With the stroke of a brush, artists create renderings of nature, the human form, or still life.  But today's artists have taken art to a new level. Instead of wielding brushes, these modern creators are using ESAB plasma cutters to produce sculpture art. Plasma cutters and other welding tools are making waves and impressive sculptures in museums and art classes in St. Louis, Missouri, and Florence, South Carolina. 

One such artist/welder is Bob Cassilly, Creative Director of the City Museum in St. Louis.  Cassilly’s vision is responsible for the larger-than-life sculptures that call City Museum home. Cassilly’s creative intuition, brought to life with the use of ESAB equipment, has drawn spectators since the museum’s opening in 1997. Visitors to the museum find themselves climbing up and over four stories of sculpted metal, thanks to the talents of the welding crew and ESAB equipment. In MonstroCity, for example, an enormous display of welding at its best, Cassilly and his crew went beyond traditional sculpting, rolled up their sleeves and created a wonderland of twisted metal walkways, mazes and anything else their imagination could conjure. 

Recognizing a good opportunity when they see it, ESAB was quick to donate the needed equipment to the museum. City Museum Director, Rick Erwin, says that ESAB's plasma cutters are “top of the line.” By using ESAB equipment, the welding crew learned how to create works of art with the tools "in school and on the job training.”

The quality and ease of use they found with the ESAB equipment led City Museum to partner with ESAB for the FABTECH Show in Chicago in 2005, sending welders Bob Heinemann and Jeff Sickles to show off their talents. “ESAB knew of the museum's work and wanted to be associated with it,” Erwin said. With cutters in hand and Sickles' creative mind at the helm, a stainless steel table and chairs emerged as artistic entities created right at the show site.

City Museum isn't alone in its sculpting endeavors, however. The Florence Museum in Florence, South Carolina, isn't afraid to mesh art with welding either. These artists are of a younger generation, but that's not stopping their drive and desire to create sculpted art using ESAB’s finest tools. Students between the ages of 8 to15, under the close tutelage of instructor Phyllis Cunningham, have produced a myriad of sculpted pieces. Inspired by the work of Alexander Calder and Henri Matise, each piece seems to possess a certain movement or fluidity.

Cunningham and her students used ESAB's HandyPlasma® 125 cutting package to cut the shapes used in their creations. Weighing in at just 60 pounds and adapting to 115 vac outlets, this portable cutter makes cuts in carbon steel up to 1/8" thick. This cutter also features a built-in air supply and is equipped with a patented, repairable PT-34 torch with a double-ended electrode for reduced operating costs.

“It takes practice to use a plasma cutter for specific shapes but no practice is necessary for free form or abstracts, which is why I chose this medium,” Cunningham explained. The plasma cutters allow great flexibility and movement for the students, perfect for imitating the styles of Calder and Matise, who are most famous for their abstract and free form works, according to Cunningham. Both men were known to break the rules of the art world. Today's artists are carrying on the same tradition with their use of non-traditional tools.

The ease of using ESAB's cutters and other welding equipment seems to be a common thread between the two museums.  Cunningham expressed enthusiasm for the user-friendly design of the smaller model plasma cutters. “I have always wanted to make something simple out of metal, on my own terms, without having to take classes that would cover far more than I wanted to know,” she said. “A couple of years ago, at Florence-Darling Technical College where my husband teaches, the welding department instructors showed me different methods for welding and let me cut out a couple of shapes with a plasma cutter.  I loved it! You can do anything random or practice and get very detailed.” She said that the plasma cutter was very easy to handle and was quite mobile and lightweight — a perfect fit for budding artists.

 How did the students respond to the welding equipment? According to Cunningham, "The children were fascinated by the thought of using equipment that only adults, and usually male adults at that, use. So there was the element of danger — the forbidden and unknown — and the aspect of being treated as an adult. Using a plasma cutter, and the psychological implications that come with it, proved to be the most exciting thing these children did."

With the proper guidance and zest for learning new artistic techniques, the young creators were able to use the ESAB equipment with little effort on their part. Cunningham believes this experience changed the way her students perceive art.  “They know that they can make, do or be anything — and to pursue their interests.” She would like to have more “equipment, time, experience and facilities for providing welding/metal sculpting for children through the museum.”