Every artist has a medium of choice. For Rick Cop, his is metal. Metal is strong, durable and hard and has served Rick well since he’s been a welder for nearly three decades.
Rick, along with his wife Michelle, own Iron Age Welding, a home-based business that they started two years ago. They work with all kinds of metal including iron, steel and aluminum, plus they offer mobile services as a more convenient way to get repair jobs done for their clients.
The core of the business remains in heavy duty work repairing trailers, hitches, farm, livestock, construction and oil field equipment and machinery, as well as fabricating gates, feeders and railings. However, there’s definitely a lighter side to the business.
“The custom fabrication side has really taken off. Rick loves that he’s not doing the same thing over and over again. Each project that we do is different and unique and specific to our clients,” said Michelle.
In terms of the products that they create, the sky is pretty much the limit. They’ve made a variety of practical pieces including coffee and end tables, farm yard signs, fire pokers and pits, wine racks, house numbers, coat racks, planters and beverage holders.
They also enjoy fabricating wall art, with one of their most memorable pieces being the World Map. Rick and Michelle also have a selection of creative and fun garden decor, wall sconces and ornaments.
They are proud of the fact that all of their pieces are hand cut and hand painted. Depending on the piece, they also incorporate barn board and other types of wood to enhance the design even further.
Occasionally, you’ll find Rick and Michelle on the road at various trade and craft shows; most recently they attended Brandon’s “Big One” Arts & Crafts Sale at the Keystone Centre. Plus, some of their artwork is also available at Lagasse’s Studio of Fine Art in Souris, Inspire Studio of Fine Arts in Minnedosa, The Station in Boissevain and at Cowtown in Brandon.
Check out some of their work online at: http://www.ironagewelding.com. You can also find them on Facebook.
