Curtis Aric, aka Dirty Curty, is an old-world artisan who makes all his art from car parts and scrap metal. His studio in Pawtucket is filled with half-assembled cars, bikes, patched-together machinery, and his metal flowers. Curtis has been making metal flowers for over twenty years, and at first, he was hoping to connect with others as a sweet side-effect of the project.
“I began passionately making art in hopes to gain the admiration, warmth, and tenderness of human touch,” said Curtis. He lives outside of the digital world for the most part, in a cabin in the woods without electricity or running water – choosing to have a minimal online presence and a greater connection with nature.
When his mom’s health started declining about a year ago, Curtis’ goal shifted to selling the metal blooms to raise money to help her. “Love and steel are both dug out of the earth and forged to create something strong and enduring. Left uncared for, they both rust back into dirt,” Curtis said. “Only passion, purpose, and pain can work a cold blank into warmth, elegance, love, and beauty. Ultimately, art and love beget birth and creation.”
During the whole month of May, Curtis will have his art displayed at The News Café. On May 20th, you can see his show Mechanical Dubstep and the Nothing Machines – an interactive audiovisual playground featuring Dirty Curty’s homemade instruments and “mechanical music.”
You can find Curtis’ metal flowers at Betwitched of Scituate, 618 W Greenville Rd, Scituate. All proceeds are going to help with costs related to his mom’s diminishing health. bewitchedofscituate.com
