We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelly O Neill and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelly, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?

The business of public art is on the rise. It seems every local development authority, chamber of commerce or art guild is looking to add art sculptures to their public spaces. There are so many reasons that this is a great idea. As a former professional marketer, there is nothing as important as differentiating yourself from others. Defining and promoting your relevant uniqueness helps you acquire loyal customers. So, cities are doing the same Distinctive art installations generate curiosity in downtown or park areas, leading to increased foot traffic and a boost in retail business. This, in turn, supports local enterprises, contributing to the growth of the tax base and enhancing the overall value of the community.  Today mostly the smaller municipalities that have small boards and volunteers are having success. My theory is in smaller communities there is less bureaucracy and more of a drive to make things happen and get things done. Plus, there is a sense of small town pride to help support local artists. For a sculpture artist, it’s a great form of income. The city leases your sculpture for a year. At the end of the lease, the sculpture is returned and can be leased to a new city etc. The city keeps refreshing the sculptures, which creates more community engagement, and the artist creates more revenue each year from each piece of art.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The importance of any good business is understanding what is working for you and how to extend that success in new areas. I’m a sculpture artist that makes one-of-a-kind pieces. My work is created from recycled metal, so my source of raw material is always changing. The work is large and heavy, so on-line sales are not realistic. So my work is sold in person. Art Fairs provide the perfect venue for my work. I bring a large selection of work to a community art fair and the promotor brings a large selection of people who are interested in art. The result is 10 -12 sales per weekend. I am not interested in traveling outside of the Midwest so this means this is a seasonal business. So, as I mentioned earlier in the article, I have expanded my business into leasing large sculptures to public places. This business extension targets new markets with larger pieces that have resulted in big commission work. I have also accumulated enough work to host a gallery exhibit. So in January of 2023, I introduced the “Working Hands” Art exhibition. I invited 2 other sculpture artists to join me in displaying a large body of work in distinguished galleries. The core concept of our exhibition is a celebration of women welders and their unique creations. Each piece is a one-of-a-kind sculpture using metal to create multi-media contemporary and abstract art. Most artists, using metal and welding as the foundation of their art, are men. It is unusual to find women in this field. Yet, we found our artistic inspiration in this trade. All 3 of us use metal as a foundation of our aesthetic, then add other mediums to tell a story or create a unique visual experience. Our 3-D work is conceptual and leverages recycled metal to inspire each piece. This sculptural exhibition demonstrates a diversity of skills and talents. The show’s first exhibition was in Lansing at the Lansing Art Gallery and Education Center. The show then went to Brewery Park Art Gallery located in Crain Communications World Headquarters in Detroit, MI Currently the show is at the Community Arts Gallery, First Merchant Bank in Ferndale, MI. The goal for the “Working Hands” Exhibition is to continue to travel to new locations. New female artists and work will continue to evolve, but the concept will be consistent. I hope to extend the show to new markets, specifically, Grand Rapids, MI and Toledo, OH.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am surrounded by Metro and state parks. There is nothing prettier than Michigan’s parks.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Art is a very personal thing. So you need an emotional support person to help you stay motivated when you experience rejection or are in a creative dry spell. For me, this is my husband, Rick. Because this is my second career, Rick had no idea what would be required of him – How much I lean on him physically, mentally. and emotionally. He does it all willingly with a smile on his face. Even the worst jobs, like loading up the truck and setting up an event, he rarely complains about the work. He may complain about me bossing him around too much, but not the work itself. Rick is there for the entire show promoting my work and me as an artist to anyone who will listen. His favorite cliché is ” I’m Kelly’s CEO: I Carry Everything Out.” He always gets a polite chuckle from me and sometimes a belly laugh from a fresh audience. Because I have so many repeat customers, I have limited him to only 5 opportunities per weekend to use this joke. Now THAT has become the joke, counting down his ration. When I’m in the shop and in the middle of a creative decision, I need Rick’s opinion to push me through it. Sometimes his insights are eye-opening for me. Other times, it confirms my creative choice. My favorite collaboration with Rick is naming some of my abstract work. He has been responsible for some of the more popular names. I tell him often how much I appreciate him. I guess this is another opportunity to recognize him.

 

Website: www.fusionofironandearth.com

Instagram: @iron.n.earth

Linkedin: Kelly O’Neill

Facebook: @LuvMiArt

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMichigan is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.