This piece gave me a big boost - financially and in attitude. Technically, this wasn't a "commission" job. I had gone to dinner at a new Chinese restaurant in town (Billings, Montana). Their cocktail napkins had a picture of a dragon. It was a simple, one-color print but I liked the design. I could just visualize this thing in three dimensions and went ahead and made it. So I guess it was really a speculation piece.
Once it was finished, I put it in the trunk of my old car, summoned up my courage, drove over and asked the new owner if he would be interested in buying it. He was and he agreed to my price! We set it up right in the dining room in front of their big fireplace. (The people working there nicknamed it "Puff".) Not only was this the most expensive piece I had sold up to that time, but there it was right out in a public spot! I could tell everyone, "Yup, I know the guy who made that there Dragon!" Several years later, the owner sold the restaurant but kept the Dragon. I'll have to track him down one of these days.
Even though I got paid what to me was a lot of money, if I had to make this thing again today I can't imagine how much I would have to charge. This entire piece was made with an Oxy-Acetylene torch by fusing 3/16" diameter welding rods together. I don't have a clue how many hours it took - hundreds, I guess. Details were highlighted in brass and in some spots I boiled the zinc out of the brass to leave copper behind. (Incidently, I do NOT recommend that anyone else do this as the zinc fumes are really not good for you!) I had it all sandblasted and then I wire-brushed the whole thing. I tempered it with the torch to bring out some color in both the steel and the brass and gave it a protective finish. It is mounted to a simple mahogany base.
* All Titles (eg "Man's Nature", "Possess 1", "Display 1", "Control 1" and others) and all images are copyrighted by J.P. Pendergrass and cannot be used without my expressed permission.
