BACKGROUND: William F. Colburn, Jr. was born in Birmingham, Alabama. His studio was located in a large industrial facility in Fairhope, Alabama from 1993 to 2013. In 2014, with an idea for future growth; Iron Age Studio was relocated five hours north to downtown Birmingham, in the revitalized historic Woodlawn neighborhood. The studio now resides in a restored industrial building, built in the spring of 1910 as a grenade factory for World War One. The newly renovated building contains five thousand square feet of working studio space with office and gallery space in the thirty five hundred upstairs area.
Currently, Iron Age Studio is expanding with the creation of a ten thousand square foot sculpture park and event center called Elysian Gardens (@elysiangardensbham). A one of a kind giant, whimsical sculpture park with two restaurants, full bar, gallery, and events of all kinds: music, theater, pop-up art shows, movie nights, yoga classes, art classes and so much more. Located right on the Rotary walking trail in Birmingham's Historic Avondale Entertainment District at 101 40th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35222. Scheduled to open Fall of 2020, this will be an unparralled experience of culture, art, food, and entertainment in a family and pet friendly environment.
William has followed in his Engineer father's manufacturing footsteps, welding at a very young age, and for the last 28 years he has created a business all his own including unique and creative metal sculptures, doors, gates and railings, and now SIGNS. He has exhibited in thirty states throughout North America and continues to travel the U.S. participating in art festivals primarily during the spring and summer months, has won numerous arts and festival awards since 1994 and has gained recognition in the iron and metal art industry.
William's sculptures are permanently exhibited at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, The Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham, Government Plaza Mobile Alabama , The Arts Center Fairhope Alabama, The North Alabama Museum of Art, The City Parks Of Miami Florida, and many other regional arts centers and private collections. William's work has also been featured in art and home design catalogs such as Sundance, Front Gate Catalog, Neiman Marcus Catalogs, Duck's Unlimited, Cabela's, Crow's Nest Trading Company and many others. His work is carried in over a hundred garden and gift shops throughout the United States and Canada.
MEDIA: Iron and steel creations, hand cut with a plasma or gas fuel torch, shaped over a coal fired forge and weld fabricated. Some projects are sand cast from self-made molds using a coal fired melting forge. Incorporate brass, aluminum, and natural stones into many projects. Artistic Studio Furniture, Indoor and Outdoor Sculpture, Structural and Accent Architectural Pieces.
ARTIST STATEMENT: Fabricated iron and steel sculpture is designed and created by the artist in his private studio. A full time studio assistant is used to grind welds, simple assembly and assist in weld fabrication of heavy sculpture and architectural pieces. All work is done using large industrial machinery, hand held torches, coal fired forges, mig and tig welders and various designed hydraulic bending machines.