Prairie Art Metal

04/27/2024

Finished these security grills up today for Smokes On State. Very cool store!

11/26/2022

Small Biz Sat is here again. And again, like last year, my Etsy store is in vacation mode. Here's why... (kinda long, kinda ranty)

Last year I had an excuse or two; my neck was in really bad shape and I had a rapidly approaching surgical date to have it fixed. The pain and related symptoms had gotten to the point that I really couldn't do much fine motor work anymore, and most of what I was selling on Etsy was small stuff with lots of details that I couldn't deal with.

Fast forward a few months - Neck Fusion was a success! The radiculopathy was gone, so I had full use of my hands again. The knots in my neck that had been constant for years were gone. Unfortunately, when I started PT for neck recovery it became apparent how utterly compromised my left shoulder was.

Jump forward another 6 months - neck is still awesome, but shoulder needs replaced. Meeting with the surgeon next week to discuss the procedure. This will be the second surgery on that shoulder.

A funny thing happened while I stepped away from Etsy; I realized that I didn't miss selling loss-leaders that didn't lead anywhere. It had become very much like doing shows, in that smalls were what people wanted and there really isn't a living to be made on smalls.

At a point, I enjoyed making trinkets. The body was working well enough that I could crank out a bunch of "F**k Trump" key chains and "Happy F**kin Holidays" ornaments and actually show a little profit. I felt like I had to do these trinkets, as there was a market for them, and in my mind, they might lead to bigger and better custom projects. Not so much.

This summer I came out of retirement and went back to working for a remodeling company that I had spent a couple decades at already. I am not doing any actual remodeling this stint, just measuring and ordering. Nothing heavier than a tape measure to lift, which is well within my self-imposed day-job limits. This part-time job has taken the pressure off trying to make a living off loss-leaders. It has allowed me to focus on larger, custom projects again. The physical limitations still exist, but I have been working through them for many years already. Taking on every last job just to keep the coin incoming was defeatist and demoralizing. Perhaps it seems like I just ran out of f***s, and there might be some truth to that. Perhaps this reckoning was long overdue. Time will tell.

So if you, or someone you know, visits my Etsy looking for a christmas gift, or possibly an expensive custom commission, just know that I am still here. I am still making things, still loving the metal experience, just not with quite the exact same focus. I will probably be in shoulder replacement recovery for a few months next year, but I will continue to do what I can.

Visit https://prairieartmetal.com for my portfolio and contact info. There is nothing actually for sale there, it is just a collection of past projects. It is there to give you ideas. Hit me up with your ideas and we can bring them to life.

05/29/2022

Latest project ready to ship to a small town in NE Iowa.

02/06/2022

Not having any luck sharing this tweet. F**k Meta Business Suite. F**k pages App. ?

“[30 months later...🤣🤣] Delivered this morning. It was good meeting Matt and glad his stone gold tribute reached its forever home.”

01/21/2022

Finishing up this post-a-thon with a totally meaningless piece. This is a stainless scale replica of the titanium hardware that is screwed into my neck (4 vertebrae fusion). I found the model number in my surgical notes, and found the tech specs on the manufacturers website. Yep, I am a weirdo.

01/21/2022

This one is a table I made for myself to help me get through my recovery after spinal fusion surgery. Nothing I was finding online was a good width for my recliner, and the "over-bed" hospital tables needed to be able to slide underneath. Marble top that a friend gave me and mild steel base. The only cost was some good wheels. Made for easy netflix binge sessions.

01/21/2022

GreenMan wall hanging. 36 inch diameter. Multiple layers, many colors of paint. Nov 2021.

01/21/2022

Shelf made for my cousin's new grandson. August 2021.

01/21/2022

Base for cool cedar table top. Customer supplied the top, which had sentimental meaning to them. I stripped off a really thick layer of EnviroTex epoxy, and refinished the top. Simple legs so as not to detract from the top. July 2021.

01/21/2022

Family crest panels for deck railing. Customers designed their own crest. I brought them to life for their lake cabin. July 2021

01/21/2022

Another garden sign, also mild steel with my patented speed rust. June 2021

01/21/2022

Garden sign for a past customer. Her design in raw mild steel, left to rust naturally. June 2021.