About my art and I.
My name is Abigail Sara, and I have been an artist and ocean lover for my whole life. During my time in college for welding technology, I found my passion for metalsmithing. I spent ample time in the fabrication lab making sculptures inspired by days spent fishing, river camping trips, and late night tidepooling on the coast of Northern California. I have since graduated and am continuously expanding my craft and exploring new mediums as time progresses. I dabble in painting, silversmithing, pyrography, and woodworking, but there’s just something about steel…
I have loved working with mild steel since I began my metalworking endeavors. Through trial and error, I found that I have a talent for coaxing tender forms and textures out of an incredibly tough medium. I often make my own jigs or tools to allow me to form my work the way I see fit. I believe that these sculptures reflect my skill and passion for building beautiful objects that will outlive me. I put an immense amount of love into each one of these pieces; creating and living authentically is all I’ve ever known how to do, and I am so happy that I get to share my work with you all. It feels like a little piece of me is wrapped up in everything that I create.
Why mild steel is unique
Mild steel reacts to air and moisture, over time a gentle rust will begin to appear. Each piece is coated with a clear enamel that will slow this process down. However for this reason, I recommend that all of my current mild steel sculptural work be displayed inside, away from wet environments and out of direct sunlight.
As the sculpture lives in your space, it may very slowly change. I do not see this as damage but as a part of the piece’s story. The surface of the metal will begin to deepen, warm, and develop an earthy toned patina that reflects its environment and the passage of time. No two pieces age the same way making each sculpture increasingly personal and unique. I invite you to embrace this natural evolution because it’s a reminder that the sculpture is reacting to the world around it, as if it were alive. As it responds and settles into the environment, the patina creates a lasting conversation between material, maker, and owner.
Unfinished kelp crab sculpture.