Metal Artist Elias Marshall 

The Village Gallery of Local Artists is delighted to invite the public to meet one of our newest members, metal artist Elias Marshall. His display hosts a variety of original colorful Southwestern landscapes.

Originally from Phoenix, AZ, Flagstaff has been Marshall’s home since 1999. In 2000, a jewelry and silver smithing course at NAU sparked his interest in working with metal, and in 2015 he began learning to weld.

Intending to make outdoor sculptures and decorative architecture, Marshall ended up going in a different direction. He explains, “I had big ideas of depicting western scenery in metal. But those big pieces were cumbersome, difficult to hang, and came with a big price tag.” Listening to client and customer requests, he began making smaller pieces that were light, often without built in frames, and could easily be shipped or fit in carry-on luggage. Art buyers are happy to find metal art that could fit in that little nook next to the kitchen window, on that empty space on the shelf, or the spot they thought couldn’t fit any more artwork.

Primarily, Marshall uses heat and chemical reactions to color various metals. He then cuts and layers the metals to create landscapes, and grinds to create interesting texture and contrast in a technique he describes as mixed patina overlay.

Marshall describes his art “I have worked to develop a unique style. While I embrace the patina overlay style of wall art I have developed, I do not want to be bound by it, and look forward to growing and developing as an artist.”

When not working, Marshall loves to spend time in the unique outdoor places of beauty in the American Southwest. He says. “The dust on the trails has seeped into my bones. The landscapes, plants, animals, people and our stories, all inspire me to create my own artwork and my own place.”

A reception will be held for Elias Marshall at the gallery on Friday, October 3^rd from 5-8 pm. The public is invited to meet the artist and learn more about his technique and view his display. Refreshments will be served.