MANG STAINLESS ART - BACKGROUND/RESUME
In 2003, I received a 135 MIG welder for Christmas and that’s when I had an awakening of my artistic abilities. My first project was a 13-foot tall fire-breathing dragon named after my Dad, Frankie, which I made with mild steel. I soon discovered I liked the way steel looks when it’s sanded and wire brushed. The problem with mild steel, however, is that it soon rusts so it has to be painted.
I quickly moved into stainless (T-304, T-0316) and begin creating large scale sculptures. Stainless steel is in a class of its own and is 2 to 3 times harder than mild steel because it contains nickel and chromium to keep it from oxidizing (rusting); and it is about 5 to 7 times more expensive. To compound matters the hardness of the steel makes it almost impossible to sculpt. I go through an exorbitant amount of grinders, sanding discs and cutters which are also very expensive and can only be bought at specialty welding shops or custom ordered. Even the gas I use to weld with is custom and expensive because it contains what is called a Trimix CO2, argon and helium.
All of my sculptures are hand crafted by cutting, bending, pounding, sanding and welded using a MIG Welder, large sheets of stainless steel, copper, brass, bronze, wire and other natural materials to form unique one of a kind art forms. Each piece is an expression of life and life experiences. The use of stainless cements and projects a permanence of the minerals that compose the natural elements found in stainless and reflects the organic light emitting from each creation.
Influence: I am fascinated and many pieces in my collection were influenced by my immense interest in science fiction, fantasy and the Gothic Era. I don’t look at the art from the Gothic Era as being influenced by religion, cults or anyone or thing. I see this type of art as a true expression of the artist. They took their talents and their materials, and just created. This is the way I like to create; I have an idea in my mind sometimes it appears as I see it, sometimes it becomes something else and what it is, is what it turns out to be.
Frustrations: I believe one of the hardest things that I as a stainless artist have to
overcome is the lack of understanding that most people have concerning my stainless steel sculptures. Sometimes, they relate my stainless art to art made with mild steel which is as I said earlier, a completely different beast. Mild steel, although it is beautiful when worked right is not even close to stainless in its properties and value. Most people understand and accept that a 14-gage stainless steel sink for their house will cost them about $2,800.00. But when they look at my sculptures they don’t equate that my art is made from the same caliber of stainless as that high-end sink. They appear to have no concept or appreciation of the range of difficulty involved in welding stainless into sculptures, the grade of materials, or of the artistic value.
I believe that I may be the only stainless sculpture artist found in the art world today creating sculptures in the same way I sculpt. Many of my pieces take as long as three months and 200 to 300 hours to complete and each piece I create is a one of kind sculpture.
To balance out the frustration I feel with those that seemingly do not understand my art I must share my joy and gratification when children, the purest of souls, little people without prejudice or preconceived ideas walk into my studio I can tell by their little eyes and the expressions on their faces that they get it. They see something they like and freely express their approval. This is probably the greatest prize/award I can ever win for my art and truly that is what I live for.
EXHIBITS:
1987 - Custom 3-story Aviary with spiraling staircase around a Blue Oak Tree
1993 - Current - Mang Annual Halloween Event, Rocklin, CA
2005 – Special Exhibit for Toile’ Farms - Tom and Diane Elliott, Davis, CA
2005/2008/2010 – California Fine Arts, CA State Fair – Cal Expo, Sacramento, CA.
2005/2006 – Valley Sculpture Artists (VSA), Sacramento, CA
2006 – LA Con IV – Worldwide Fantasy Art Conference, Los Angeles, CA
2007- Agora Fine Art Gallery, Chelsea New York City, NY, NY
2007 – Comic-Con 2007, International Convention, San Diego, CA
2007 – Special Exhibit – Gianni’s Trattoria, Sacramento, CA
2007 – Special Exhibit – Harlow’s, Sacramento, CA
2008 – Rocklin Fine Art - Snowflake Art Show, Rocklin, CA
2008 – Special Exhibit – Stanford Ranch Plaza, Rocklin, CA
2008 – Special Exhibit – CSUS Witt Gallery – Sacramento, CA
2008 – Rocklin Fine Art – Membership Show – Sacramento, CA
2008 - Special Exhibit – “The Event”, Adventure Art Galley Event, Roseville, CA
2008 – Special Exhibit – Sacramento “Pipeworks” – Sacramento, CA
2008 - California Fine Arts, California State Fair – Cal Expo, Sacramento, CA
2008 – KVIE TV Art Auction – Sacramento, CA
2009 – Special Exhibit - Witt Gallery, California State University, Sacramento
2009 – California Fine Arts, California State Fair – Cal Expo, Sacramento, CA
2009 – International Association of Amusement Park Attractions, Las Vegas, NV
2010/2011 – Outside the Box, the Art Museum, Auburn, CA
2010 – Witt Gallery, California State University, Sacramento, CA
2010 – Sacramento International Film Festival, Sacramento, CA
2015 - Special Exhibit - History/Arts Comm.- Hidden Treasures Art Show, Citrus Heights, CA
2015 - University Art Exhibit, Sacramento, CA
AWARDS:
2005 – Award of Excellence for “Amira” Welsh Pony, California State Fair
2005 – Outstanding Contribution, “Mang Sculpture Collection”, Valley Sculpture Arts
Open Sculpture Exhibition
2006 – Award of Merit, for “Blooming” Vase Sculpture, Valley Sculpture Arts, Open
Sculpture Exhibition
2006 – Judges Choices for Body of Work, “Mang Sculpture Collection”, LA Con IV –
Worldwide Fantasy Art Conference, Los Angeles, CA
2006 – Kid’s Choice, for “Zanthony, Dragon”, LA Con IV – Worldwide Fantasy Art
Conference, Los Angeles, CA
2006 – Kid’s Choice, for “Ackary, Gargoyle”, LA Con IV – Worldwide Fantasy Art
Conference, Los Angeles, CA
2008 - Best of Show, Rocklin Fine Art, Snowflake Art Show, Rocklin, CA
2008 – First Place, Fine Art Sculpture, Rocklin Fine Art, Snowflake Art Show, Rocklin,
CA
2008 – Second Place, Fine Art Sculpture, Rocklin Fine Art, Snowflake Art Show,
Rocklin, CA
2008 – Honorable Mention – KVIE TV Art Auction – Sacramento, CA
2008 – Award of Excellence for “Zanthony” Dragon, California State Fair
2009 – Award of Merit for “Bass Guitar”, California State Fair
2010 - Best of Show for Battle Dragon Rocklin Fine Art Annual Show
2014 - Special Exhibit - Oakwilde Ranch & Sculpture Art Show, Valley Springs, CA
2014 - Award of Merit for "Bunny", California State Fair Fine Arts, Sacramento, CA
2016 - Award of Merit for "The Robot", California State Fair Fine Arts, Sacramento, CA
2016 - 2016 Valley Sculpture's Award for "The Robot, Sacramento, CA
2016 - Special Exhibit - Valley Sculpture Artist Annual Event, Fair Oaks, CA
MEDIA:
2005 – Mang Stainless Art featured in Placer Herald Newspaper, Auburn, CA
2007 – Mang Stainless Art Featured on http://www.Art-Mine.com
2007 – Saatchi Fine Art Gallery, http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk
2007 - Mang Stainless Art featured in Game Informer, International gaming magazine
2007 – Fox, Channel 40, Sacramento, CA
2008 - Mang Halloween Art, Featured in Rocklin View, Rocklin, CA
2008 - Mang Stainless Art featured in Comic-Con Magazine, International Magazine
2009 – KCRA, Channel 3, Sacramento, CA
2009 - Featured in InterPark, January/February 2010, www.InterPark.co.uk
2009 – KCRA, Channel 3, Sacramento, CA
2013 - Artist Bill Mang featured in Style Magazine, Roseville/Granite Bay/Rocklin, CA
2014 - October Artist of the Month Bill Mang - Steel Notes Magazine, National
Magazine
2014 - Mang Halloween House - Channel 13/31 TV - Sacramento, CA
EDUCATION:
Stainless Steel Sculpture Artist – Self-taught
Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration (Marketing/ Public
Relations) University of California, Sacramento – 1977
CAREER:
General Contractor, Owner, Mang Builders, 1985-Present
