Posted on Leave a comment

The Odyssey

The Odyssey was a Ray Berger original abstract metal wall art design that he sold hundreds of in the late 1990s and early 2000s. It was typical of his modular type pieces that could be arranged in countless configurations to satisfy any wall space dimension.

My father left no examples of the Odyssey or templates in which I could use as a comparison so I decided that I wanted to reinvent the Odyssey but at the same time retain some of my father’s originality. The result was in my opinion a better design that is more structurally sound, easier to fabricate and more in line with today’s style.

Odyssey Large Part
“The Odyssey” – Set of One Large and One Small Section

I know that my father would be proud of what I have accomplished so far regarding the Odyssey especially regarding how the Odyssey frame was fabricated. I used the same equipment that my father used in the early 2000s but I redesigned the frame pattern so that several steps and fabrication procedures have been eliminated. Essentially the entire Odyssey Set frame is plasma cut from one 12″ x 24″ piece of 11 gauge steel.

Odyssey Plasma Cut Steel Sheet
Odyssey Plasma Pattern cut in Steel

After plasma cutting the Odyssey frames they need to be painted and formed in order to accomodate plates. This is a time consuming procedure and one needs to have an innate ability to recognize and judge 90 degree relational aspects between objects. The result is a frame that is strong and sturdy but not too heavy.

Odyssey Large Frame

After the Odyssey frames are fabricated the next step is to prepare the plates. I use mainly .020 and .010 polished metals like chrome, brass, copper and satin. I plan to incorporate new materials like brushed and painted aluminum in the near future. Check out these videos of me working on the Odyssey in the shop.

The Odyssey is still a work in progress for that’s how I feel about all of my designs. Improvements can always be made in the artistry, the manufacturing and in the presentation. I’m happy so far and hope to continue on with the journey and find new ways of implementing the Odyssey and it’s “One Piece Frame” concept into other modular type designs. For more information on the Odyssey please visit my website https://www.metalsculpturestudio.com