August Powers

August Powers has lived most of his life in the Florida Keys, surrounded by the natural environment from which he draws inspiration for his work.  "I have always been fascinated by the natural world and I have always loved to work with my hands.  My art has allowed me to fuse these two passions into one."  Every piece is made entirely by hand and features one of August's "living" finishes - polished, flame-painted, acid verdigris or natural firescale.  Each of these finishes enhances the luster and beauty of the copper in its own unique manner.  The intent is always to please the eye.  The focus is always on the detail, durability and staying true to the essence of the subject, from the bold lines of a barracuda to the subtle petals of a rose.  "When I began working with metal, I quickly fell in love with copper and became intrigued with figuring out how I could push what is essentially a non-fluid medium in ways that would allow me to capture the fluidity of fish and other forms of sea life."  Copper is not only beautiful, but also both ancient and enduring.  The pyramids were built with copper tools!  Copper can be fashioned into objects that will literally last forever.  "Copper is incredibly durable.  If you were to take one of my pieces, set it out in a field, and return in a hundred years, it would still be there.  It would have turned green, but it would not of rusted away to nothing.  To me there is something very wonderful about that."  August has been featured on ArtLoft on PBS, as well as the BBC's Where in the World.  His work has found homes across the country as well as worldwide.