Paul Lockhart

“I live on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, an area that still sustains itself from the Chesapeake Bay. This area is a constant source of ideas for my sculpture. I strive to honor the people who work the land and water and also its abundant wildlife. The technical skills learned in the Merchant Marine and my lifelong interest in sketching and painting combine with a love for the balance and beauty in nature.

To begin with an idea, I complete a study with drawings and photos. I also choose materials in the early planning stage. I use metal plate and rod of bronze, stainless steel and Corten steel. The construction methods and nomenclature are like those used in shipbuilding. A keel rod similar to the anatomical spine is formed. Then, a complete framework is built to achieve the desired shape. To this superstructure, the plating or ‘skin’ is welded. The finished work can be painted, but I prefer to use metals that will age and oxidize to yield the desired colors naturally.”

Paul Lockhart metal sculptures are admired for what they suggest as much as for what they represent outright. The economy of detail, the clean lines of his sculpture – each element tells a story with positive and negative space in perfect balance.