About Ron Schmidt

A native of Michigan, I first began producing dimensional art in the early 1960’s in Savannah, Georgia. My first works used wooden frames and strategically placed parachute shroud lines.
Since 1968 I have been working with metals and an oxygen/acetylene torch. Though some early pieces used such diverse materials as automobile bumpers, the basic material of my work for many years has been the common cut nail.

Current works integrate many other metals, such as copper, brass, steel, bronze, and silflow. The intense contrasts between the cold black steel nails and the warm buffed-brass brazing are sometimes accentuated, sometimes softened, by the natural colors of the integrated metal pieces. My work is readily recognizable by the unique combination of artistic design, geometric form, and the high quality of braze.

In 1978, my peers bestowed upon me the title of King of the Nail Sculptors, which I consider to be my greatest recognition. My work has been regularly shown throughout the United States for over thirty years, at juried and invitational exhibitions.