About Cole
THE IDEA
I strive to provide my clients with quality, high end pieces that serve not only as tangible objects, but also as cherished works of art. As the world moves toward the ideology of sustainability and away from the love of consumerism and throw away products, I strive to produce work that will stand the test of time. I use durable materials such as aluminum and steel to construct each piece and apply a multilayer powder coat finish. I design my work to last, to be handed from one generation to another and to sell at auctions for millions in the near future. I make great efforts to produce work that creates a positive impact on its proposed environment. I believe my work is a great investment in function, sustainibility, and visual inspiration.
THE PROCESS
Most of my pieces are conceptualized in my head and then simply drawn out on paper with pencil before a final drawing is produced using the computer. After the pieces are fabricated I sandblast them and then use a set of biodegradable cleaning solutions and a chemical seal to prep them for powder coating. I choose to use powder coating because it is much more friendly to the environment than traditional solvent based paints, as it contains no volatile organic compounds. (VOC's) Powder coating is applied electrostatically in a dry form. The product receives a negative charge through a ground, as the powder receives a positive charge from the application gun. The powder material basically adheres like a magnet until it is baked on. Using an airbrush with traditional solvent based paints you can achieve direct and finite spray patterns, you cannot do this when applying powder, for example, when spraying powder onto the front side of a piece of steel the powder actually wraps around the part adhering to the backside. To achieve multi-color, multi-layer finishes and other desired characteristics it was necessary for me to explore and create various masking, spraying, and application techniques not commonly used in the field of powder coating. I am one of very few people in the world developing these techniques out of necessity and curiosity. Most powder coating applications use only one color and a single coat. I often use up to 10 colors and a clear coat on a single piece. I have spent a great deal of time developing a wide variety of application techniques to achieve the desired finish on my work and I hope you can appreciate the beauty and deviation from the norm.