AS beautiful as artworks can be to view, in some cases it’s not only the final form that matters, but also the process of their creation.
Just consider the artworks of Kelton Grayson.
The Gawler resident has transitioned to full-time artistry, specialising in metal sculpture, after serving in the Royal Australian Air force as an engineering technician.
What sets Grayson apart from others in the industry is that he is a master craftsman, combining traditional and non-traditional techniques using his engineering and military background to create unique metal sculptures.
Having purchased a historic home that belonged to famous early settlers in Gawler, the Forgie family, Grayson is using its out-building as an art studio, which he envisions will have a team of artists working together and double as a teaching school for those yearning to unlock their creativity.
The house, like much of Gawler, is steeped in history. Originally built in 1891, it needed restoration, so much so that a building inspector told Grayson that the out-building was in “too poor condition to repair”.
Well that building, which was added in the 1920s and used as a mechanic’s workshop, is now his art studio.
It’s not the only way in which Grayson is preserving Gawler’s history while the town heritage inspires his artwork.
He produces his art pieces via foundry casting various metals, adapting traditional and non-traditional techniques, ultimately converting raw materials into works that represent the essence of humanity.
In so doing, Grayson helps to carry on the tradition and history of Gawler metalwork.
What is old inspires the new, and what is new honours the old, with the process unfolding in a historic building that would otherwise have been lost to time.
The message one could take away from this is that the circle of life connects our community members in some way even though we may not realise it.
While it’s important to be forward-thinking – indeed Grayson has big plans for his art studio – there is also value in looking at the stories of those who came before us as we explore our own path in the present on the way to the future.
