Images in metal

Rick Rosaschi's latest creation, a metal sculpture of a buffalo, was put in an appropriate place, at the Buffaloe residence on Candy Dance Lane in Genoa.

The 5-foot by 5 1/2-foot, 1/4-inch thick steel cut-work image will reside in the front yard, within view of Foothill Road for all passersby to enjoy.

"I had spent a lot of time in New Mexico and I admired punched cut-work in the tin artwork of the area," the Carson Valley-based artist, Rosaschi, said. "I just decided to amp up the concept and take it to a new level."

Rosaschi's intricate cut-work adds details and dimension, unusual in other metal art works. This was a commissioned piece for Rosaschi who designed and created the piece for the Genoan art collectors.

"They are wonderful clients - now friends," Rosaschi said. "We are going to let the patina (on the piece) be rust."

Rosaschi is always coming up with new ideas for his art.

"I am currently working on a large peacock which I think will be nice as a gate or a headboard, or as a very large picture window, and also an eagle, a swarm of barn swallows and other flora and fauna motifs which reflect our surroundings. I also am working on some strange, modern designs that I am just as passionate about," Rosaschi said.

Another design on his drawing board is a dragonfly. Still in the planning stages, there will be a lot of construction thought and attention to detail, working in negative space to create a piece that, when completed, Rosaschi said, will take his work to a higher level.

"The dragonfly is soon to be cut, as soon as I work out a few structural details. I'll use a plasma or laser to get the fine detail," he said.

"I like to look at the drawings for a while to see if the thing is really worth spending time on, as metal is unforgiving in terms of its limits. I am trying to push limits and use all the most modern technology to do so."

To contact Rick Rosaschi, call 267-7564.