Large Scale Foldforming with Linda Leviton - PART I

In late June of this year, the Cultural Arts Center here in Columbus, OH hosted a four-day workshop on foldforming. Intrigued by its focus on creating larger scale works, I visited the class for a few hours to interview the class and snap some pics for this story. The instructor was Linda Leviton, a talented local artist who creates commissioned metal installations for spaces like corporate atriums, hospitals, and universities. To set the stage... I didn't realize at the time that Linda had submitted three pieces for consideration in the 2015 Lewton-Brain Foldform Competition. 

And how did that turn out? In a unanimous decision, from among entries submitted by artists in Aruba, Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand, Scotland, and the U.S. -- ALL of Linda's pieces were recognized by the jury. 

Who judged her work? The 2015 jurors are all leaders in the international metal arts community; Charles Lewton-Brain, Artist Goldsmith and Foldforming Pioneer, Hazel Wheaton, Editor of Art Jewelry magazine, and Dr. Hanuman Aspler, Owner / Co-Founder of The Ganoksin Project. No small accomplishment -- congrats, Linda! 

Here they are! Enjoy -- and then scroll down to get some tips from Linda's foldforming workshop.

Jurors' Choice 2015
“Eve's Leaves” (4.2 ft x 2 ft x 10 in) copper

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Honorable Mention 2015
“Animal Vegetable Mineral” 
(2.3 ft x 2 ft x 3 in) 
copper, patina

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Jurors' Choice 2015
“Shades of Green” 
(6 ft x 6 ft x 1 ft) 
copper, wood, patina, dye, paint photo by Jerry Anthony

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Linda's four-day foldforming workshop at the Cultural Arts Center (CAC) in Columbus, OH, was a well-attended, high energy event. I collected lots of great images, videos, and tips to share. These are some pics of Linda and her students.

Large Scale Foldforming

Linda Leviton at the Cultural Arts Center

TIPS to Share

Let's start with some of Linda's general tips and work our way to foldforming.

Paint on metal

There are so many ways to apply color to metal that sometimes we overlook the basics! 

Linda often uses oil or acrylic paint. This gives her complete control over the final color and design. 

Her trick? She applies automotive self-etching primer first, to prepare the metal surface for paint.

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Re-think your shears

These vertical shears are new to me so it helped to see them in action. What a great angle for cutting metal.

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Modify shears to save time

Use a belt sander to smooth the cutting edges of your sheers.  They will leave smoother edges on your metal, reducing the sanding your pieces require after cutting.

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Braze components together to create a larger work

In this video, Linda creates a flower by attaching a copper stem to a foldformed Heistad Cup. She uses brazing rod from a welders' supply outlet -- or in this case, from a junkyard!

Many of us working in small metals are familiar only with silver and gold solder. Brazing rod is a great solution for connecting copper pieces in a large work.

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Create templates for multiples

Linda's roots are in quilting, an art form that often calls for assembling many small components into a large pattern. This design sensibility transfers well to her large scale metal installations. Linda's work is often based on patterns and repetition of smaller shapes.  

Listen as she explains how she creates a template for her components and then creates multiples that match.

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Quick Note About The Cultural Arts Center (CAC) in Columbus OHIO

Cultural Arts Center, Columbus OH

Let's take a moment for a brief public service announcement for my local friends. So many Columbus folks have never heard of the Cultural Arts Center and really must check it out. 

When I signed up for my first class at the CAC about five years ago, I drove by it twice before even checking the address. Why? Because the class was so inexpensive -- well under $100 for eight 3-hour sessions -- I was expecting a run-down urban disaster running on a shoestring! 

Instead, the CAC might just be the best kept secret in Columbus. Subsidized by the city, the facility is an artist's dream-- diverse, well-stocked, and expertly staffed. They offer classes in the visual arts... metal, clay, painting, fiber, and more. Kristi Kloss runs the small metals program and she really knows her stuff!

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Let's pause here and do this story in a couple of parts. There is so much great video to share and we're getting a little data-heavy for a blog post. Please check back for part II in a few days, ok?

All my best,
Sue