Artist Biography
Rich Baker has spent years working professionally in the creative arts; a singer, musician, performer and accomplished songwriter, he has spent most of his adult life looking at the world with a creative eye. With an interest in metal work and a basis in welding, Rich wanted to expand on these skills and began experimenting with artistic welding.Creating simple sculptures with an attitude that anything is possible with enough vision and determination and using a mixture of forging and welding, he took the leap to practice his art full time in 2011 and has continued to grow and experiment with techniques and methods and mixed materials.
Rich has shown and sold his work at the One of a Kind show Toronto, the Burlington Centre for Arts Art Festival in Burlington, Art in the Park in Stratford and at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, to name a few. He continues to expand his art through commissions and ongoing shows.
Rich currently resides in the countryside of Southwestern Ontario with his wife, daughter, dog, cats and various wildlife that wander by. He is inspired by the art we see in everyday life.
Artist Statement:
My art is continually evolving but always focused on realistic representations of the world around us. Sheets of metal transform to vibrant manifestations of the human, animal and natural form. The process of manipulating steel is not planned but rather instinctive; the figure springs forth from the imagination, the textures, shapes and colorations coming together as I hammer, grind and weld each component. I follow no guide or single school of technique, allowing my creativity and multiple metalworking disciplines to come together as needed. Fluid movement is always present, whether shown in muscle texture, wind or water currents.
Each piece is inspired by the vivid beauty I witness every day, the completion is a testament to the rich material I draw on.
