Stephen Yusko
artist/blacksmith/design

The objects I make are the result of an exploration of concept, form, line, surface and function combined with thoughtful design and exacting craftsmanship. They are also the result of my appreciation and fascination with materials--specifically with steel. Whether used alone or with other materials, I am drawn to steel’s industrial history, working properties, methods of joinery and range of finishes. When heated in the forge, steel moves like clay, allowing this tough material to be transformed into elegant and graceful shapes.
I am intrigued by the structure of things, the underside. The bones of buildings, piers, arches and trusses of bridges and roadways, and the tools and equipment used to build them tell a story. The shapes, textures and connections of the materials I use are part of that story. My work expands on this visual vocabulary by exploring themes of balance and motion, distance and perspective and the concept of home.

When I was growing up, all of the garages in my neighborhood contained at least one set of sawhorses. That was where things got built. This series of sculptures references these sawhorse forms as well as bridge and railroad trestles and other support structures found in architectural elements. The vessels become safe-houses, where observations, ideas and experiences are kept. The house forms are metaphors for us, on a journey or staying put, questioning where is ‘here’ and what is ‘home.’

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