Artist’s work takes shape

Steve Lloyd with some of his ground metal art pieces Lisa Billings/Chesterfield Observer Steve Lloyd found a way to combine his talent in art with his passion for anything automotive when he was a student at L.C. Bird High School.

Lloyd attended the car shows that came through town and would ogle over the “wild paint jobs” he saw. That prompted him to learn more about airbrush art, eventually evolving into ground metal art.

Lloyd is this month’s featured artist at Chester Library. The library’s monthly art exhibits are sponsored by the Chesterfield Center for the Arts Foundation.

“I started taking airbrush classes and reading magazines about it,” he said. “I bought all the stuff I needed, and I started painting.”

It wasn’t the first time that Lloyd picked up some type of paintbrush. He was a member of the National Art Honor Society in high school. After his 2000 graduation, he took art classes at Richard Bland Community College.

In 2004 he decided to focus on the automotive side of his art and attended the first Airbrush Action Getaway class for automotive graphics in Charlotte, N.C. During the hands-on class, he had the opportunity to work with some top celebrity airbrush artists.

“I started painting detailed graphic designs on cars and trucks, and [my business] grew by word of mouth,” he said.

Lloyd took his art to a new level three years ago when he began working in ground metal art, a unique form of wall art that started on the West Coast.

“There are only about 10 artists in the country that do this type of art,” he explained.

Lloyd, who by day is a technical representative for Auto Paint Supply Company, does most of his art in his spare time. He jumped into the medium with the same enthusiasm he had for airbrushing.

“I started reading about it, and then got a piece of metal, bought the tools and started,” he said.

Lloyd first used graphic designs, similar to the ones he uses in airbrushing, in his metal art. Over time, those designs morphed into abstract art.

His first three pieces of ground metal art were displayed at Art Works in Richmond where he now has a studio.

“Art Works has an all media gallery show once a month,” he said. “All of my pieces were accepted for the show, and I got honorable mention.”

Lloyd uses aluminum in his artwork.

“It’s very lightweight so it’s not too heavy when you hang it on a wall,” he explained. “It’s a soft material so it grounds easier. When I do a background effect, I have to grind it. I have worked with sheet metal, but it’s harder to work with.”

In addition to Art Works, Lloyd’s art is displayed at Sette, a restaurant at 7 North 23rd St. in Church Hill.

“Most of the artwork I sell is at shows like Arts in the Park,” Lloyd said. “In May, I sold six pieces of art there. I had a great response.”

His art comes in various sizes – his largest piece was a recent 4-foot by 4-foot commission. Prices start around $100.

Throughout September, Lloyd will have up to 15 pieces of art on display at Chester Library, 11800 Centre St. There will be a Meet the Artist reception from 3-4:30 p.m. on Sept. 4. For more information, contact Chester Library at 748-6314.