In 1992 during my first year of art foundry work we had an accident that splashed 40lbs of bronze onto the sand covered concrete floor. After the bronze cooled I was first surprised and then in awe that the splashed metal was all in one piece and a dynamic form. I instantly saw a connection with this form and the Hubble Telescope photos that were just beginning to ‘wow’ the entire world. Since then I have experimented with metal playing with casting techniques and other metal forming processes as well as developing skills in fabrication. As an art foundry man I have enjoyed the influence of many artists and enjoyed hearing how they approach their work both philosophically and workshop practices. My desire for any viewer of my work is to leave an experience much like one would experience a piece of music or enjoy watching a ballet. Fluid movement and kinetic energy are part of many things I love doing in life and my hope is to impart some of that passion into anyone who views my work.
Todd Jenkins
When I meet someone who really enjoys their vocation, I like to ask them when they knew they were interested in that field. More often than not, they will recall a story from their childhood. A friend of mine recalled cooking with his grandma, and knowing that from that time he wanted to be a chef and make people happy with food.
If someone asked me when I knew I wanted do art, I would go back to my childhood. In 2nd grade. I was the 2nd best dinosaur drawer, and in 4th grade I was able to draw the Eifel Tower in person on a family trip to Europe. Through grade school I continued to draw. Later I was able to take some photography classes in high school that I really enjoyed (back then we used darkrooms). Of all the experiences in school art was the most interesting and attractive to me. So naturally, by the time I signed up for college at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, an art major was the only path I wanted for me.
However, it wasn’t until the beginning of my senior year in college that I felt the calling to do art for my lifetime, and possibly for a living. I find this is difficult to convey to someone who has not had an encounter with God. The best way to describe the experience is that I did not have any tricks up my sleeve. I wanted to serve the God I had come to know, with what I had—and all I really had was art. I didn’t feel like I was much good at it either! But with a strong desire and several external confirmations, I jumped into pursuing art with everything I had. After this commitment, I experienced a confirmation in my soul that I could only compare to the experience of making my dad proud of me.