Copper?s unique properties cause the metal to change color and texture over time. The diverse number of finishes and patinas serve both form and function. Copper?s beautiful colors add to the sophistication and uniqueness of architecture and design, while its durable finish protects these buildings from the elements.
Architects aren?t the only ones to take advantage of the spectrum of copper colors and finishes. The metal has served as a muse for many brilliant artists, including Adam Colangelo, a full-time, mid-career artist living and working in the Niagara wine region. Colangelo?s large-scale compositions speak to his understanding of copper and his interests in presenting the material in new and innovative ways. By employing diverse techniques, Colangelo can create an array of patinas and finishes so rich in detail that each small segment offers its own earthy abstraction. Colangelo has exhibited works in Toronto, Whistler, New York, Chicago, Miami, and Tokyo. His work is well represented and has been purchased for private and corporate collections in the United States and Canada.
CDA spoke with Colangelo about his experiences working with copper and how he brings out the material?s full palette of colors.
When you were young and started to work with copper, what was it about the metal that made you keep coming back to it"
After experimenting with a variety of mediums, I chose (and stuck with) copper largely due to its natural capacity to oxidize and therefore c...