At Empire Abrasives, we love showcasing artists who take their craft to the next level, and Nancy Bole is no exception. Nancy’s journey began with a love for drawing and stained glass before she discovered her passion for welding. Her sculptures are a beautiful fusion of inspiration from her heritage, faith, and the natural world. With a career that spans several mediums and techniques, Nancy’s story is one of continuous exploration and creativity. Let’s take a closer look at her work and the Empire Abrasives products she swears by in her studio.
You can also learn more about Nancy and her work on her website or social accounts:
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in metal art/sculpture?
I've always been in some type of art all my life. I can remember as far back before kindergarten drawing horses. I Always took art classes all through school, and some college, but a lot of what I know is self-taught. Wanted to learn stained glass and took a class and ended up working for that company. Eventually started my own Stained-glass business in 2010. I learned the technique of Fusing(melting) glass but needed something to hold them up or hang them, so I used wood for a while. When I met my future mentor, a fantastic sculpture, Rollin Karg, he showed me the basics of welding, and from there, I was hooked! He also buys products from Empire Abrasives and recommended them to me.
Fantastical, 6" by 28". It is a stained glass window, inside an encased glass sculpture
How long have you been working with metal, and what drew you to this medium?
In 2018, I started welding. By 2019, I had my first large 9’ sculpture in downtown Wichita, Ks.
How would you describe your artistic style?
I consider my style very versatile, loving both realistic to abstract, and sometimes a little in between.
Outside of your metalworking, what are some of your other interests or hobbies?
My family, friends, church and working for the Lord. I also, Love to travel
Where can we find you and your work online?
On my website, nancybole.com, Instagram, and Facebook.
Process and Inspiration
Majestic, was a commission job, a memorial for a gentleman who made a great impact for Hutchson, Ks. All shaped by steel cutting, welding and sculpted. He stands about 7' wings are 5' across.
Your projects involve some complex and intricate designs – how did you develop the technical skills required?
Complex and intricate is what I love, it's what makes me tick. I get so deep into what I’m sculpting, that is what the product comes out to be.
What inspires your metal art?
I draw a lot of my inspiration from the Lord, and also, I have Cherokee and Creek Indian blood (I have roll #) My father instilled that in me deeply.
Acts 2, 9' tall by 4' in diameter. I felt the Holy Spirit while working on this. Sets now permanently at a rehab center in Salina, Kansas.
Could you walk us through your process? How do you take an idea from concept to finished sculpture?
I draw up a lot of my ideas from other artists, looking at their ideas and manipulating them to make it my own. Or I will see something that inspires me, I draw them, then eventually into a sculpture. I take them to the computer, create them on a program, my MYCAD. Cut them out on the plasma table, grind and weld, sometimes torching and bending, forging and welding, grind more and weld more to where I have a finished sculpture. Creating sculptures is like a fun mystery and problem solving as I continue to work on them. A lot of times they become better than originally thought.
Do you ever incorporate found metal objects or other unique materials into your sculptures?
I do add glass and some other objects to some of my sculptures, but mostly what's cut on my plasma and hand cutting
What specific Empire Abrasives products do you find most helpful in your work?
My ‘go-to’ abrasives are the Black Hawk 4.5, -60 grit flap discs and surface conditioning discs on my grinder. Also, I use 3” and 2”, 36 grit and 60 grit, and also surface conditioning discs quick change, for my Dotco grinders.
Specific Projects/Work
Sus, Hebrew for horse. 21" tall by 22" long by 3" thick. Literally solid steel sculpted with grinding discs and welding
Could you highlight 1-2 metal sculptures you are particularly proud of?
My latest, which is Adageyudi, my heart and soul went into creating him, and my Horse, Sus.
How do you see your art evolving in the future, and what are some of your goals or dream projects?
My sculpture, Adageyudi, started out as a large 9’ sculpture and had to be quickly abandoned and made a bust in order to make it into a show. Now I will go back and make another head and finish the body. I continue with more sculptures to rent and sell.
Adageyudi, means Love in Cherokee. He is 3' high, 28 long and 28 wide. I started to make a 9' of Chief American (that is his actual name) and realized I needed to get him done faster in order to make it to a show. I took his head and made a smaller version into a bust. I am standing in one picture (first image in this post) with the headless body. Now that the small in a bust one is done, I am working towards making another head and complete him in a few months.
Advice and Community:
Are there any trends in metal art that you find exciting?
With my sculptures, I have had one made into bronze. Just recently discovered in my large sculptures that I can have a 3D scan, like my Indian, he is very large and heavy and would be difficult to have it be put into a mold. I've learned that I can have it scanned, from there, make a mold from just the 3D scan, and eventually a bronze. That to me is thrilling!!!
You aren’t very active on social media like some other metal artists we know. How do you get the word out about your projects?
I am on Instagram, FB and I have a website, but also sell a lot of my smaller sculptures in galleries. I have in the past been more active on social media, lately I have been severely busy. At this time, not too much into all the social media thing. I do a lot of my work on my own. My husband does assist a lot on the heavy lifting, some sand blasting and base coating, but overall, I pretty much do all the welding, grinding, sculpting and painting in the detail work.
We want to extend a huge thank you to Nancy for sharing her journey and incredible work with us. Her dedication to her craft and unique approach to metal sculpture continues to inspire. Be sure to check out her website and social media to stay updated on her latest projects. And as always, don’t forget to tag us in your own creations using #empireabrasives – we love seeing what you’re working on!