Aron Siegal made Mom and Dad proud when he tossed an old radiator, a rusty toolbox and some scrap metal into their front yard. Of course, before making them permanent fixtures in the neighborhood, Siegal transformed these pieces into a dog sculpture, a flowerpot and a metal monster, respectively. Currently a theater design major at Webster University near St. Louis, Siegal grew up in Junius Heights and attended Booker T. Washington High School where, with the help of teacher Patsy Eldridge, he honed his artistic skills. Gradually, Siegal found he was especially fond of working with metal, creating everything from abstract pieces of art to practical metal furniture. “Once, I found a rusted head of a shovel, and it ended up turning into a chair. It was functional, turned into something that I was not expecting.” Siegal enjoys incorporating junk metal into his pieces and often scours the streets for discarded items, such as the Camaro parts he used to make a table. Through word of mouth, he has turned this hobby into a moneymaker by selling some of his creations, even crafting custom artwork for his former principal. The pieces also helped him get into Webster. “Every year at Booker T., the theater department has a portfolio showcase,” Siegal says. “They invite different professors from different colleges to take a look at our stuff. The dean of [Webster] came in, and he really liked my artwork. He told me that if I was interested to call him later.” That’s how he ended up in his current role, building sets for the university’s various theater productions. He’s also taking a sculpting class, which has presented him with a new challenge — working with wood. “It’s a lot different then working with metal … it’s hard work.”
To buy one of Siegal’s pieces, write to him at aronsiegal22@webster.edu.
