An Oktoberfest story for fabricators

Last Saturday was Crabapple Fest in Milton, Ga., the local area’s version of Oktoberfest. Like others of its kind, the event is designed to bring the community together to celebrate fall—cooler temperatures, apple cider donuts, barbeque, beer, a big-screen TV set up in a common area for college football watching, and rows of vendors selling antiques, handmade crafts and jewelry, baked goods, and art.

It was a gorgeous day for the festival. My husband and I walked “downtown” from our neighborhood to take part. We have friends who exhibit handmade scarves and jewelry each year, and I make it a point to buy from them and support their small business. (This story isn’t about these friends, but they have a role in it later.) Theirs was the exhibit I most wanted to see and the main reason we attended.

Making our way to their tent, we spied Our Daily Bread’s display. No way could we pass that up. We stopped just to get a dozen apple cider donuts. Paid for those, and then my husband said, “That apple blueberry bread looks good, and so does the apple cinnamon.” His wallet came back out.

Goodies in hand, we started once again to our friends’ tent, looking at exhibits on both sides of the lane as we walked. On my right, I spotted and was drawn to some bright metal art. As my husband continued on his way, I made a detour, and I’m glad I did.

Kathy Walton was seated amid her colorful recycled metal art. When I approached her, she was engaged in a conversation with a mother and two young daughters. They weren’t talking about a particular piece of Kathy’s art; they were interested in her sign that said to see her about welding classes.

Kathy answered their questions and provided her contact information for follow-up. Then, it was my opportunity to talk to her. What I learned in our brief chat convinced me that her story deserves telling, and it’s one that might resonate with fabricators and welders everywhere.

Kathy was working in a construction office. She said, “You know how the workers would come in and ask to borrow money—$3 here, $5 there—for lunch or snacks? Well, one came to me and said, ‘You know, there’s no way I’m going to be able to pay you back the $300 I owe you. Would you be willing to let me teach you to weld instead?’”

Kathy took him up on the offer, and she now makes money selling her recycled creations. She said that people contact her often to let her know that they have “this or that” lying around and wonder: Could she use it?

All of the large flat pieces of her sculptures are made from old filing cabinets. She likes the way the powdered-coated steel holds up. It’s durable, and when she cuts a piece from it, she only has to worry about treating the edges to prevent corrosion.

As for teaching welding, Kathy said she teaches “art welding.” She’s taught 26 people so far this year, and will teach another session before the year is over.

I took Kathy’s card and plan to contact her for an article about her journey and business for thefabricator.com. It’s sure to be a good read, as her personality is as bold and colorful as her art.

When I finally made it to my friends’ tent, they asked what held me up, because my husband was there long before I was. I told them about Kathy and her welded art. One of my friends said, “I’ve always wanted to try welding!” The other said, “I tried welding when I worked for Kimberly Clark (safety division). It was hard.”

Welding is not as easy as it may look and it requires a lot of practice to become a really good welder. I have the deepest admiration for skilled welders. I attempted MIG welding at FABTECH eight years ago. It was difficult, but I wouldn’t mind learning art welding from Kathy.

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