D & E Metalworks

Mural-"Along the Stream" and Fish Mobiles

Dave & Eda Benttinen 772 Rome Rd. Mercer, ME  04957

             Unique Metalwork with an Artistic Twist

     

The mobiles and wall sculpture were designed as part of One Percent for Art, a state mandated and funded program where one percent of the total budget for public buildings is spent on artwork. The three mobiles, colorfully painted steel trout, salmon bass and other fish hang overhead in the cafeteria.  A few steps away in the foyer, rendered in stainless steel, great blue herons, bitterns, turtles and other stream life wade through marsh grass and cat tails along one wall.  We were inspired by the natural local environment and the animals that inhabit it.  The wall mural was designed and cut from stainless steel with a plasma torch, ground, finish-filed, textured, embellished, heat colored, assembled and welded using the TIG process. 

The fish of varying sizes were hand cut from 1/8" thick steel with an oxy-acetylene torch.  The pieces were ground, buffed, finish-filed, and prepared for paint.  They were painted on both sides with automotive primer and several layers of color to approximate the natural look.  Embellished detail was done with fabric paint.  The final pieces were protected with 8 coats of clear enamel.  Each piece was attached with high quality welded swivels to the painted steel hangers.  This allowed for 360 degree rotation of the fish. 

You can find these wonderful works of art at:

Mill Stream Elementary School

Norridgewock, Maine

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