Page 14 - HIWT Winter 2012 World of Welding
P. 14

THE WORLD OF WELDING                                                                          http://www.welding.org



            tHe art of reMeMbering



            When Andrew Johnson, a welding
            instructor who is associated with
            the Welding Technology Program
            at Montana State  University
            Northern in Havre, came  to
            Troy to take the Preparation for
            the  American  Welding  Society
            Certified   Welding   Inspector/
            Educator  (CWI/CWE)  Course
            and  the  CWI  examination,  he
            shared with us an appreciation of
            metal sculpture that he inherited
            from his father.
                                              Lyle Johnson
            Andrew is one of the sons  of
            master artist and sculptor, Lyle Johnson and  his wife Orilla,
            who have four adopted children and twelve children of their
            own plus more than sixty foster children. Many of these special   Plenty Coups, Chief of the Crow Indian Tribe, is installed
            family  members  have  been  Navajo,  Shoshone,  Black  Feet,   at the Chamber of Commerce in Red Lodge, Montana.
            Sioux, Cherokee, Karob, Chippewa and Apache children.

            Lyle Johnson of Pryor, Montana, specializes in the original   Today, the evidence of this lifestyle is displayed in his work
            creation of monuments and sculptures of American Western   and in a concept that is echoed at the Lyle Johnson Studios
            Art and Native American Art, preserving parts of America’s   in The Art of Remembering.  Johnson and his sons in Pryor,
            heritage and reminding people of  important cultural events.     Montana, pay more than lip service to the idea that, through
            Johnson works with his sons to cast bronze utilizing their own   their attempt to create fine art, people may be reminded of
            foundry facilities. The entire family is well-known for their   cultural events which are  parts of America’s heritage which
            award winning art throughout the United States.    that  should not be forgotten.

                                             Lyle Johnson holds a
                                             feather in place as his   The list of monumental projects completed by the studios and
                                             son, Ercel, tack welds   displayed throughout the western United States is long, but one
                                             it onto the sculpture.   sculpture we will highlight here is installed at the Chamber of
                                                               Commerce in Red Lodge, Montana.  It is a sculpture of Plenty
                                                               Coups, Chief of the Crow Indian Tribe in the !800’s, who are
                                                               located in the south central part of Montana.

                                                               In the process, known as a lost wax process, the artist begins by
                                                               researching the subject and making it in clay.  Rubber moulds
                                                               are created into which wax is poured to create patterns.  A
            Lyle  is  a  self-taught  sculptor  with  a  profound  love  for  his  ceramic mould is then made and fired in a kiln.  Molten bronze
            country and its people. Born to a pioneer family on the Ute  is poured into the moulds.  When it hardens, the ceramic shell
            Indian Reservation in the Uintah Basin country of northeast  is removed.  The pieces of the sculpture are assembled and
            Utah,  his  childhood  companions  were  horses  and  Indian  welded together, and sand blasted.   A finish is applied and
            youth. He explored the still-wild canyon country of the same  coated.  The sculpture is then set in place.  Plenty Coups, cast
            rugged region that sheltered Ouray McCook and his mountain  in timeless bronze, stands as a symbol of greatness for untold
            Utes.  Herding cattle, stalking wildlife and sketching the world  generations that many may learn of the great Crow Nation.
            as he went, it wasn’t until his tenth year that Lyle discovered
            modeling  clay  and  began  to  fashion  the  subjects  of  pencil  Lyle  Johnson is continually  creating  lasting  monuments.
            drawings in three dimensions. When Christmas arrived that  His works may  be visualized  on his website,  http://www.
            year, the budding young sculptor asked for only two things  lylejohnsonstudios.com/index.htm and he may be reached at
            under the family tree: a harmonica and a supply of clay.  eaglechief50@gmail.com.



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