From out of the woods of the U.P.,
we have rediscovered one of Michigan’s fine talents:Dale Wedig.
An Professor of Metalsmithing, (for over 15 years), a renowned sculptor and metalsmith, Mr. Wedig has been creating and exhibiting fine architectural, functional, and sculptural metalwork for nearly 25 years. He has returned to the Metro Detroit gallery scene after a 5 year hiatus, with a mini-survey of furniture and vessels crafted over the last few years.
With techniques and tools ranging from hammering red-hot steel from a primitive coke-fired forge to the delicate jewelers tools and alchemy used in Mokume Gane (the rare Japanese art of metals lamination), Wedig conjures objects which are simultaneously precious and approachable.
Dale manages to fuse function and sculpture... or rather, imbue his sculpture with function, in a manner which is fresh and engaging. Unlike other artists’ works incorporating found objects, these pieces transcend their parts... transcend (or sometimes mock) their function; becoming the true definition of functional art.
Crain’s Detroit Monthly profiled Dale in 1988, saying, " Deep in the wilds of Michigan’s fabled Upper Peninsula a unique man creates a unique art. Using methods as old as the forests that surround him, Dale Wedig has literally forged a body of work that bows to the past while peering into the future. An artist, a teacher, an ambassador, a blacksmith, a wild man. This is Dale Wedig"
We couldn’t have said it better... see what his work has to say.
Artist Artist Statement
Art is the physical and mental labor involved in creating an object from an idea. The end result It can be very satisfying. However, it is the activity and struggle throughout the process that is inspiring. Experiencing an idea becoming a real object that started in your head and your hands built is a measure of the accountability of your life.
The lack of rules and insured success combined with the endless solutions to the same problem motivate me to continue pursuing my interests. Making art is no more or less than having faith in what is unknown and having the desire to take the opportunity to create something you find difficult to explain.

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