After more than 50-year career as a project manager for a large construction company, Russ Ricketts found that he could turn his many skills, once used to manage the building of water treatment plants, HVAC systems, and assembly lines, to repurpose industrial parts into works of art. He is able envision how unlikely pieces such as cast-off railroad spikes, car and truck parts, and horseshoes and harnesses, can be combined to find new life in unique sculptures.
His larger pieces include gongs which produce beautiful, enchanting tones. Please feel free to ring these gongs with their custom mallets. Many of these pieces incorporate gemstones and crystals which are thought to provide healing energies. Whether displayed indoors or outdoors, these one-of-a-kind sculptures create a peaceful ambience.
Russ also enjoys working in ceramics, experimenting with hand-building, extruded pieces, and different kinds of glazes. His large garden totems are a colorful celebration of shapes and space. His lamp bases and small sculptures explore the use of Raku and Sagger firing.
Whatever medium Russ is working in, he enjoys the whole process — the hunt for parts, sketching the design, welding the pieces together, and painting the final composition. It all involves imagination, problem solving, and attention to detail.
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