It was [after my son’s murder] that “welding” began to ease some of the grief and my creativity was awakened and I began to transform into an artist and metal sculptor and have been creating non-stop ever since. As I began to create metal art I found that I wanted to create unique pieces of functional and non-functional art. The best thing about being an artist is being able to create something out of nothing, to make people happy with my art, to helping people see outside the box.

Grade Level: 6–8

Project Title: Scrap Stories

Objective: Encourage sustainability and narrative construction.

Activity: Students bring in clean scrap materials and build an abstract sculpture that rises from base to peak. Write a short story inspired by its form.

Constructed from reclaimed scrap metal, Elevation rises in a raw, expressive gesture of upward movement. Morgan, a welder for more than three decades, describes turning to metalwork following the profound personal loss of his only son, when he says “welding began to ease some of the grief and my creativity was awakened.” The sculpture draws on the tradition of the found object—repurposing discarded materials to create new meaning—transforming industrial remnants into a work that suggests resilience, renewal, and aspiration.

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Jagged, layered elements reach skyward, conveying both physical ascent and emotional transformation. Through material reuse and visible welds, the work celebrates the power of creation to reshape hardship, inviting viewers to consider how strength and uplift can emerge from fragments once cast aside.