A Man Of Metal: Harwich Artist Steve Swain Exhibits In Newport Art Museum Show

Two of Harwich artist Steve Swain's handcrafted steel sculptures have been chosen to be part of an upcoming exhibition at the Newport Art Museum.

Titled “Springboard: Members' Juried Exhibition,” the show, which opened Jan. 22 and runs through May, features the work of internationally recognized as well as emerging talents. 

 The two pieces showcase Swain's passion for creating steely renditions of marine life. One, titled “Lobster,” is a 36-inch tall crustacean made of cold rolled steel hand hammered and plasma-cut and then clear coated with a lacquer finish.

 The other, titled “Baitball Vortex,” is a 22-inch diameter highly detailed hanging lamp. 

 It depicts the typical defensive movement that a group of juvenile or "peanut" bunkers (there are 96 of them in the lamp) might form, schooling to create a massive swirling ball to confuse attackers. Made of cold rolled plasma-cut steel, hand formed and welded, the lamp has a white enamel paint finish. 

 As an artist working in metal, Swain realizes that it is a medium that is new to many people. 

"The process involves a 45,000-degree torch and takes a 2,000-square-foot warehouse full of equipment," he said. "It's a different process and a little more mysterious, not normally what you think of when creating art. When I look at the infrastructure needed, I sometimes wish I chose painting," he said with a smile.

 Metal working has both challenges and benefits, Swain said. There is complicated machinery and yet "when you are welding, the process is instantaneous," he added. "The process is fluid and you see the result immediately — instant gratification." 

 Much of Swain's work involves larger installations with multiple pieces. An installation in the newly renovated offices of Cape Cod 5 in Orleans took a day to install. Titled "Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Crashing Bunker," the work includes 500 individual baitfish, singly and in small school groupings of seven, as well as three 40-inch Atlantic bluefin tuna.

 Swain is currently working on a large outdoor project, approximately 18 to 20 feet tall and four feet wide, for the new Wampanoag Park on Sontuit Pond in Mashpee. Incorporating herring, eel and other local fish species, the project includes an osprey perched on top, which represented a new direction for him. The installation is expected to be completed by next summer.

 His subject matter has always been the ocean, especially focusing awareness on its fragile state, Swain said. Born "near the beach" in Scituate, he spent summers with his grandparents on Long Pond in Harwich. A 1986 graduate of UMass Amherst with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts, he majored in architectural design and minored in metal sculpture and started out doing both.

After college, he moved back to the Cape and set up a business doing both art and architecture, creating several notable restaurants and buildings along the way. He designed and oversaw construction of the restaurant Pearl in Wellfleet as well as restoring Duffy Gardinier's Tug Boat Shack. In the process he saved the last of the old clam shacks from the wrecking ball and created The Frying Pan Gallery on the Wellfleet Harbor Pier, where he started doing art full time in 2009. 

 In addition to his sculptures, featuring lighting designs, schools of fish, bass, tuna and more, the gallery also includes original works from Cape Cod artists, including paintings, etchings, jewelry, driftwood, photography and ceramics. A second year-round Frying Pan Gallery opened in Orleans in 2019.

 The show itself is being held in a beautiful spot, Swain said of the Newport Art Museum. "It's a great example of old Newport architecture...the show looks fantastic!" 

For more information on the exhibit visit newportartmuseum.org.