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Artist uses metal to create pieces
Eric Allen Folsom Jr. was born and raised in St. Petersburg and has been connected to Gulfport since he was an infant.
GULFPORT, Fla. - Eric Allen Folsom Jr. was born and raised in St. Petersburg and has been connected to Gulfport since he was an infant.
Metalwork artist history
The backstory:
His father was a pastor there, and Folsom says the city’s art scene has helped him build a life around creativity.
Folsom mainly works with bronze and copper, using oxygen acetylene, welding rods and sheet copper to create bracelets, earrings and small art objects.
Folsom’s pieces include mermaids, zodiac signs, animals, flowers and even Tampa Bay Rays-inspired artwork created for a Florida CraftArt exhibition.
Folsom says a teacher in fourth grade helped him realize he was an artist and encouraged him to be himself.
Today, Folsom uses a torch with a 7,000-degree flame to heat, shape and weld metal into one-of-a-kind pieces. Some of his bracelets are inspired by images from the Webb Space Telescope.
Creative impact
Big picture view:
Folsom says nature and astronomy are major sources of inspiration because of the beauty around us. He hopes his work gives people a sense of calm or joy.
Folsom says he is grateful for Gulfport’s art scene because he does not have to go far to connect with other artists.
Artist gallery locations
What you can do:
You can find artist Eric Folsom's work at Florida CraftArt in downtown St. Petersburg, the Dunedin Fine Art Center, and DRV Gallery in Gulfport.
Meet him in person on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Stella's Sundries in Gulfport.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from interviews with Gulfport metal artist Eric Folsom.