Since 2022, Steve Grater’s direct metal abstract sculptures have been raising eyebrows and finding homes with collectors in the western U.S. The heat, pressure, and mechanical processing with which he fabricates ferrous and nonferrous metal into clastic and anti-clastic forms using self-made tools are palpable in his visually impactful work. Prior to becoming an autodidact artist, Steve had a 30-year career chasing wildfires in spectacular natural settings, which influenced the organic shapes expressed in his sculptures. Steve learned technical skills by studying blacksmithing with Frank Turley and bronze casting with Tom Barringer and assisting Jerry Harris, and ran his own business forging and selling artistic and functional blacksmith art. In midlife, Steve retired from wildland firefighting and embarked on a second career as a full-time sculptor. Steve’s passion for metalworking and techniques used in making jewelry, vessel forming and repoussé inform the aesthetic of his sculptural work. Steve’s sculptures are placed at the Tucson Jewish Community Center and in public sculpture walks in Moab and St. George, Utah, and Lafayette, Colorado. His work is represented in dozens of private collections. Steve recently completed a large-scale sculpture commission for the Buffalo Creek Art Center Sculpture Park in Gardnerville, Nevada, where he did an artist residency in 2024. Steve is represented in southern Arizona by Más y Más Gallery in Tubac.
WORK
Oct 2024
Completed a sculpture commission for
Buffalo Creek Art Center Sculpture Park
Gardnerville, NV
Oct 2024
Selected for MoabArtTrails public sculpture exhibition
Moab, UT
Oct 2024
Juried into a year-long exhibit at Tucson Jewish Community Center’s
Jill Rosenzweig Memorial Sculpture Garden
Tucson, AZ
Sept 2023
Selected for SCULPT 2023 at Tucson Jewish Community Center
Tucson, AZ
Oct 2024
Selected for MoabArtTrails public sculpture exhibition
Moab, UT
Sep 2023
Selected to exhibit at Reno-Tahoe International Art show
Reno, NV
Aug 2023
Selected to exhibit at 40th Annual Sculpture in the Park show
Loveland, CO
Apr 2024
Selected for Sculpture-On-Campus Exhibition
Pima Community College East Campus
Tucson, AZ
Mar 2024
Selected for Artist in Residence program at Buffalo Creek Art Center
Gardnerville, NV
Feb 2024
Selected for 40th Annual Sculpture in the Park Show and Sale
Loveland, CO
Jan 2024
Selected for Sculpture Tucson's Sculpture Festival Show & Sale
Tucson, AZ
Jan 2024
Selected for Art Around the Corner outdoor sculpture gallery
St. George, UT
Dec 2023
Selected for Art on the Street outdoor sculpture on loan program
Lafayette, CO
Nov 2023
Selected for 2023 Members’ Juried Exhibition, Tubac Center for the Arts
Tubac, AZ
Oct 2023
Juried into a year-long exhibit at Tucson Jewish Community Center’s
Jill Rosenzweig Memorial Sculpture Garden
Tucson, AZ
Oct 2023
Selected for MoabArtTrails public sculpture exhibition
Moab, UT
Sept 2023
Selected for SCULPT 2023 at Tucson Jewish Community Center
Tucson, AZ
Sept 2023
Selected to exhibit at Reno-Tahoe International Art show
Reno, NV
Mar 2023
Selected for Sculpture Tucson, Sculpture Festival Show & Sale
Tucson, AZ
Nov 2022 – Jan 2023
Selected for Tohono Chul Gallery’s WATER show
Tucson, AZ
Nov 2022 - present
Exclusive representation in Tubac, AZ by Más y Más Gallery
Oct 2022 – May 2023
Selected for the Arizona Artists Blacksmith Association’s Botanical
Blacksmith Exhibit at the Tubac Presidio
Tubac, AZ
Oct 2022
Selected for a group show at the Jewish Community Center
Tucson, AZ
Aug 2022
Selected for Sculpture Tucson’s “Joy” exhibit
Tucson, AZ
Aug – Nov 2022
Selected for Tohono Chul Gallery’s FIRE show
Tucson, AZ
2019 - present
Owner, The Village Blacksmith
Tucson, Arizona
2010 - present
Metal artist and owner of Hessen Ironworks
2011 - 2017
Class facilitator for Douglas Pryor, metalsmith (repoussé)
Facilitated/hosted classes for jewelry, other metal arts with Arizona Designer Craftsmen
2010 - 2014
Studio artist at Metal Arts Village
Tucson, AZ
2008
Studied bronze casting at Pima Community College
Tucson, AZ
1995 - 2010
Assistant to sculptor Jerry Harris at The Village Blacksmith
Tucson, AZ
1992
Studied blacksmithing at Turley Forge
Santa Fe, NM
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