Menu
Polka Dot Perch
  • About
  • Videos
  • Artwork
  • Blog
  • Contact Us!
Polka Dot Perch

Artwork by Gregory

Artist Gregory Lashbrook welds a sculpture

Gregory Lashbrook is a multi-media artist. Gregory works in an unusually wide range of mediums including reverse painting on glass, deep carved glass, metal and found-object sculpture.

I like the heavy metal industrial feel of metal. The grunge. The strength. I feel the raw power of the industrial age coming through the pieces.

I admire how fast two pieces become one through molten heat and fire. They are bonded together with thousands of degrees of heat.

I like to use 16/11 rods.

  • The Metal Boat sculpture by Gregory Lashbrook has an arch of welded railroad spikes with two at right angles
  • Metal Boat sculpture by Gregory Lashbrook close-up detail showing welded railroad spikes

Most of my metal comes from the bottom of the St. Clair River. I’m always looking for metal when I’m diving. Most of the time, I have absolutely no idea what the pieces were or where they came from.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel and you could win a free DVD or pair of earrings (your choice!)

Over the years, I’ve found a lot of steel balls. I always thought they were cannonballs since I found most of them offshore of where the old Fort Gratiot used to sit.

They’re not cannonballs.

It turns out the Peerless Co. used them. Peerless used steel balls in giant tumblers to help break up concrete. When the balls got worn down or severely pitted, they were discarded.

Usually into the St. Clair River.

  • Bear Metal sculpture by Gregory Lashbrook
  • Bear Metal Too sculpture by Gregory Lashbrook

I used one of the balls in my Bear Metal sculpture. The vertical piece is some sort of strap and pin that I found years ago off the old dockyard on Desmond Landing.

The base of Bear Metal Too is a tie-back washer often used on seawalls. I found if off the Thomas Edison Parkway.

  • Bear Metal sculpture by Gregory Lashbrook close-up of metal ball welded to a steel strap

One of the cool things about getting my metal from underwater is that the zebra mussels give the metal a pitted patina that I love.

When it comes to putting the pieces together, I let the metal talk to me.

I visualize them going together in my mind’s eye before I physically try to put them together. I either like it… hate it… or find a better way. It’s a feeling.

By moving the pieces around, sometimes I can get something that’s even better than I was thinking. Other times, the pieces have to sit on a table for a long time before it’s a sure thing.

PRO TIP: I use Rustoleum Clear Lacquer to seal the metal. It holds up well outside and doesn’t yellow.

Bear Metal Too sculpture by Gregory Lashbrook close-up showing a bear skull painted a shiny blue

I use skulls because I like to honor the spirit of the animal that possessed it.

For my Bear Metal sculptures, I used bear skulls that I got from a taxidermist who was a good friend that passed away way before his time.

To me, a white skull is virginal. I paint the skulls with metallics to transform their naturalness. I take away their virgin aspect and transform them into an industrial-grunge.

Bear Metal sculpture by Gregory Lashbrook close-up of bear skull painted a shiny blue

I don’t necessarily like grunge. I do it more in protest of the industrial age making everything metal. At the same time, we’re all part of the industrial complex now. So I paint them to resemble glowing metal forms.

Gregory’s work is currently available for viewing at Studio North in Lakeport MI. To schedule an appointment, check artwork availability or get custom pricing visit our CONTACT page.

Thanks for visiting!

Blog

  • A Sturgeon’s Life
  • Acrylic Resin
  • How do you count sturgeon?

About This Site

Underwater image of a person hand feeding a steelhead

Polka Dot Perch features Great Lakes underwater videos, the artwork of Greg Lashbrook and the writings of Kathy Johnson.

Twitter

Tweets by PolkaDotPerch

Polka Dot Perch

4756 Burtch Rd. Suite 69 

Lakeport, MI 48059

810.941.1760

website designed by K & G

Polka Dot Perch website Icon is a black perch with blue polka dots

All images and video copyright PolkaDotPerch

Comments

  • דירות דיסקרטיות בתל אביב on Changing Moons
©2023 Polka Dot Perch | Powered by SuperbThemes & WordPress