Kindness” was created back in 2016. I discovered my passion for metalwork in England in 2002, after I found employment at a boat yard. I assumed that the job would entail mostly office work, answering the phone and making tea. To my surprise, I had my first welding lesson by lunchtime on the first day.

 

 

I was amazed by the process of welding. The intricate beauty of the steel and the fascinating versatility of the medium mesmerized me. I loved the physical aspect of the job and learned new skills every day. I became quite good at problem solving and worked hard to master all the necessary skills required to build steel boats.

 

 

After a decade of working in the boat industry, I returned home to South Africa. As a woman, I couldn’t find employment in the South African construction industry, so I eventually turned my hand to making steel sculptures instead.

 

 

My sculptures are created using 4mm, solid round bar. I work mainly with mild steel. Hundreds of individual pieces of steel are cut into the desired length and shaped before being welded into place. Many hours of grinding, polishing and fettling leave the surface smooth and shimmering. Then I apply a protective finish to prevent rust and erosion.

 

 

Sculpting metal is very similar to married life. Every sculpture begins with at least one false start that ends up in the scrap bin, so you have to try again and approach the process from a completely different angle and new perspective. You have to be prepared to learn as you go along, allowing the creative process to unfold naturally.

 

 

The highs and lows of sculpting are plentiful, like when you burn your fingers every time you touch something hot, but once you find a physical rhythm and clear communication between yourself and the steel, you’re onto something special.

 

 

The inspiration for a new sculpture begins from only an idea—I seldom work from sketches or drawings, but rather enjoy the process of inventing while I work. The creation of a work is incremental. One moment leads to the next, and the forms and shapes seem to determine their own path. Physical and intellectual input into the final outcome of a sculpture is an equal partnership and collaboration between artisan and medium.

 

Artist Yolanda Winfield invites you to follow her on Instagram.

 

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