Photos by Garrett Cook Artist Cecilia H. Calderón carries a bundle of recycled copper pieces in her outdoor studio.

PORTRAIT

Profession: Copper artist

Medium: Acid-washed copper

Education/Training: Studied graphic design in Mexico; several metalworking classes

Background: Cecilia Calderón has a serene, reflective air about her, which explains why the copper artist prefers to work uninterrupted in a quiet environment. Her creative process, however, is quite the opposite and involves the use of a blowtorch, acids and an assortment of tools, including hammers, pliers and modified screwdrivers. The result is a collection of richly patinaed designs that reflects her diverse cultural background and intense love of the Southwest.

Calderón—who says she has been artistic since childhood—grew up in Mexico, where she also was exposed to American, European and Indian influences. These influences “woke up a curiosity” to explore a range of beliefs, which are reflected in such subject matter as Trees of Life, pre-Columbian symbols, and saints and other religious figures.

After studying graphic design in college, the artisan moved to Toronto and took up stained-glass art. For the next 30 years—in Canada, and later in Mexico and Austin, Texas—Calderón worked in the medium as a full-time artist. While in Austin, she began experimenting with copper.

A move to Arizona in 2006 introduced Calderón to the Southwest, and she fell instantly in love. She discovered that her interest in copper was a fitting complement to the state’s heritage and shifted gears to focus on copper wall hangings and sculpture.

Ascension, a copper wall hanging featuring a Tree of Life, measures 34" square.

“I was really taken with the desert,” Calderón recalls. “You can see each individual plant. I see them and want to re-create each one.” And she nearly does, depicting such iconic flora and fauna as hummingbirds, saguaros, agaves and lizards.

Of her style, the artisan quips, “I like to work big.” Wall hangings may measure 34 inches-square; a large piece can take a month to complete. Her multistep process involves cutting sheets of recycled copper and bending them to create a “canvas.” She softens the metal with a blowtorch so that she can pound in a repoussé design, and then applies layers of acid to achieve colorful patinas of blues, greens and browns. Finishing touches may include adding etchings, weatherproofing pieces with lacquer, and attaching redwood frames to wall hangings.

“What I love about this material is that it has a life of its own,” Calderón says. “I decide one thing and the copper does something else, which is usually better than I imagined.”