Meet David Broussard

Today we’d like to introduce you to David Broussard.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was raised in Southwest Louisiana in the small town of Cameron. I was fifth born of eight children. My parents were musical and I got my musical ability from both of them. I always loved the bass and that is what I focused on when I heard music. I knew the bass line to every song. At 15, my Dad said if I would make a certain grade point, he’d buy me anything I wanted within reason. I got a bass guitar and amp and within a month, I was in a garage band. I just picked that instrument up and before I knew it, I was playing along with records note for note. I traveled with several bands and ended up in Dallas. In 1979, the band Refugee was formed. We wrote our own music and developed a large following.

Just weeks before we were to sign with a major recording label, I became a Christian and had a complete paradigm shift take place. I took a long, hard look at the music, lyrics and lifestyle I was living and decided I wanted to travel a different path. The Dallas Observer published an article stating I quit the music business and I responded back stating I would never quit playing music. Refugee was going one direction and I decided to go another.

At that point in my life I was also a successful hair designer so I continued to work in that profession until I found my new career in metal art.

My art is unique and definitely created with a purpose. I mentioned that I became a Christian. People who know me will tell you I’m an all or nothing kind of guy. I don’t do anything half hearted. I wanted to share my faith, but I wanted to do it in other ways than just talking to one person and then another. I wanted a mass approach if you will. It’s like writing a song. You can sing a song to one person at a time or you can record a song that may travel around the world and touch multitudes.

I had tried writing some songs and developed a following, but it just didn’t take off. I realized pretty quick that music was not going to be the way. I prayed that God would give me a gift that I had never thought about. I was seeking something totally new; something outside the box of reality I was familiar with. In the process of waiting for this answer to come, I took a welding course because I was always intrigued by it. In that 24 hour course, I made a cross and hung it in my hair salon. It sold immediately, so I made another and the same thing happened. I sold 40 to 50 of them and realized my prayer was answered. I truly did not see it coming because it was so very natural.

Please tell us about your art.
About 90% of my work is crosses, but I have made custom work for many people. I’ve made tables, signs for businesses and sculptures. I love the creative process and I especially love working with steel because you can do anything you want to it. There is really no limits except for structural integrity. I love making sculpture that is perfectly balanced but looks like it should fall over. It’s very rewarding!

I pray for designs that tell a story – a truth found in the Bible. Unlike many artists, I want people to know exactly what I have in mind when creating. I have detailed descriptions of the meaning next to each piece, but I ask people to tell me what they see before reading the description. It is amazing what people see in my work and I’m just blown away. I know what I’m trying to convey, but I’ve had people tell me they see images in my work and it all has to do with the message I’m trying to put forth. I would say the main message I want people walking away with is God truly is a God of love and to tell you the truth, He really isn’t fond of religion. He’s into relationship. That’s why He refers to Himself as Father.

I take sheets of carbon steel and put a deep polish into the metal. The more you polish it, the deeper it looks. I can give steel a holographic look. So I polish the steel to give it the texture and movement that I want and then I light up a blowtorch and heat the metal to give it the color. This is a very rewarding moment for me because coloring the piece brings all the hard work together. Even though coloring is not near as difficult as polishing the steel, it is where you put the final finish and it can either make or break the piece. To color with a blowtorch is incredible. I move the torch over the metal at an even pace to get it to the right temperature. The steel starts to turn from silver to a light gold at about 400ºF. When you get to this point, it becomes critical. You can’t take your eyes off where the torch is pointing and you absolutely cannot stop or you will get an ugly burn mark. That alone could ruin a piece unless you are doing it on purpose for an effect. You have to make sure you are staying at a constant height to the surface and the speed you’re traveling is critical. In a way, it’s like painting with an airbrush, except fire is coming out of the nozzle.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
Made in China stuff has been the biggest challenge. I remember when I was wholesaling my art at the Dallas Market. There would be a display across from my setup where someone was offering a metal cross that was four times the size at 1/4 the cost of mine. I’ve gone into many very nice homes only to see China art on the wall. This is definitely frustrating.

I have friends who make their living at photography. Now with all the smart phones, everyone has a decent camera and ‘everyone’ is now a photographer. I’ve seen people shooting weddings with an iPhone. It’s crazy. I’ve seen people who call themselves musicians and can’t play any instrument, but they can cut and paste segments of recorded music and instruments together to make a ‘song’. It particularly drives me crazy when I hear a really bad musical loop that keeps going round and round and someone is ‘singing’ over these horrible loops and it’s on a station playing in a restaurant. It’s a great recipe in my case for indigestion.

With that said, I think the biggest challenge artists face is staying true to what they do and trust that their art, like cream, will rise to the top. I’ve seen some very talented people quit because of the frustration. I can relate with them and it is frustrating, but I have to keep doing what I’m doing because it is my passion and purpose in this life. I believe that I am called to do what I’m doing and I’ll not stop. I simply won’t do that. No matter how big the challenge to keep going, I know I’m making a difference in many people’s lives. That in itself is the reward!

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
People from all over the world visit my website at www.JeweledSteel.com and I’m constantly posting on Instagram and Facebook. I also show monthly at the world famous Canton 1st Monday Trade Days in Canton Texas. We have tens of thousands of people that see my work at that show.

The main way people can support my work is of course to purchase it either for themselves or as gifts. Over half of the sales on our website are from people who received my art as a gift and then they do the same. Another way is to suggest to churches that I’m available to make crosses of any size, both interior and exterior. I have made items of artwork to go in hallways and meeting rooms all the way to large crosses for the sanctuary and even on the outside of the church. My work can be found in hospitals, office buildings and other venues. I have outdoor sculptures also. I love to do custom commissioned work. I like sitting down with someone or talking on the phone to work on an idea they have. That gives me great pleasure. I consider myself an artist but I am not above working on someone else’s idea to give them their heart’s desire.

I love to be stretched as an artist and welcome people to call me with their ideas.

Contact Info:

• Address: 231 VZ CR 4104
  Canton, TX 75103
• Website: www.JeweledSteel.com
• Phone: 214-546-3655
• Email: David@JeweledSteel.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/Jeweled_Steel
• Facebook: Facebook.com/JeweledSteel

Image Credit:
All images by David Broussard except cross with flamed background / Steve Woods