About Tom
 
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The new found welding skills were soon put to work as Dixon explored the decorative and structural potential of recycled materials and industrial scrap. It was a very hands-on period, working from his own workshop. Each piece evolved in a built form with no need for design sketches. Some of Dixon's favoured materials at this time included railings, concrete reinforcement bars, car inner tubing and saucepans.
"I was immediately hooked on welding...mesmerised by the tiny pool of molten metal, viewed from the safety of darkened goggles. Allowing an instant fusion of one piece of steel to another. It had none of the seriousness of craft and none of the pomposity of design: it was industry.
It suited my impatience perfectly...giving me the opportunity to build, destroy, adjust and remake structures instantly.
London at the time was still full of scrap metal yards and the skips were piled full of promising bits & pieces due to the eighties boom....all of which presented themselves to me as potential chair backs or table legs. Unhindered by commercial concerns (I had my night job,) or formal training I made things just for the pleasure of making them. It was only when people started to buy that I realised I had hit on a form of alchemy...I could turn a pile of scrap metal into gold." |
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