“ Dion and Ruth Wright , who were friends of my father ’ s growing up , exposed me to so much — for instance , a huge metal spider on a web ,” Setterholm says . “ The spider was the size of a small child . That will stick with you .”
Setterholm was raised in Laguna Beach and one of her earliest artistic inspirations was her grandmother , Mary Alice Hamilton , who had a booth at the Sawdust festival the year Setterholm was born . “ My grandmother had a craft room that had everything , from bead-making [ and ] woodworking to block printmaking tools , as well as an enameling kiln that would prove invaluable to my process later on ,” she says . Another good friend and inspiration was Terry Thornsley , a Laguna Beach sculptor who shared his painting techniques with her before he passed away in 2015 . “ It was his nonjudgmental manner that inspired me . I love to reverse-engineer his process when I view his sculptures around town ,” Setterholm adds .
Mainly using copper , bronze , stone , glass and steel , Setterholm creates pieces for her business , Copperfeel Enameling , that can handle the elements yet look delicate in nature . Most of her pieces are welded bronze and kiln-fired glass enamel over copper .
“ A piece usually starts with curiosity : ‘ Can I get the glass enamel colors to mimic that cloud ? Can I cut and hammer that copper into a shape that resembles a dragonfly wing ?’ Sometimes repetitive tasks , like making 100 leaves for a tree , … [ give ] my mind space to come up with a new idea or series ,” Setterholm explains .
The latest phone booth installation on Forest Avenue , “ We Need to Talk ,” is a collaborative piece between Setterholm and Candice Brokenshire . Stop by to take a peek inside or visit the project ’ s Instagram page @ weneedtotalklb to learn more . Setterholm ’ s work will also be on display this summer at the annual Sawdust show .
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Journey to Metalworking
W orking as a journeyman sheet metal specialist in his early 20s inspired Nevada Silva to start sculpting metal pieces . He now uses all different types of metals in his artwork , including steel , stainless steel , copper , bronze and aluminum .
“ My most recent wave series … is a mixed media [ collection ] where I incorporate metal and wood together ,” Silva notes . “ I like the juxtaposition of the hard and soft organic elements together .”
Silva draws most of the influence for his artwork from nature . As an avid sailor and surfer , he incorporates a lot of the shapes and colors of the ocean in his sculptures . His metal work has also been inspired by Albert Paley , whose designs are unlike anything he ’ s seen before . “ I ’ ve had the pleasure to see his work in person at a gallery in Big Sur , and I ’ m always left amazed and inspired ,” he adds .
Silva ’ s artistic process starts with drawing out his new design on paper , then translating the design by cutting through the metal by hand using plasma cutters and various other tools . “ My favorite part of the design process is when I ’ m able to do all of my patina and dye work ,” Silva explains . “ It ’ s what makes each piece unique with its color and patterns , which … [ are ] formed by using the specialty formulated concoctions I put together .”
Silva met his wife when he moved to
Laguna from central California 12 years ago , and her mother has long been an exhibiting artist in the Sawdust festival . Her family was instrumental in introducing Silva to the local art community , leading to him landing his own booth at the summertime art show .
“ Metal is such a hard medium to work with , and welding and shaping … [ are ] lost skill [ s ] that not many people pursue … anymore ,” Silva says . “ The Sawdust gives me the opportunity to not only show my artwork , but also make other people ’ s visions come true with custom installations for their homes and businesses .”
Silva currently has a public sculpture — a geometrical living wall — located outside of the Sawdust festival grounds . He also works on commissioned pieces for residents or offices , creating logos and signs out of metal . “ Maybe one day , when my body is worn out from hitting and banging metal for so many years , I will find a more delicate medium ,” Silva notes . “ But , as for now , metal is what I love and choose to work with .”
This coming summer will mark Silva ’ s ninth year exhibiting at Sawdust Art Festival . Visit his booth starting in late June to experience his unique metal sculptures . /
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Below : Nevada Silva with one of his sculptures ; left : another of his pieces installed above a bed
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