Meet Andrew Chase, Sculptor and Photographer
by Andrew Chase
Andrew Chase spent his formative years in a religious cult on the shores of Massachusetts. At age nineteen, he decided that a life of poverty, obedience, and chastity was not for him, so he hopped the fence and fled to southern Utah to become a whitewater raft guide. Ironically becoming the only person in recorded history to move to Utah seeking (and finding) a less religious environment.
Jump To Section
(Timmy and Giraffe by Andrew Chase.)
How Chase Began Welding
After college, Andrew moved to Salt Lake City to work as a commercial photographer and soon bought a small welder to make a set of otherwise unaffordable security bars for his studio. Once finished with the security bars, he went a little crazy and welded all new furniture for his studio and apartment with mixed success. The bed and tables worked well enough, but the couches and chairs, though pretty to look at, were cripplingly unergonomic and virtually unsuitable. Despite their shortcomings, a number of Andrew's photography clients liked the furniture enough to commission pieces for their own workplaces. As a result, ad agencies across the Salt Lake Valley are littered with ridiculously heavy bookcases and conference tables with lethally sharp edges and not quite enough legroom.
(Robot contest winner Articulated robotic gorilla by Andrew Chase.)
Andrew created what he describes as a "herky-jerky stop motion animation of the gorilla brachiating across a ladder." Check it out below.
Combining a Love for Mechanical Sculptures and Photography
Hoping to exploit the virtually unknown photographer/welder niche, Andrew made his first sculptures to use as characters in a series of photographic promo pieces.
(A mechanical articulated steel T-rex sculpture made with recycled transmission parts by Andre Chase.)
(Another mechanical articulated steel T-rex sculpture by Andrew Chase.)
The first five or six pieces were met with resounding indifference. So, in the proud tradition of throwing good money after bad, Andrew decided to use the unsuccessful promo pieces as the basis for an equally unsuccessful children's picture book. Apparently, small children are not particularly interested in stories set in underground cities made out of HVAC blower motors and rusty plumbing fixtures. (Who knew?)
(Friendly baby rhino metal sculpture by Andrew Chase.)
(Side views of a mechanically articulated giraffe by Andrew Chase.)
Since then, Andrew has made a number of animal sculptures of increasing complexity, but each still bears the unmistakable stamp of his first creations--heavy and greasy, with viciously sharp edges. Thanks to the internet, these creations have sold worldwide and are particularly popular with Belgians.
(Metal lion sculpture from recycled transmission parts by Andrew Chase.)
(Mechanical articulated steel wolf sculpture in stop motion animation by Andrew Chase.)
Andrew has found that writing about himself in the third person is unexpectedly enjoyable and liberating and now believes he shares a psychic connection with Kanye West.
by Andrew Chase
- Website: andrewchase.com
- ArtStation site: andrewchase.artstation.com
Check out the rest of the TOP 11 Robot contest winners here: Robot Art Contest Winner
Do you want to learn to sculpt, mold, cast, and paint? Try our online courses with Hollywood's Master FX Artists: FREE 7-Day Trial.