Ordinary forks and spoons become something magical under the hands of Marshfield artist Daniel Vidaillet.
Using welding techniques and stainless steel silverware, Vidaillet experiments with texture and color to craft realistic birds perched on “wood,” fish with scales of spoons, and graceful human forms. His pieces will be on display in his first solo exhibition at Lucille Tack Center for the Arts in Spencer until November 26.
Vidaillet, an art major and welder, has been making art for five years, starting out with simple silverware figures called SilverFolk by Dan. Now a full-time artist for the past two years, his craft has evolved heavily into complex works of art and a style all his own.
“It’s an evolution that even people who see me from one week to the next will notice that my work is changing and becoming more refined,” said Vidaillet.
The show will include the three pieces in his Birds of Prey series, which took ten months altogether to craft. The pieces highlight the contrast between the heavy stainless steel and the lightness a real bird. One is a Cuban Kite, a critically endangered bird that resides in the small town of Baracoa where his family is from. Another is a Peregrine Falcon, the fastest animal in the world with speeds of over 240 mph.
“It’s the irony of how these birds are so majestic,” he explained. “To have these birds now made out of metal, the reality is they’re so graceful.”
With all the leftover handles, Vidaillet went an exciting new direction by creating human forms that take anywhere from 2-4 weeks to craft. Recently, he began experimenting with LED lighting as well as paints and stains to get different depths and color, and is excited about the possibilities.
The solo exhibit isn’t his first time at the Tack. Two years ago, he did a joint show with a fellow Cuban artist, Carmen Duran of Marshfield. “It’s exciting to come back,” he said. “It’ll be cool to see what other people think of it, if they were here two years ago and they haven’t seen my work since then, to get their feedback.”
One of his sculptures, Eros, was recently accepted to the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art for display. The Cuban Kite is flying to Miami for an exhibit on endangered animals on December 5th. He was the recipient of several major awards in Wisconsin and Illinois this summer.
Ironically, Vidaillet never thought he would become a professional artist. “It’s awesome to grow up and live your dream, and do something with my hands and…watch these birds come to life out of stainless steel,” he said. “It’s cool to be able to do that and bring joy to other people with the stuff that I’m making.”
The public are invited to meet the artist and get a first look at “Crafting Flatware Into Sculptures That Feed the Soul” on November 2 from 5-7 p.m.
“I have a lot of exciting new materials and concepts that I have been working with and can’t wait to show everybody my new work!” he said.
photos contributed by Daniel Vidaillet
