Page 7 - Harnett Life Spring 2018

creative forms. Morris submitted six of his sculptures for tools,” he said. Aside from one class in welding, he has
the exhibit. The exhibition was sponsored by the city’s En- mostly learned his craft through trial and error. “I’m a self-
vironmental Services Department and Waste Management. taught welder,” he said.
In front of the rural Harnett County home that Morris shares The moonshiner was the first piece he made using moving
with his wife, Liz, are a host of interesting characters that parts. It is a composite of a man sitting on a keg, next to a
he ingeniously created from old pieces of abandoned metal still, with a dog. “The dog’s neck is on a spring which al-
and twisted steel. lows his head to bob.” He repeated the effect by using large
springs for the moonshiner’s legs, which dangle freely and
One of his first pieces was “Ethan,” named for ethanol gas. move about.
He was screwed together, not welded. “He has a gas pump
for a hand, and his head is an old car exhaust,” he said. “I Morris, 49, who is originally from Mebane, is not your
fashioned his body from a test pump I found at the military quintessential artist. The artist lifestyle emerged late in life,
scrap yard.” His eyeglasses are spoons, his nose is a socket he said. “I got into art after a trip to Iraq.” He moved to Har-
and his mouth is a wrench. The long legs are exhaust pipes nett County in 1992 to take a job as a game warden, which
– which fit perfectly, right down to his decorative socks, was followed by 20 years of working in law enforcement.
made from upside down utensil holders. His careful atten- Until he retired in 2010, he worked with the Lillington po-
tion to detail imbued Ethan with personality. “Each one is lice department, and with the Harnett county sheriff’s de-
a learning process. None are the same,” he said. partment as a detective in narcotics, and with SWAT. Now,
he does military contract work. “The contract work supports
Morris began working with metal about two years ago, and my art,” he said. “I’m semi-retired, but I’m currently taking
uses a welder to reveal new shapes and forms in the scraps time off to work on my art.”
of metal he collects. “I like to work with steel, brass, stain-
less steel and copper,” he said. He sands the metal, shapes His workshop is a mix of creative art pieces and metal parts
it and sometimes lets it rust. that have been hauled out of local scrap yards. “I’m like
a kid in candy store at the scrap yard,” he said. There are
“I try to create a new sculpture every couple of weeks,” he buckets of metal pieces to be used as eyes and buckets filled
said. with noses. “People give me parts,” he said. “I also visit
Habitat for Humanity and antique stores to find the materials
His first welding tool came from Shooters Supply Store, in I need. Sometimes I will spend hours digging around.” Used
Fayetteville, with the inclination to create something, he saw blades, fire extinguishers, plow discs and old satellite
said. Next, he bought a grinder. “Those are my two main dishes are some of his finds.
Page 7 Harnett Life ~ Spring 2018