© 2008 Noah Wolf
Heather Doyle and Ryan Salmon's work represents a dichotomy that ranges from organic flowing forms rendered through ancient craft techniques to precise fabrication through adept use of modern technology.
Their body of work ranges in scope from private commissions to public installations. They often include recycled industrial elements and leave visible welds, hammer marks and temper color patinas created in the process of fabrication.
Heather Doyle has studied welding and metalsmithing from an artist's perspective for more than a decade. She continues to explore the mediums of heat and metal through her business, INDUSTRYelle LLC, designing metal sculpture and creating custom fabrication on a commission basis. Heather taught Sculptural Welding and Blacksmithing at the Minneapolis Community and Technical College for seven years. She is now the Artistic Director and an instructor at the Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center. In 2006, Heather created "The SPEAK Project," a South Minneapolis public art initiative, produced in collaboration with FORECAST Public Artworks, which uses various forms of visual and performance art to encourage youth to explore the subject of diversity and express their voices through creativity. Heather is a Minneapolis Arts Commissioner, a founding board member of the Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center and a member of the Artist-Blacksmiths' Association of North America (ABANA).
Ryan Salmon is a graduate of the welding and metal fabrication program at Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC). He is currently an instructor of oxyacetylene welding, MIG welding and TIG welding in the Continuing Education department at MCTC, and also serves as Shop Assistant in both Blacksmithing and Sculptural welding classes. Ryan is currently pursuing a degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Minnesota. He was the primary fabricator for the 2008 SPEAK Project which produced the projects' first installation on public land, and continued on as primary fabricator for the 2009 SPEAK Project. His creative approach to problem solving and fabrication skills are invaluable to INDUSTRYelle LLC.